July Closing Date Announced for the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World visitors have a little over a month left to experience these iconic elements of the Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney World has announced that the Rivers of America, Liberty Belle Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island will officially be closing on July 7th, 2025.

What’s Happening:

  • The day that many Disney Parks fans have been dreading for nearly a year now is almost here – as the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will have their final day of operation at the Magic Kingdom on Sunday, July 6th.
  • The iconic opening day elements of the park close forever on Monday, July 7th to make way for the new Cars attractions – which we learned more details about today.
  • Initially, construction walls will go up near the Liberty Belle Riverboat dock, but won’t be extensive enough as to impede viewing for Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away – the new nighttime parade which debuts just a couple of weeks later on July 20th.
  • The bypass walkway along the river’s edge that leads from Liberty Square towards Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will remain accessible, at least during the initial phase of construction.
  • On the same day, the Walt Disney World Railroad will begin operating in shuttle mode from Main Street U.S.A. to Fantasyland and back, with the Frontierland Station closing due to construction.

Reflecting on the Loss of the Rivers of America:

  • When the closure of the Rivers of America was first announced, our own Benji Brietbart wrote a piece reflecting on the imminent loss of a Magic Kingdom classic.
  • As he mentioned, this is a very special piece of real estate, and Imagineers will need to execute a project worthy of its legacy.
  • We can breathe a small sigh of relief, as the “fun map" released for the new Cars attraction does feature a significant amount of water features, hopefully serving as a spiritual successor to the Rivers of America.

  • One part of the Liberty Belle Riverboat that may stick around is the Riverboat Landing – as the fun map showcases it towards the bottom, with a flowing waterfall located behind it – although this is early concept art and is of course subject to change.

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