Disney's decision to remake WDW's Frontierland may be a huge mistake

Walt Disney World has announced a huge change to Frontierland, and there's a good reason fans are upset it's happening!

D23 had Disney announcing some huge stuff for every one of their theme parks, including Walt Disney World. A big move is that the "beyond Frontierland" section is coming off and becoming a new area themed to Disney villains. 

More throwing is the announcement that Frontierland will now be home to a new area based on Cars. This appears to be a version of the hugely successful Cars Land that boosted Disney's California Adventure to prominence. This will include not one but two Cars rides, one an expanded version of the DCA Radiator Springs and the other more kid-friendly as an "off-road rally" race. 

Both look amazing and should boost Frontierland up. Sadly, there is going to be a huge cost as Disney's artwork for the area has confirmed that to create this new area, they will be removing both Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. It's the sad logistics of the park and how the Magic Kingdom is cramped for space. With the Villains land to be set by Frontierland and a pathway needed to get there, putting Cars in there means taking something out. Yet, doing so seems a big mistake for Disney. 

The magic of the Rivers

Some are hopeful about this, pointing out that Tom Sawyer Island has always seemed a quiet place and the Rivers themselves are not as special as they once were. The huge paddleboat can be fun and there are some bits like canoes and such but it's also been an area many folks just walk past. Some may see it a bit of a hassle to walk around to get through Frontierland, and Disney has removed a lot of elements from the river area, like a burning house, and doesn't have quite the detail Disneyland does. 

There's also how it fits as it's almost an obvious theme how the riverways of the 19th century gave way to the highways of the 20th and many do think of mountains as a "frontier" of sorts. So putting those with a couple of hot new rides could be a good idea.

Yet losing these is to take away one of the best parts of the Magic Kingdom's layout. First, the Island is one of those out of the way but lovely places for folks who need a break from the hustle and bustle of the park. It is a great spot for kids from the fort to the caverns, the suspension bridge and the playground are always a delight. Adults can also appreciate the walking trails and just sitting around and taking a nice break from it all while enjoying great views of the park. 

The Rivers have been part of the Frontierland and Liberty Square design since the park's birth, and it's truly hard to see that area without them. They offer a lovely ambiance, fitting the frontier setting, and even things like the queue area for the Haunted Mansion feel better when set by the river. Not to mention, when night falls, it shines so well and provides a lovely backdrop to the area. 

Losing that will just not feel the same. For one thing, it means Frontierland will now boast not only Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain but also two new Cars-themed rides. That's four E-ticket attractions in one spot, a couple of which are no doubt very loud with those engines. It's going to be far too much sensory overload for what was always one of the quieter areas of the park. Rather than being able to escape for a trip on the slow waters, folks are going to be racing to keep up with so much action in this area.

It's akin to back in the late 1990s when Disney shut down 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and later paved over that lagoon for the Fantasyland expansion. Sure, that worked out, but Fantasyland felt more special with that artificial lake there. It's even bigger with the Rivers, given how natural they fit into Frontierland, and to take them out leaves a huge hole. 

Do we need this expansion?

There are also obvious concerns over more IP in the Magic Kingdom, especially Cars, which may fit a bit into an outdoor setting, yet Frontierland seems offbeat for it. Granted, the artwork looks lovely with the mountain range that will help separate this from Adventureland, and the rides themselves look great. Yet putting it in Frontierland, especially with getting rid of Rivers and Tom Sawyer, is off-putting.

This, plus so many other announcements, makes fans wonder yet again why Disney doesn't just create a fifth gate for WDW rather than push so many new lands into existing parks with smaller space. An entire Cars land would be seen as far more appealing to guests than getting rid of one of the mainstays of the Magic Kingdom. This is not a case of an overlay or knocking down a building; this is a fundamental transformation of Frontierland, and it's little wonder folks can be upset about it. 

If anything, a winner will be Disneyland, which will be able to still boast the Rivers and Tom Sawyer Island as any expansions there will be different. Disney has felt backlash before, and they no doubt did not make this decision lightly. But paving over what was one of the best parts of the Magic Kingdom after 50 years is something you'd think Disney would balk at. Making it such a noisy spot only makes it worse.

Maybe the new Frontierland will be a success and these Cars rides a delight. But for many old-time WDW fans, it will be hard to overcome the loss of the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and, most importantly, the quiet ambiance of classic Frontierland, no matter how much fun the replacement will be.