Walt Disney Imagineering has filed an amended Notice of Commencement for the Piston Peak National Park construction site at Magic Kingdom. The filing updates the original permit for the former Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America property. Disney listed the same scope of work as before: “demo, infrastructure prep and utility modification.” NorthStar Contracting Group remains the contractor. Here’s a closer look.
Permit Extension Filed for Piston Peak National Park Site
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Disney has amended the original demolition permit for the Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America site.
- The scope of work listed on the amended filing matches the original permit.
- NorthStar Contracting Group continues to be listed as the contractor.
Walt Disney Imagineering has filed an amended permit today, listing the same address as the original permit we covered when Imagineering first filed for demolition back in June 2025. That original filing covered the initial demolition of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. It cleared the way for the Cars-themed Piston Peak National Park expansion of Frontierland.
Amendments like this one are a normal part of a large, multi-year construction project. Florida law requires owners to keep a Notice of Commencement current for the duration of active work. This amendment buys Imagineering and the contractor another year to complete the scope of work outlined in the permit.
A Changing Landscape
Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America closed permanently on July 7th, 2025, along with the Liberty Square Riverboat. Crews then demolished the site to make way for Piston Peak National Park. We’ve tracked that demolition move north to south, from the removal of Superstition Bridge to the teardown of Fort Langhorn and the island’s cave systems.
Our coverage has since shifted from demolition to new vertical construction. Crews have installed retaining walls, laid underground utility pipe, and started building new structures along the edges of the site. That includes new construction behind an existing Liberty Square facade near the former Mike Fink Keel Boat landing. This amended paperwork is a reminder that Disney continues to actively, and even aggressively, continue construction and land preparation for the massive Magic Kingdom expansion project.
The Story So Far
- Walt Disney Imagineering filed the original Notice of Commencement for demolition, infrastructure prep, and utility modification on June 25th, 2025.
- Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America closed permanently on July 7th, 2025, to make way for Piston Peak National Park.
- Demolition of structures on the island, including Fort Langhorn and the cave systems, continued through late 2025.
- Construction of new structures, including work behind an existing Liberty Square facade, was underway as of early July 2026.
- Walt Disney Imagineering filed an amended Notice of Commencement for the same site on July 23rd, 2026.
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!