The State of Florida’s Water Management District has sent Walt Disney World a notice that Disney’s permit application for work on the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island is incomplete and facing rejection. The letter says that Walt Disney World has 10 days to provide a complete application or the permit application will be rejected. If the permit is rejected, work cannot begin.
UPDATE: A 60-day extension has been requested.
Our original article continues below.
Rivers of America Permit Facing Rejection
A new letter from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) notifies Walt Disney World that its application for early work on the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island remains incomplete. The permit outlines early preparations of the Rivers of America area and nearby forested areas to provide for construction laydown yards and other associated demolition.
The additional information requested by letter on September 11, 2024 has not been received by the South Florida Water Management District (District)…
If you are not ready to submit a complete response you may voluntarily withdraw the application prior to the application being denied...
Should you fail to fully submit the requested information, or to withdraw the application, within 10 days of the date of this letter, the application will be considered incomplete and District staff will process the application for denial, without prejudice to your right to reapply at a later time.
In the permit screenshot below, we can see Disney’s plans for three laydown yards west and north of the Rivers of America. The laydown yards will impact swamp-like areas near the Walt Disney World Railroad, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and the Rivers of America. These laydown areas will be used to support construction of two Cars-themed attractions as part of an expanded area of Frontierland, and, eventually, the Villains-themed land north and west of The Haunted Mansion.
We first called out the permit hiccups back in September, and Disney World has not filed any updates to the permit application since then. The original permit was filed back in August, shortly after the projects were announced at the D23 Expo.
Back in August, Walt Disney World announced that the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island would be replaced by the previously-announced Cars-themed expansion to Frontierland.
It’s time to leave Radiator Springs and head west into exciting new locations. To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers.
“We are thrilled to create this original Cars adventure and put our guests in the driver’s seat as we—quite literally—explore a new frontier in Frontierland,” shared Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World Portfolio Executive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Part of pioneering this new story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touch Magic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists to get it right and tell stories that connect with our guests.”
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!