Liberty Square is Next Up on the Disney Chopping Block

in Disney, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World

A split image shows Liberty Square and the Haunted Mansion at a theme park. The left side features a wooden Liberty Square sign near brick walls and barrels labeled "tea," possibly its last glimpse before Disney removes Liberty Square for Cars Land. The right side displays the illuminated Haunted Mansion at night, surrounded by a fence and trees.

Credit: Disney

At this year’s D23 Expo, Disney fans were giddy after the announcements of the future lands and attractions coming to Walt Disney World. It was a moment that every Disney fan had been waiting for something new that could compete with Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe.

Concept art of the Cars attraction at Disney World
Credit: Disney

Related: Magic Kingdom Shuttering Opening Day Attraction to Make Way for Expansion

For the Magic Kingdom, Disney announced a new Cars Land, similar to the one at Disney’s California Adventure, and a new villain’s land. Disney’s Hollywood Studios would be getting a new Monsters, Inc. land, and Animal Kingdom would get its new Encanto-themed land that was announced at last year’s D23 Expo.

However, once the dust settled on the D23 Expo announcements, Disney fans began to wonder what they may have to give up to get all these new toys at Disney World.

Rumors started to spread on social media that Disney World would remove Muppet Vision 3D to make way for the new Monsters, Inc. land. The Disney fan backlash was overwhelming to the removal of the only Muppet attraction in Walt Disney World.

The Muppets gathered together on a white background
Credit: The Jim Henson Company

Related: Disney Fans Could Lose Beloved Attraction to Make Way for Monsters, Inc. 

Disney has not yet announced where in Hollywood Studios the new land will be located. However, most insiders believe that it will replace the Animation Courtyard.

At the Magic Kingdom, Disney has announced that Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are being demolished to make room for Cars Land. However, it appears that those two old attractions may not be the only ones being demolished.

Liberty Square Riverboat in the Magic Kingdom
Credit: Walt Disney World Resort

Related: Even After D23 Announcements, Disney Fans Still See Universal Passing Them By

According to @drewdisneydude, Disney is considering removing all of Liberty Square, including the Hall of Presidents and the Liberty Tree Tavern, to make way for the new Cars land. He said:

Liberty Square was not included in the announcement of the removal of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, yet it could be a part of the transformation of Magic Kingdom Park.

While we don’t know why this documentation was done yet, it could be a sign that changes are on the way to Liberty Square in addition to the Cars-themed attractions in Frontierland.

The possible removal of all of Liberty Square would severely affect one of the Magic Kingdom’s fan-favorite attractions, the Haunted Mansion.

Unlike Disneyland, which has New Orleans Square for its Haunted Mansion, Disney World created its Haunted Mansion to fit into Liberty Square. Removing all of Liberty Square would leave the Haunted Mansion without a true home or a themed land.

Based on the renderings Disney presented at D23, the aesthetic of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will fit perfectly into the new Cars land, assuming that the drawings remain the same. However, the same cannot be said for the Haunted Mansion.

A vibrant image of the haunted mansion at Walt Disney World, showing the eerie, gothic architecture of the building surrounded by lush green landscaping under a cloudy sky.
Credit: Becky Burkett

The removal of the Hall of Presidents would also mean the removal of another Magic Kingdom opening-day attraction, one with direct ties to Walt Disney. The Liberty Square Riverboat and Rivers of America were also opening-day attractions.

While Disney faced backlash for removing Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, there would be a Disney fan revolt if they were to mess in any way with the Haunted Mansion. Hopefully, this rumor is just that, and Disney will leave Liberty Square alone.

in Disney, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World

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