Credit: Inside the MagicA surprising update has been spotted inside a classic Disney World attraction.
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At Walt Disney World, guests can rest assured that their morning, day, and/or night will be filled with magic and fun. This rings especially true for the Magic Kingdom, which features the largest selection of rides, attractions, and other experiences out of Disney World’s four theme parks.
While new attractions are always on the horizon, history plays a major role in the overall Magic Kingdom experience, as the park features some of Disney’s most iconic and legendary rides, such as Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, “it’s a small world,” and Peter Pan’s Flight.
However, few attractions are like Tom Sawyer Island, which offers guests a relaxing retreat from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the park. This mini “island” is separated from the rest of the Magic Kingdom by a man-made body of water known as The Rivers of America. Both Tom Sawyer Island and The Rivers of America are set to close soon as Disney gears up for a total overhaul of this section of the park, but this hasn’t stopped the company from giving Tom Sawyer Island a surprise update.
Barrel Bridge Back Open at Tom Sawyer Island
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On Thursday, March 27, it was revealed that Disney had reopened the barrel bridge section of Tom Sawyer Island. Disney parks reporter Drew Smith shared a video of the bridge, which showed it “back in action.” This bridge is one of the more infamous spots inside the Magic Kingdom for hardcore fans, giving them the chance to cross the water on a seemingly unstable bride made of barrels.
It’s all safe, of course, but the bride is designed to look and feel handmade. The bridge was open last winter during a trip Inside the Magic took but had closed at an unconfirmed point in time. The bridge is now officially back once again, giving guests another chance to cross it.
Drew and fans alike rejoiced at the sight of the bridge once again being open to guests.
THE BARREL BRIDGE IS OPEN ON TOM SAWYER ISLAND AT MAGIC KINGDOM 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BxJRnJxDZw
— Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) March 27, 2025
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Disney announced the closure of Tom Sawyer Island shortly after its big D23 event last year, an event that will likely go down in history as one of the most exciting and divisive moments in the company’s history. While Disney’s D23 conferences have become an annual tradition, none have been as eventful as this one, with Disney announcing a slurry of projects, additions, expansions, and, of course, closures.
While several exciting new rides and attractions were announced, fans were quick to note just how many would be closing over the coming years, including Magic Kingdom’s iconic Tom Sawyer Island and its Rivers of America.
What’s replacing Tom Sawyer Island? An ambitious new mini-land inspired by Pixars Cars franchise. This project will include new attractions, one of which is intended to rival Disneyland’s popular Radiator Springs Racers. Initially, this announcement was met with excitement, though Disney noticeably left out key details about its new Cars project.
It wouldn’t be until after D23 that Disney would deliver the news that to make way for this new expansion, both Tom Sawyer Island and The Rivers of America would need to close.
What makes this so tricky is that most ride closures mean guests have to say goodbye to an experience. Over the last decade, multiple attractions have closed at Disney, namely The Great Movie Ride, Test Track, and Ellen’s Energy Adventure. However, losing an entire body of water is an entirely different thing, as it changes not only how the park looks but also how it feels.
Since the park opened, the Rivers of America have flowed throughout Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, offering visitors a relaxing and beautiful sight to take in as they wait for various rides or simply stroll through the park.
There aren’t clear details regarding when guests can expect Tom Sawyer Island to officially close at the theme park, but it’s rumored it, and Magic Kingdom’s Rivers of America will both wind-down operations sometime this year, a year already set to go down in the history books for The Walt Disney Company.
Disney will use 2025 to begin a new era for its theme parks. Back in January, Disney closed part of DinoLand U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom, with the rest set to close in early 2026. Disney will also soon be working on overhauling Muppets Courtyard inside its Hollywood Studios theme park, another very divisive project from Disney.
A record number of attractions and experiences are set to close over the next decade, meaning it’s crucial that guests are as up-to-date as possible before their next Disney World or Disneyland vacation.
Have you visited Tom Sawyer Island recently? Will you miss this attraction when it closes?