Disney Confirms Return of Closed Rivers of America, Historic Riverboat To Sail Once Again

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The Mark Twain Riverboat sails the Rivers of America at Disneyland

Credit: ste3ve, Flickr

As of Tuesday, September 15, the Mark Twain Riverboat is once again sailing the Rivers of America at Disneyland Park. The Frontierland attraction has been shut down for several days, leaving American Disney Park guests with no opportunities to ride a historic steamboat around Tom Sawyer Island. Walt Disney World Resort permanently closed its version of the Rivers of America (including the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island) in 2025.

Mark Twain Riverboat Closure

Crowds in line for the Riverboat at Disneyland Park.
Credit: Jeremy Thompson, Flickr

In early August, Disneyland Resort announced the closure of the Mark Twain Riverboat for refurbishment on September 8, 2026. It was originally scheduled to reopen on September 12.

The Southern California Disney park did not share anything about its plans for the attraction, as it rarely does with maintenance-focused refurbishment closures like this one.

Sail the Rivers of America Once Again

A large, green Mickey Mouse-shaped balloon floats in the foreground on the left side. In the background is the Rivers of America at Disneyland Park, with the Mark Twain riverboat.
Credit: Inside the Magic

As of September 15, the historic Mark Twain Riverboat is sailing the Rivers of America once again. On Tuesday, WDW News Today shared a photo of guests riding the refurbished steamboat on Facebook:

The current operating hours for the Mark Twain Riverboat are 9:00 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. Upon reopening, there are no visible changes to the Frontierland attraction, and it appears that no major updates were made to the steamboat or its loading dock.

Fireworks over the Mark Twain Riverboat at Disneyland
Credit: Disney

Though the Mark Twain Riverboat has reopened, Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island and its raft transportation are not open for Disneyland Park guests to explore. The interactive attraction (and the boats that take guests there) closed for refurbishment this week and is expected to reopen on September 17. However, the Disneyland Resort website encourages guests to “check back” for updates as the reopening timeline may shift as the project develops.

Have you ever been on the Mark Twain Riverboat at Disneyland Park? Share your favorite memories with Inside the Magic in the comments! 

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