Walt Disney World has been granted an extension that it requested to collect more required information for a permit related to the demolition of the Rivers of America and the first phase of construction for a Cars-themed area of Frontierland and the highly-anticipated Villains land. The permit extension now expires on January 9, 2025 instead of today. The State of Florida’s South Florida Water Management District has said that a second extension will not be granted and that all required information must be submitted by the January 2025 deadline.
It’s worth noting that the original request from Disney was a 60-day extension, but the state only granted half of the requested extension timeframe.
Permitting Issues for Rivers of America Demolition
We were the first to report the permitting issues back in September 2024 when a Request for Additional Information was filed by the state and it was more substantial than we had ever recalled seeing. The initial permit called for the demolition of forested areas along the Rivers of America and backstage areas at the northwest corner of Magic Kingdom. The permit also included the Rivers of America, which will be drained and demolished, along with Tom Sawyer Island.
As you can see in the screenshot below, the permit calls for the creation of three laydown yards. In construction, a laydown yard is typically a space where staging of equipment and materials can occur. The laydown yards would be significant in size and scope. They would require the demolition of forested areas along the northwestern section of Magic Kingdom and nearby backstage areas.
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.”
While the first phase of this project will very likely be focused on just the Cars-themed attractions, the second half of this area development will be for the Villains-themed land that should sit in the northwestern corner of Magic Kingdom, past Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Haunted Mansion. Walt Disney World has not released any concept art showing the exact location of the land, but best estimates put it north of the Cars-themed expansion to Frontierland.
The back-and-fourth between the state’s water management district and Walt Disney World is not necessarily uncommon, but the scope of the SFWMD’s request for additional information is substantial. The extensive request will obviously take Disney more time to address, and it could delay the construction project for the Cars-themed area, which was originally announced to begin in “early 2025”.
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!