Disney's plans for the Frontierland makeover may have hit a snag. Can Rivers of America be saved?
Disney’s plans to remake Rivers of America/Tom Sawyer Island into a Cars land in Walt Disney World may be hitting a major snag! Could there be a reprieve for this section of the park?
Disney fans are usually upbeat when it comes to announcements of new attractions. However, there has been a huge backlash against the announcement at D23 that Walt Disney World’s Frontierland will be transformed with two new Cars-based attractions. On the one hand, it’d be great to have these rides to fire the area up, as Radiator Springs made California Adventure a must-visit park.
But the artwork reveals that to make this work, Disney will be paving over the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. This has led to a huge backlash from Disney fans as the Rivers form a key part of Frontierland. Tom Sawyer Island has its fans as a nice quiet place to kill time, and the Rivers also provide key cooling for the area, which is needed for those hot Florida days.
Disney seems ready to go ahead, but there’s been a huge snag courtesy of the state of Florida. For those living under a rock for the last year, Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have been having a huge feud over Disney’s opposition to DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay Bill.” That led to a very complex legal conflict over stripping Disney of its private land rights that took a while to sort out.
As with any project, Disney has had to submit permits for any construction work and that’s where the problem lies. A key issue building in Florida is the high water table and the swamp areas (it’s why a lot of Florida homes don’t have basements). Reworking an artificial river that’s stood for 50 years is a huge undertaking that the state takes seriously.
As WDWMagic.net details, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has returned Disney’s initial permit proposal for the Frontierland expansion, requesting further revisions and details before it can move forward.
The SFWMD has detailed several inconsistencies between Disney’s construction plans and the previously approved conceptual designs. The SFWMD wants Disney to give more details on how this impacts the wetlands and the extensive stormwater systems running under WDW. There are also the effects on the rest of the Magic Kingdom as Disney has to clarify how they hope to minimize the damaging effects on the wetlands, environment, and local wildlife (which is a big deal for the Rivers).
This doesn’t mean the makeover is dead, as delays like this are commonplace for any Disney project. However, they mean more here, given just how huge this expansion is and how it’s far more impact on the environment than a standard Disney project. As noted, the bigger effect of removing the Rivers is that it increases the heat and humidity of the Magic Kingdom, which is a major concern with the Florida weather. Environmental and animal life is also a concern, as Disney has to ensure that it is safe for the area.
Disney currently has 90 days to file a new permit but could get an extension. This would be a delay for the overall construction and thus, as unlikely as it sounds, the state of Florida has thrown fans of Rivers and Tom Sawyer Island a bone by putting off how long until they close for good.