Crews have (effectively) completely demolished the Frontierland boardwalk at Magic Kingdom. From the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue, we now see only a few wooden pillars where the walkway once stood, plus a short stub over near the former Westward Ho area. Disney says it will rebuild the boardwalk along a winding stream as part of Piston Peak National Park. Here’s the latest.
Frontierland Boardwalk Demolished for Piston Peak National Park at Magic Kingdom
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- What our photos from the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue show where the boardwalk used to stand
- How the new retaining walls shape the future riverfront
- What Disney says about the rebuilt boardwalk and its winding stream
Disney closed the first section of the Frontierland boardwalk in early June. It was a sign of things to come. That closure came as construction for Piston Peak National Park, the Cars-themed expansion replacing a portion of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, pushed into the area. Our latest photos show the latest progress on that work. The old walkway is gone, and crews are continuing to shape the land and build new structures nearby.
Looking across the site from the queue, the boardwalk that used to sit in the distance is no longer there. A few weathered wooden pillars rise from a dirt embankment where the walkway once stood. Brown construction walls block the area from the rest of Frontierland, where fall garland decorates the buildings.
One piece of the old walkway remains. A short stub of boardwalk sits over where the former Westward Ho kiosk was located. Decking, a rope-net railing, and red caution tape mark the stub, and a tall lighting tower rises behind it. Westward Ho closed on June 22nd and went behind construction walls in July.
Retaining Walls Take Shape Along the Future Riverfront
The concrete walls filling the foreground of our photos are retaining walls for the riverfront area of Piston Peak National Park. We first spotted rebar and concrete forms for the stream in early February. By April, a thick concrete wall stood in front of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Aerial photos in June showed the wall nearly complete, following a winding path along the old boardwalk’s edge.
Around the walls, the site is busy. An excavator, a wheel loader, and a skid steer move dirt across muddy ground. Pumps and hoses are in place to drain standing water. Some sections of the wall still show exposed rebar, so more concrete work looks likely. Imagineering’s Jason Grandt, during the D23 Expo panel on Piston Peak, discussed the fact that guests can see the construction site from the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue. That gives everyone in line a front-row look at the work taking place to reshape this corner of Magic Kingdom.
Disney Will Rebuild the Boardwalk Along a Winding Stream
Disney says it will rebuild the boardwalk to run along a winding stream as part of the Piston Peak National Park section of Frontierland. That answers an April question about whether the boardwalk would get a full rebuild or a refresh. Disney describes the water along that edge of the land as a “calming waterway”. The new boardwalk should feel like a quiet waterfront stroll again.
In fact, the boardwalk was easily visible in the Piston Peak National Park model that was on display at this summer’s D23 Expo. Here’s a more detailed look at the model.
Walt Disney World previously said a boardwalk feature will be present once Piston Peak National Park opens, as we noted when the boardwalk disappeared from the digital map. The stream will likely be much narrower than the old Rivers of America, but it puts water beside a Frontierland waterfront walk once more.
Here’s a look back at the Frontierland boardwalk area before it closed to guests.
Story So Far
- Late January: We reported a rumor that Big Al’s, Westward Ho, and the Frontierland churro cart would close as Piston Peak construction expanded.
- Late April: Disney posted closing dates of May 11 for Big Al’s and June 22 for Westward Ho.
- Mid-May: Big Al’s went behind construction walls the day after it closed.
- Early June: The first section of the boardwalk closed alongside a new paved walkway.
- June 22: Westward Ho closed permanently at Magic Kingdom.
- Mid-July: The boardwalk disappeared from Disney’s digital map while most of it stayed open.
- Late July: Westward Ho went behind construction walls as the churro and popcorn carts relocated.
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!