New Photos Reveal Tom Sawyer Island Officially Stripped Away From Magic Kingdom

It’s officially over! Disney fans’ worst fears were realized today when they saw the news, and now, there is no going back.

Yesterday, @Bioreconstruct posted new images of the construction site at Magic Kingdom, which show that Tom Sawyer Island is officially gone. While a few trees remain at what was once Tom Sawyer Island, the area is unrecognizable now after this week’s demolition.

Disney began demolishing the structures on Tom Sawyer Island last month, effectively eliminating any hope fans had of reviving the attraction. Now, with the calendar having turned to November, the entire island is virtually gone.

Aerial photo of the demolition of the North island of Rivers of America. pic.twitter.com/X3B3POCFnh

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 8, 2025

There is some good news for Disney fans, though. The new photos appear to show land clearing for the area that will be the new Villains Land.

While Disney has given several updates on the new Piston Peak, there has been little information on Villains Land. Perhaps with this new construction update, more information will be forthcoming, possibly even during Disney’s earnings call this week.

Aerial look at cleared land beyond the former steam train route at Magic Kingdom. Could be considered "beyond Big Thunder".
North island of former Rivers of America at top left.

Site preparation for Villains land. pic.twitter.com/bAjz5RF74d

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 8, 2025

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. 

Aerial overview of Rivers of America demolition near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Arrow where a construction fence has been added for safety at the attraction.
Island area at left of the arrow used to be Fort Langhorn. pic.twitter.com/lTs4TNMcd4

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 8, 2025

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.

What do you think of Disney completely removing Tom Sawyer Island? Let us know in the comments.