In a significant update for visitors to the Magic Kingdom, Disney has confirmed that the Rivers of America, along with its attractions—Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat—will cease operations on July 6, 2025. As of July 7, guests will no longer have access to these beloved features.
Construction barriers are not expected to go up immediately; they will be erected a few weeks after the closing date. According to a representative from Imagineering, the construction walls will be positioned in such a way that they will not interfere with guest pathways or areas designated for parade viewing for the foreseeable future. This decision follows the approval of demolition permits earlier this year.
The Rivers of America have been an integral part of the Frontierland landscape since the park’s inception. However, the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island made their debut later, opening in May 1973. The Liberty Square Riverboat provides picturesque tours with commentary that highlights aspects of America’s frontier history, enhanced by visually engaging scenes along the riverbanks.
While other attractions in the Rivers of America area have long since disappeared, historical context remains. The Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes were shuttered in 1994, and the Mike Fink Keelboats were closed down in 2001. As part of the upcoming redevelopment, the original dock from the Mike Fink Keelboats will also be dismantled, despite having recently served as an extended queue for The Haunted Mansion.
In the park’s earlier days, another Liberty Square Riverboat, the Admiral Joe Fowler, operated from October 2, 1971, until a tragic accident in 1980 led to its destruction in dry dock, leaving the Liberty Belle as the sole riverboat in service.
At present, Imagineering is collaborating with their Disney World partners to determine the Liberty Belle Riverboat’s future, although details remain uncertain.
Visitors to Tom Sawyer Island can enjoy self-guided tours of a recreation of the Missouri wilderness, complete with bridges, caves, mines, and forts, accessed via rafts.
The spaces currently occupied by the Rivers of America, along with Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat, are set to be transformed into a new attraction themed around the animated film “Cars.” Moving away from Radiator Springs and Route 66, the new expansion will feature an imagined national park in the Smoky Mountains.
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