Credit: Lee Bailey / Flickr Part of Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park has repeatedly faced unexpected, unannounced closures in recent weeks. The disruptions are particularly disturbing to Disney Parks fans hoping to visit the area before its permanent demolition, which could begin as early as next year.
At August’s D23 Expo, Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro announced that two all-new Cars (2006) attractions would come to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park. Construction crews will fill in the existing Rivers of America and bulldoze Tom Sawyer Island to make way for this massive change to the Disney Park land.
The Cars rides will come alongside the construction of a Disney Villains land “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.” Together, D’Amaro said, the new areas will make up the largest-ever expansion to Magic Kingdom Park.
Tom Sawyer Island is an under-visited area of Frontierland. It requires guests to board a log raft across the Rivers of America and doesn’t feature any rides or restaurants. Instead, Disney Park guests of all ages can explore bridges, caves, and other passageways throughout the fort.
Still, many nostalgic Disney Parks fans are mourning the future loss of a historic part of Magic Kingdom Park. Unfortunately, many guests say that Walt Disney World Resort isn’t giving guests space to fully enjoy Tom Sawyer Island before it closes.
Redditor u/HendrixsLaserBean recently shared these photos of multiple Tom Sawyer Island areas roped off, including the beloved barrel bridge:
Good luck trying to enjoy the last couple months Tom Sawyer island is open when half the areas are closed off
Good luck trying to enjoy the last couple months Tom Sawyer island is open when half the areas are closed off
byu/HendrixsLaserbean inWaltDisneyWorld
Other Walt Disney World Resort guests shared similar experiences.
“I was there last week when it was just opening and the barrel bridge was closed,” u/darthjoey91 commented. “Pretty sure that’s just permanently closed at this point.”
“My son and I were there last week,” u/Round_Warthog1990 wrote. “On Tuesday we were the first raft over and the bridge and caves were closed. The caves opened about an hour after the island opened. We went back the next day in the afternoon and the barrel bridge was open. Not sure of their rhyme or reasons, but it seems like they’re open at least some of the time.”
However, some Disney Park guests had better experiences.
“I was just there a few weeks ago and was on the island in the mid afternoon,” said u/delsoldeflorida.”Everything shown closed here was open at that time.”
Guests may be able to ask Disney cast members near the Tom Sawyer Island log raft about potential closures before traveling to the attraction. Availability is subject to change, and Walt Disney World Resort can’t guarantee that guests will have access to the entire island until it closes permanently sometime next year.
Has a Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park attraction ever closed unexpectedly during your visit? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.