Disney World fans were left outraged after the theme park announced it was closing a popular attraction to make way for a new Cars land.
Over the weekend, Disney Experiences President Josh D’Amaro revealed a number of new additions coming to the Happiest Place on Earth, including an Encanto River ride, an Indiana Jones attraction and a Zootopia show.
He also revealed that they had three brand new areas in the works: one themed to the Disney Pixar film Monsters Inc., another based on the beloved Cars franchise, and a third dedicated to Disney villains.
But the news sparked mixed reactions among the park’s long-time fans.
While many were excited about the upcoming additions, some were heartbroken when it was revealed that they would have to say goodbye to another section of the park to make room for Cars land.
Disney World fans were left outraged after the theme park announced it was closing a popular attraction to make way for a new Cars land.
Over the weekend, Disney Experiences President Josh D’Amaro (seen) unveiled a host of new additions coming to the Happiest Place on Earth.
The company said the River of America and Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland would be transformed into the new Lightning McQueen-themed land, meaning the Liberty Square riverboat ride would close permanently.
And fans of the ride immediately took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their devastation.
“This makes me so sad. The Liberty Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island are a classic part of Magic Kingdom,” one person wrote.
“I’m so disappointed in this. Magic Kingdom was my favorite park because it was open so late and it was quiet and fun to walk around Frontierland since it’s one of the less populated areas of the park,” another person agreed. “Now it’s going to be a real spectacle and a concrete jungle.”
“Walt never intended his theme parks to be a concrete jungle. He was inspired by taking his daughters to the park,” criticized another user.
‘Her designs were inspired by her small town, her love of America and all its beauty. The American River is an essential element and a landmark for the parks, as is the castle.’
“This is horrible. For a resort with an endless amount of land, why take away such a beloved piece of the park?” asked another fan.
“They’re kicking Walt out of WDW,” a fifth tweet read, while a sixth said, “Man… they really want to remove anything original in the parks.”
“WDW is being gutted. People don’t realize the things that made it special and the best in the world are being taken away,” another person tweeted.
This included three entirely new areas: one themed similar to Disney Pixar’s Monsters Inc. film, another based on the beloved Cars franchise (seen), and a third dedicated to Disney villains.
While many were excited about the upcoming additions, some were heartbroken when it was revealed they would have to say goodbye to another section of the park for Cars land.
The company said the River of America and Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, as well as the Liberty Square riverboat ride (seen), would be closed.
“We’re going from a theme park with a coherent story and territories to a common amusement park/carnival, with random IPs piled next to each other. It’s a slow death.”
“A few weeks ago I was sitting in Liberty Square enjoying the atmosphere. The Liberty Belle riverboat was preparing for its first trip of the day, emitting loud, rhythmic puffs of steam into the air,” wrote another user.
‘I never imagined that two months later, future prospects of reliving that moment would be lost forever.
“We are losing much more than we think. This should be a wake-up call for all Walt Disney World lovers.”
“I feel the exact same thing… I literally can’t believe this is happening. It makes my stomach turn,” another person responded.
“I’ve always loved Tom Sawyer Island… A peaceful oasis on a day at MK (Magic Kingdom). It would be a huge loss for me,” another Disney fan agreed.
However, others praised the decision. One person wrote: “Walt wanted a family park that would evolve with the times. I loved The Library Belle too, but it needs to change.”
“As a modern Disney fan, I don’t care about Tom Sawyer Island and have no problem with it going away,” another person said.
‘I understand that some fans are nostalgic for EVERY opening day attraction, but sometimes things have to change.
“Having to take a raft just to get there was a pain anyway, lol.”
Fans of the ride immediately took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their devastation.
Others, however, praised Disney’s decision to update the park.
“I’ve been to Disney so many times I’ve never done anything so boring,” a third user revealed.
“I won’t miss the annoying riverboat horn ringing in my ears when I walk through Liberty Square,” admitted a fourth.
“The only people who care about this are the adults at Disney. This is a build for the next generation,” another tweet read.
The new Carsland will feature two dazzling attractions. One “will be aimed at the little ones and will be fun for the whole family,” while the second “will invite you to an exciting rally race through the mountains,” according to WDWMagic.com.
‘Take on wild terrain as you race across the landscape, climbing mountain trails, dodging geysers and – Mater’s favourite activity – splashing through mud puddles,’ it adds.
“To make way for this all-new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast, rugged terrain for a rally race featuring some of the world’s most iconic racers,” the company said in a press release.
The new Carsland will feature two dazzling attractions. One of them will “invite you on a thrilling rally race through the mountains,” according to WDWMagic.com.
The villain-themed area will be added as an expansion to Magic Kingdom, so nothing will need to change for that.
It’s unclear when exactly Liberty Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island will close, but Disney said construction won’t begin until next year, so you’ll still be able to enjoy them at least through late 2024.
“Before construction ramps up next year, guests will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today,” he added.
Another attraction that will be closing due to the park’s new updates includes Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom, which will be transformed into the Indiana Jones attraction.
DinoLand will be rebranded as a Tropical Americas area, which will be home to the park’s first Encanto attraction.
At Hollywood Studios, Monsters Inc. land will feature a suspended roller coaster that will put riders “right in the middle of the monster action.”
Disney hasn’t confirmed where that new area will go, but some fans suspect it will replace Muppets Courtyard, which would mean the closure of the MuppetVision 3D attraction.
The villain-themed area will be added as an expansion to Magic Kingdom, so nothing will need to change for it.
“This land will be home to the villains you know and those you hate, which means happily ever after… It may seem like just a distant dream,” Josh said as he announced it.
