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Disney Fans Say Goodbye as Iconic Magic Kingdom Spot Faces Removal

An opulent hotel atrium with a multi-story layout, featuring balconies lined with white railings. A grand chandelier hangs centrally, and sunlight streams from a large, ornate dome at the top, illuminating the space with a warm glow.
Credit: Becky Burkett

Fans say goodbye to an iconic Disney World location ahead of its closure.

A scenic view of an amusement park in Magic Kingdom featuring a wooden dock and charming buildings beside a shimmering body of water. In the background, a rocky, mountain-like structure towers under a bright blue sky scattered with clouds. Visitors are visible strolling around, enjoying the day.

Credit: Inside the Magic

Related: Magic Kingdom Ride from 1971 Returns to Original Form

Despite being home to dozens of classic, decades-old rides and attractions, Walt Disney World is not a museum, far from it, with new experiences and projects always on the horizon. This approach stems from Walt Disney himself, who stated that his original Disneyland Resort would never be finished but would always be in a state of change.

While this is a good thing, it can be a hard pill for some fans to swallow, especially when it comes to the closure of classic attractions and locations. Guests have seen multiple areas shut down, either temporarily or permanently, over the years at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, with both theme park locations set to endure the most significant updates in their history over the next decade.

While some of these projects are exciting, others are quite controversial, with Disney’s plans for Magic Kingdom receiving a lot of backlash. Not only will Magic Kingdom lose its Rivers of America waterways, but it will also lose Tom Sawyer Island as well as the Liberty Belle.

Some guests are now saying their final goodbyes, with 2025 making one of the most important years for the Walt Disney World Resort.

Fans Say Goodbye to Classic Magic Kingdom Attraction

liberty belle

Credit: Disney

Related: Fans Convinced Disney Is Trying To Erase Eisner Era From the Parks

Reddit user Payton03tamu snapped a few photos of the Liberty Belle during their most recent trip to the Magic Kingdom. This authentic, steam-powered colonial-era ship takes guests around the Rivers of America, giving riders a unique look at Magic Kingdom.

The guest states that this is the last time they will see the Liberty Bell and the rest of Magic Kingdom’s manmade bodies of water in person, indicating they will not be visiting again this year before their closure.

The last time I’ll see Liberty Belle in person
byu/Payton03tamu inWaltDisneyWorld

Related: Has Disney Finally Revealed ‘Moana 2’’s Streaming Date?

Disney announced the closure and retheming of its Rivers of America and, in turn, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle last year following its D23 event. This announcement came as quite a surprise and has left fans divided, with many feeling the company is heading in the wrong direction.

“We were just there on Friday too and rode it for likely our last time as well,” said another user in response to the post above. “We also did Tom Sawyer Island. It’s very sad. The entire river area is one of my favorite parts of MK, and to me, it gives MK such a special and natural feel that the other parks can’t match. I can’t imagine it without it. I think the plan is very short-sighted.”

Disney will be gutting its Rivers of America for a new area based on Pixar’s Cars animated film franchise, which will feature several new locations and a new ‘E-ticket” attraction.

Some fans are quite excited by the thought of Magic Kingdom receiving a revamp, especially considering the park will eventually be home to popular characters like Lightning McQueen and Mater.

The impending closure of Magic Kingdom’s Rivers of America is just one of the numerous changes coming for the Walt Disney World Resort over the next few years, with Animal Kingdom facing closures of its own. Earlier this year, part of the park’s DinoLand U.S.A. area closed forever as Animal Kingdom begins its years-long transformation.

Announced back at Disney’s D23 event in 2024, Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand will eventually become an ambitious new location inspired by South America. The land will eventually feature three new attractions, two of which will be anchored by brands such as Indiana Jones and Encanto.

The new Indiana Jones ride will replace DINOSAUR, and the new Encanto attraction will take over the now-empty spot that at one time featured Primeval Whirl.

Plenty of changes are happening over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well, with Disney recently confirming that Muppet*Vision 3D, along with the rest of Muppet’s Courtyard, will be closing permanently this June.

This announcement comes after months of backlash over Disney’s decision to shut down Muppet*Vision, which has become a cult classic. Disney will be reevaluating this space, turning what used to be the home to The Muppets into a new area inspired by Pixar’s Monsters Inc. film franchise.

What upcoming Disney World project are you most excited about?

About Luke Dammann

When at Disney world, Luke will probably be found eating with his favorite animatronic, Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. When not at Disney World, Luke will probably be found defending Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe to people who claim "there are better restaurants"

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