slo’s TUESDAY 7/8 poll - Liberty Belle, Rivers of America & Tom Sawyer Island

[BrianL]

I hope that also includes in front of the HM, since it’s supposed to be inspired by the Hudson River mansions. In fact, the whole of Liberty Square in that area is themed to a seafaring town and without the river, the theming makes no sense. Piston Peak should have gone in DHS to compliment TSL, where it would have blended better. This is change for the sake of change, not change to improve the experience in MK.

I am angry and sad that they are taking an IP and randomly sticking it in the park where it doesn’t belong, and destroying a beautiful and well themed part of the park while doing so. No more sitting at Aunt Polly’s, sipping a cold drink and taking photos like this . . .

Well, it doesn't look like the water will stretch around to the HM:



If you look at the above, the small building in the lower left is the Liberty Belle dock. The HM should be somewhere about underneath the Ranger car picture in the lower right, and there is pathway going past it. That part of this concept art may not be fully filled in, so there could be a tunnel or something, screening this off from HM. Theoretically, you will walk past HM to get to Villains Land, which would blend better, but I am not sure how that's going to turn out.

Still, at least a good amount of the water reamins on the Frontierland side.

 

[Micca]

Rode the Liberty Belle many times, I will miss it.

 

[LilyWDW]

If the number of people acting upset about this actually equaled the number of people who went to Tom Sawyer Island and rode the Liberty Belle, then Disney wouldn't be changing things out. They were empty most of the time when I was in the parks. It is a much better business decision to put in something that will actually draw crowds to it, which will actually also help the rest of the park with congestion.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Fond memories of Tom Sawyer Island in particular.
We discovered early on that we hadn’t much love for the food at MK and would bring resort food for a picnic on the island; quiet and solitary for the most part. Eventually we found Geyser Point for a more substantial meal and then the island became just a sanctuary from the park’s hub bub.

The ship was hot and noisy but enjoyed the immersion in the shore stories.

Took my last ride on the Liberty Belle this past May and glad I got the chance.

Wonder how many members of the newer generations could connect to the stories of Tom and Huck.

 

[lovesmurfs]

It was nice to have a quiet respite area. I did like Tom Sawyer Island. We rode the Liberty Belle maybe once.

We're living in St. Cloud now, thought we'd want annual passes, but really haven't had the desire. We've been here for just under a year and still haven't gone to the parks. We'll see.

 

[disneychrista]

As long as they stay at Disneyland I am okay with it. I haven’t done a Disneyland bucket list item of reading on TSI yet.

In case anyone hasn’t seen it they are removed the rivers and island on the MDE map.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

I don't think I've done either in almost 20 years now.
Prior to that I remember doing TS 3 times and LB twice.

 

[kanerf]

The Rivers of America area was pure Americana as influenced and written about by Mark Twain. This will still be read about and thought about a century from now. The Cars movies and rides won't be.

 

[BrianL]

The Rivers of America area was pure Americana as influenced and written about by Mark Twain. This will still be read about and thought about a century from now. The Cars movies and rides won't be.

Yeah, but one could argue that in a century from now the area should have changed a couple more times. The parks were never meant to remain stagnant. Sure, certain things have become iconic and are likely to endure - though with incremental changes and improvements, but other things can and should be changed out. The area isn't all that relevant now and it doesn't get high traffic. If it did, it would be sticking around, regardless of whether or not people still read Mark Twain.

 

[Kitty 34]

It's been so long since I've been to Disney that I guess I'm indifferent about it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Not sure if I'll make it back to WDW, but if so, I will miss the nostalgia of all three. Along with the rafts going back and forth. I rode the LB several times, took the grand kids to TSI. But just the sights of them all will be missed.

ETA......https://blogmickey.com/2025/07/caution-piston-peak-national-park-fun-map/

 

[ford family]

It's puzzling that WDW has to close several attractions in order to create the space for some new ones.
Why couldn't they expand the park to provide room for additional attractions? Surely they have, literally, acres of adjacent space?

ford family

 

[BrianL]

It's puzzling that WDW has to close several attractions in order to create the space for some new ones.
Why couldn't they expand the park to provide room for additional attractions? Surely they have, literally, acres of adjacent space?

ford family

That is one thing that does bother me. They wouldn't even have to expand - they have completely unused spaces in most of the parks. I mean, I get re-doing the underutilzed Tom Sawyer Island, but only after you fill the empty building in Tomorrowland!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We last rode the Liberty Belle on July 3rd, and we will miss it. Our sons did enjoy Tom Sawyers Island when they were children, but I don’t know if either took their children there!

 

[tvguy]

So, no poll options for being excited about the new stuff? I mean, sure I'll miss this stuff but also the new stuff looks great. Sometimes things have to change. It's okay.

What will they get rid of next? The castle? Main Street? Mickey Mouse? The riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island are Disney park mainstays. Walt bought all that land so than expanding for new attractions would not be an issue. No need to get rid of main stay attractions when new ones can be built in undeveloped areas. As Walt put it...."how do we plus the experience?" This is a huge MINUS.

 

[VandVsmama]

I'm ok with it because Rivers of America still exists at Disneyland and we go there more often than WDW anyway. AND at Disneyland, you can do the Davey Crockett Explorer Canoes...in addition to going on the riverboat...AND there's the Columbia Sailing Ship you can ride on, too. They're all cool. And my favorite spot to eat in the whole park is at a table near the railing on the upper level of Hungry Bear, where you can watch all of the water traffic and hear the sounds of the riverboat or the sailing ship as they go by. And you can hear the train whistle in the distance. It's magical.

 

[leebee]

I've ridden the Liberty Belle maybe 6 times. I am not a "spin in circles watch on screens, or do big drops" kind of girl, so I am always looking for something sedate and calming. I loved riding the LB and seeing the backsides of BTMRR and HM, as well as just spend some time on this lovely paddle boat. I'll miss her.

 

[BrianL]

What will they get rid of next? The castle? Main Street? Mickey Mouse? The riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island are Disney park mainstays. Walt bought all that land so than expanding for new attractions would not be an issue. No need to get rid of main stay attractions when new ones can be built in undeveloped areas. As Walt put it...."how do we plus the experience?" This is a huge MINUS.

Walt also didn't want the parks to stay stagnant. It's not that he thought they should never get rid of anything and just expand - he knew that at some point attractions may not be as popular or pulling in guests, so they should be changed. Sure, I might have preferrred some "plus up" to be added, or at least not removing the island completely - though logistically it makes sense with the cumbersome rafts being the only on or off, but still. I do agree that they should use completely empty space first.

So, is this plan exactly what I would have done if I were in charge? No, but it doesn't have to be. I will miss the island too, but I can miss it and still enjoy the new stuff that is coming. I can either be bitter about it or accept it and look forward to what's next. Or I can always go to Disneyland!

 

[tvguy]

Walt also didn't want the parks to stay stagnant. It's not that he thought they should never get rid of anything and just expand - he knew that at some point attractions may not be as popular or pulling in guests, so they should be changed. Sure, I might have preferrred some "plus up" to be added, or at least not removing the island completely - though logistically it makes sense with the cumbersome rafts being the only on or off, but still. I do agree that they should use completely empty space first.

So, is this plan exactly what I would have done if I were in charge? No, but it doesn't have to be. I will miss the island too, but I can miss it and still enjoy the new stuff that is coming. I can either be bitter about it or accept it and look forward to what's next. Or I can always go to Disneyland!

It is interesting that WDW's Magic Kingdom, with so much more land available, has so many fewer attractions than Disneyland. 40 versus 52.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

My kids all loved Tom Sawyers island, but I’ll miss the river the most, it was beautiful and added something very special to the park. They could’ve expanded and used some of their ample land, but instead they rip out something so many people care about. Par for the course with Disney lately. Also,there was a Disney parks blog article in 2019 about how Tom Sawyer island is the “most personal mark of Walt” in the parks. So they rip it out .