With land clearing underway near the Rivers of America and the Walt Disney World Railroad operating with a shortened, modified route, Disney has begun removing a portion of the railroad track. Friend of the site Bioreconstruct recently flew over Magic Kingdom, snapping some photos of the northwest corner of the world’s busiest theme park. The photos confirm some of our earlier reporting such as the location of the Liberty Belle riverboat and land clearing near the Rivers of America, but it also revealed a new project.
Walt Disney World Railroad Track Removal
As you can see in the aerial photos below, Walt Disney World has removed portions of the railroad track near the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction and other sections of the closed portion of the “grand circle tour”.
In early permits, Disney called for the track to remain in place during land-clearing events. It seems like that plan has changed, and the track will be removed. Walt Disney World has not indicated what the future of the railroad may entail at the Magic Kingdom, but we hope that it continues to circle the park for decades to come.
While we hope the long-term plans still include the “grand circle tour” around Magic Kingdom, the short-to-medium term plans certainly don’t. The area seen in the photo below will be a massive construction zone for years to come. Disney will soon begin draining the Rivers of America, followed by the demolition of Tom Sawyer Island. Once that is compete, they will grade the entire area and prepare for the construction of a Cars-themed area called Piston Peak National Park, and a Villains Land.
The Walt Disney World Railroad is unlikely to return to its full route until the majority of the work in the area is complete. That could mean 2028, 2029, 2030, or beyond. Again, Walt Disney World has not announced what its long-term plans for the railroad are, but current messaging from the theme park giant indicates that the current operation is temporary.
Here’s a statement from Disney about the modified route:
To make way for the largest expansion in history at Magic Kingdom, the Walt Disney World Railroad is operating under a modified route that excludes Frontierland. The attraction will operate as a shuttle between Main Street station and Fantasyland station only.
For more on the modified route for the Walt Disney World Railroad, check out our earlier article or watch the video below!
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!
Who wants to go to Disney anymore you have taken away and destroyed what Disney stands to for. Shame on you
I’ll be there! And so will my wife and all of my friends!! We are all excited about what the future holds at Magic Kingdom. Shame you won’t be there to share in the excitement.
So, don’t go.
More space for me!!!!
Glad I am older now and remember “The Old. Diseny World: – Surly not worth the Ticket price Now for what
you get. So Sad
We grew up with the Disney we’ve always known and loved.
Time for future generations to do the same.
Once you stop embracing the changes, it’s time for toy to move on.
Thank You Walt Disney for all “Your” concepts
I will always remember Tom sawyer Island and Liberty Cruise in my heart! I have to wait and see what I feel about Cars: Piston Peak National Park, and can’t wait for Villains Land( please put oogie boogie involved) But I got one weird question and second question? First question, After the construction for national park and villain land, is the Disney world gonna bring back the railroad tracks together again? And my second question, can you guys do kingdom hearts characters and finally do The Nightmare Before Christmas ride for the haunted mansion here in Florida like in in Anaheim, California Disneyland?
They have ruined the magic of Disney
Tom Sawyers island was a great place for kids to run and unwind and the ferry I remember couple characters on it. The ferry held hundreds and it a nice ride along the Rivers of America
Sorry to see it go 🙁
Excited for monsters in Hollywood. I love Disney and always will. It’s hard to except change but i think to be competitive or even enticing change was much needed and so it begins. Can’t wait to see it.
Def a comment like don’t go, is on a 2nd grade level. People were just saying there removing things that made Disney World well um Disneyworld. Nobody said anything about wether they will or wanna go. But just reminding Disney, your destroying things that don’t need to be fixed or removed. First splash mountain. Now the train skipped frontier land. Tearing up Tom n Huckleberrys Island. It’s like why? We don’t need new rides every 2 years. People wonder 🤔 why prices are so so much.
Huckleberry Finn Island* Tom Sawyer Island*
Walt Disney himself.said that the park will never be finished. He said it will always be growing and changing. I understand change scares people or makes people sad, but Tom Sawyers Island and Liberty Bell Boat are not big attractions anymore. Honestly the cost for upkeep and such I’m sure was way over the worth to keep it. So instead of wasting money they are brining something new and fresh to the park while also expanding the park too.
You hit the nail on the head Amy – Bottom line is the MOUSE has to stay relevant and with the unjustified ticket sales increases and same ole same ole rides back when I was a child doesn’t make dollars or sense, lol. Universal was breathing down Disney’s back before and now with the opening of EPIC which has doubled their footprint with contemporary attractions – this has Disney in the rear view mirror. The mouse is long overdue to step up and bring back military discounts because what they have now is joke time
How incredibly sad!! Redoing Frontierland into a ‘Cars’ theme? Pathetic!! Frontierland allowed kids to experience and explore different times and just MAYBE learn about Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn!!
Did people really think Disney would stay the same forever? Change is a part of life! Embrace it and enjoy it!
I am very sorry to those who will miss things, but Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America in a trade for 2 new E-ticket rides, and 2 -3 smaller rides, and possibly a show.. I would take that trade 100 times, every day of the week.
I have been to Disney dozens of times, been to both US parks and Paris (several times) and I have only once taken the river boat, and have never been to Tom Sawyer Island. In fact.. I did teh Swiss family tree house only once… so it can go too!
We complain that Universal is catching up or passing Disney World, but then we want to hang onto a fake river boat on a track and an island that is closed more than it’s open. While the competition down the streat keeps building coasters and Harry potter expansions.
Is it true that they are removing Splash Mountain?? IMO they should keep the “Originals” that Disney started with, Carousel of Progress, the Big Thunder Mntn, Tomorrowland Skyline. It is what makes Disney, Disney. The Railroad is a great break from walking laround the whole park (it’s exhausting being in the sun and walking all the way from one end to the other). They have plenty of land to expand with!
Well it’s time to bring new rides and attractions at Disney World!!! I definitely wanna go to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom again and also I wanna go to Hollywood Studios, Epcot Center and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge!!!
With all the other empty land they have to tear out the rivers of America the steamboats Tom Sawyer Island dumb if ya ask me at Disney land they took out the skyway then did nothing with it took out captain hooks ship really didn’t do any thing with the land it was on Monsanto is gone
With all the land they have down there they could have expanded into that and kept rides and park section open. Guarantee they will use that open land to build more hotels and raise rates. Universal did it right build in unused land and did little to disturb current park while upgrading. Disney should take notes
Even the Disney World app has the train tracks modified in the map to the new route.