Credit: Inside the MagicDisney fans holding out some hope that they could still save Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America woke up this morning and realized that their dream was officially dead. New photos reveal that what was left of that area is currently gone.
Photos posted last night on X (formerly Twitter) by @bioreconstruct show that the remaining buildings on Tom Sawyer Island have been completely demolished by Disney’s construction crews. This officially puts the final nail in the coffin of those trying to save the beloved attractions at Magic Kingdom.
Disney began demolishing the buildings earlier this week, starting with Aunt Polly’s and the windmill. However, the new photos show that both structures, as well as the caverns and Potter’s Mill, are gone.
Disney closed Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island on July 6 to make way for the new Cars Land. Since then, Disney has completely drained the River and put up screening to block guests from seeing or taking photos of the construction zone.
No project in recent memory has stoked more anger among the Disney community than the removal of Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. While neither attraction was considered a doorstopper, both added aesthetic value to the park and created an atmosphere of calm on an otherwise hectic day at Magic Kingdom.
Disney fans started social media petitions and letter-writing campaigns to The Walt Disney Company in an attempt to stop the project, but their efforts appear to have been in vain. With this latest construction update, Disney is moving forward with its project despite fans’ objections.
There is no timeline for the opening of Piston’s Peak at Magic Kingdom, but most insiders think the new land will open sometime in 2028. Disney has not announced any further information on the work being done on Villain’s Land, which was announced at the D23 Expo in 2024; however, nothing new has come out since.
Today, it’s the official end of Tom Sawyer Island as fans wait for Piston’s Peak to overtake Magic Kingdom.
What do you think of Disney completing the demolition of Tom Sawyer Island? Let us know in the comments.