Update: Piston Peak Starting To Take Shape at Magic Kingdom as Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island Fade Into Memory

In late October, Disney World fans were greeted with the news that all of the buildings had been stripped away from Tom Sawyer Island. Then, in November, Disney’s construction crews removed the remaining trees, leaving Tom Sawyer Island and the former Rivers of America barren dirt patches.

Now, the work has begun toward creating the new Piston Peak, Cars Land, at Magic Kingdom. This morning, as guests entered the park, they were greeted by a giant dirt mound, poking its way above the construction walls Disney put up so that fans wouldn’t be able to see and report on social media the changes coming to the park.

The mound blends in with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the background, which is also undergoing its own year-long renovation. The ride closed in early January, but hit a milestone last week as Disney started testing the ride vehicles on the new tracks. However, Disney also filed a new building permit shortly after those tests, suggesting that a change was needed in some part of the ride.

At this point, it’s unclear whether the mound will remain or if Disney dumped it there overnight to be spread out in the morning by the construction crews. Guests can hear heavy equipment moving around and occasionally see some of the equipment over the construction walls.

Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island permanently closed in July, much to Disney fans’ disappointment. There have been few closures in the history of Disney World that rocked the fan community more than Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. While the attractions weren’t huge draws, they did add aesthetic value to the park and offered a peaceful place for a moment of relaxation.

Disney announced at the D23 Expo that the new Cars and Villains Land would be occupying the space previously occupied by Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. While work continues on Piston Peak, Disney has provided very little information on the new Villains Land.

Piston Peak isn’t expected to open until late 2027 at the earliest. There is no timeline for the opening of Villains Land. For now, Piston Peak is starting to take shape, as Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are nothing but a fond memory.

Are you excited for Piston Peak, or will you miss Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island too much to enjoy it? Let us know in the comments.