Just a few days ago, we got a wonderful look at the Tom Sawyer Island construction site and demolition thanks to new aerial photos. In those photos, we saw what appeared to be the start of some land clearing on the island. Well, there was even more land clearing overnight at Magic Kingdom last night, creating a nearly foliage-free view in Frontierland today. We made it out to Magic Kingdom to take a look at the work!
Tree Clearing for Tom Sawyer Island Demolition
Before we jump into the photos, a quick reminder of what stage of the project we’re in, and what the end goal is. First and foremost, Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America are being transformed into a Cars-themed expansion of Frontierland called Piston Peak National Park, and a Villains-themed land. Walt Disney World hasn’t given an opening date, timeframe, or year for either of the projects, but work is well underway.
In terms of where we’re at in the project, we’re clearly in the demolition phase. The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island were closed permanently back in July, and water began to be drained from the river in August. Since then, crews have worked on tagging and removing select props ahead of the demolition of structures. With buildings demolished, we got an amazing look at the demolition of the cave systems on the island.
We recently got a first look at some of the demolition taking place on the island, thanks to aerial photos just a few days ago, but even more work has taken place since then!
One of the challenges of covering Walt Disney World construction projects is trying to adequately communicate the “feel” of an area. All the nice photos in the world typically cannot do a themed area justice simply because they can’t recreate the feel of the area. That’s doubly true for the demolition of Tom Sawyer Island.
What used to be a lush, natural corner of the park is now empty. Sightlines that haven’t been seen since the 1970s are now possible in Frontierland. It’s going to be impossible to convey the feel of Frontierland right now, but it feels empty. Instead of tall, mature trees where Tom Sawyer Island was located, a large pile of dirt and cleared trees peek over the construction walls.
The best way I can describe the feeling of the area is the feeling of moving out of your house or apartment. You take one last look at your living room or bedroom and all of the furniture is gone. The space feels devoid and completely different from when you were living there. Sort of a similar vibe is going on in Frontierland right now. Oh, and it smells like freshly cut trees.
The next few photos are from elevated positions that give us a sneak peek past the tall construction walls.
For everything we know about the Cars-themed expansion to Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, check out our dedicated project page below!
For everything we know about the upcoming Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, check out our dedicated Villains Land page 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!
