Credit: DisneySince it opened in 1971, Rivers of America flowed unvexed through the Magic Kingdom around Tom Sawyer Island. That is, until this past July, when Disney chose to close both attractions to make way for the new Piston Peak Cars Land and the unnamed Villains Land.
Very few decisions Disney made angered fans as much as the closure of the opening day attractions. However, despite the anger from fans, Disney has carried through with the closure, and construction on the new projects continues. As of this week, Rivers of America has been completely drained, and Tom Sawyer Island has been destroyed, and new dirt has been added for the creation of a new ride.
Fans looking for a scenic riverboat ride at a Disney Park can still head to Disneyland in California, but there’s another option that is just as relaxing, and Disney has just made a significant announcement about it. While Disney is removing Magic Kingdom’s Rivers of America, Disneyland Paris’ Rivers of the Far West is getting a new upgrade based on the drawings of legendary Imagineering Marc Davis.
This morning, Disneyland Paris announced that it was adding two new scenes to its Rivers of the Far West attraction based on Davis’ drawings. The new scenes are expected to open at the park by the end of this summer.
The new scenes will feature an animatronic buffalo on the riverbank and a skunk and raccoon floating in the river on a log. When the project was initially announced, it was intended to include four new scenes based on Davis’ drawing, but it has since been reduced to two.
Disney Legend Marc Davis started working at Walt Disney Studios in the 1930s, eventually working as an animator on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He would later transition into working on theme park attractions for Disney, including the Carousel of Progress, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Enchanted Tiki Room, and ‘it’s a small world.
While Magic Kingdom has been stripped of its River, Disneyland Paris is getting an upgrade. Desperate fans can head across the pond for a trip on the Molly Brown and once again enjoy what was lost here in America.
Would you travel to France to enjoy a leisurely River trip again? Let us know in the comments.