Not everything in Disney needs to be a 5 minute ride with an 80 minute wait. You need quiet areas that you can be free to explore and enjoy. Places where you can get a break from the crowds. Places that don’t look like home. This isn’t boring it’s wonderful, and special.

A Cars dirt track will counter this? Look at the level of detail! Disney really needs to abandon the whole idea of tearing out the Rivers Of America and actually work on a larger project elsewhere that would be a worthy competitor to this level of care, design, and imagination.

Contrasting this with the dead, rusted metal in the heart of Epcot illustrates for me what a complete disaster of design the Epcot central hub changes are. Disney really messed up.

The biggest slap in the face with Disney's Muppet removal is the theatre will still be there.. just rethemed. Awful.

Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be back again. Thanks for the memories. 🙁

I’ve been saying this for a while. Its a definite slide in cleanliness. This is disappointing. There was a time where you wouldn’t see a popcorn kernel stay on the ground for more than a few minutes, and now this. They charge top dollar for these parks, it’s unacceptable.

They didn’t listen. Not once. Not for a second. Disney shut down Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island without a word to the fans who cared. No dialogue. No respect. Just silence. I’ve never seen a company so proudly ignore the very people who care the most. Awful.

Yes this is exactly what I have been saying. Not everything needs to be an E ticket. You need balance. It's what makes Disney Parks so special. The atmosphere matters.

It’s amazing to me that Disney will let this sit empty, yet there is funding and enthusiasm to rip out an attraction for a lounge no one asked for, and a push to destroy the Rivers of America. How about use some of the funding to put a ride in here.. for a start?

Pizza Rizzo is officially gone—for good. Another quirky corner of the parks erased. It wasn’t perfect, but it had heart. It was fun, weird, and full of charm—like Rizzo himself. Disney doesn’t just close places anymore… it closes chapters of our memories. #Ratpizza

One of the defining things of the Eisner years was he kept a focus on Walt, and continuing what he created. I don’t feel like the current management cares at all what Walt/thought/wanted. It’s almost like Disney now could be any other company, except they have the Disney IP.

Losing MuppetVision isn't just saying goodbye to a show—it's Disney erasing a cherished piece of our childhood. Nostalgia is the heartbeat of Disney parks, anchoring us to our happiest memories. Each lost attraction chips away at the magic, and sadly, it feels like that magic is slipping away faster than ever.

Disney really doesn’t care anymore. This is just sad.

On the eve of Rivers of America’s shutdown, know this: we're entering another era of fan division, like Splash Mountain all over again. Years of walls, noise, and construction at MK, only to be handed something lesser. The buzz will fade. But what we lose tonight? That’s forever.

Wow who ever Disney has voice acting for Kermit kinda missed the mark here, and sounds off. I hope this doesn’t indicate the sort of quality we can expect in the Muppet coaster overlay. I will miss muppetvision - fair well.

I can’t believe we’re going to lose this. The fact that Disney would even want to destroy this is unbelievable. They don’t understand what they have nor know what they are doing.

I wonder if Disney is bothered that all the usual "Disney Influencer" types seem to be at the Epic press event. These accounts are all flooded with this content. I can't imagine what this will be like when the park actually opens. It's like Disney doesn't exist.

Cancelling Magical Express will go down as one of the worst moves modern Disney has made.

As I was riding pirates today - the realization hit me that Disney just doesn’t create fully immersive attractions on this scale any longer. Not sure they even know how. With the resources they have so much potential wasted.

Imagine for a moment. This is gone, replaced by mounds of dirt and construction barriers for 5-6 years. Hot, Dry, Noisy, a huge crane. The parade route squeezed. Big Thunder Mountain's views will be ruined for years, overlooking a construction site. It's going to be miserable.

Wow this is absolutely awful. Ripping out the river is a huge mistake. This isn’t good at all. I like how Disney withheld this detail during the announcement. Absolutely garbage. I hate this. They should rip out the castle too while they are it “more space!”.

They’re shutting down the Liberty Belle Riverboat on July 6th. One of the last quiet, soulful corners of Magic Kingdom—gone. No thrills, no synergy, no lightning lane… just steam, wood, water, and Walt’s vision of America. Disney isn’t preserving magic. They’re bulldozing it. #SaveMagicKingdom

Disney is the absolute last one who should be making this joke.

I really miss this fountain. The whole area was better as it was. What a mistake to rip this out.

I'm sorry, but the visual of this is absolutely awful. There is so much Disney could have done to at least limit how bad this ended up looking. This screams they don't care. The name of the game is selling DVC, even if it destroys the sight lines. This is bad.

It’s so refreshing to see a real imagineer solve this problem the way Disney should have. God I hope they listen and reconsider. The incredible talents of Eddie Sotto. They should beg him to come back!

If Disney destroys the Rivers of America, these views will be gone forever. So much thought and care went into creating these sightlines and places in the Magic Kingdom, and I'd hate to see it all destroyed. There is value in this.

Yes it’s bad, and they knew people wouldn’t like this. That’s why they HID THIS from D23. They didn’t want the boos right in the middle of the “big announcement”. When you have to hide it you know it’s wrong. They know and they don’t care.

This is from Walt's 1966 Florida Project Film. He is standing in front of a plot plan with a preliminary design for the Magic Kingdom over his shoulder. What do we see but the Rivers of America? The idea that Walt doesn't have any connection to ROA in Florida is complete BS.

I want everyone to remember that Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro stood here right at this point, knowing what they were going to destroy when he made this announcement and chose NOT TO SAY A WORD about it. Why? Why would he omit this information?

Here is another picture of the overgrowth at the Grand Floridan, and we see trash on the shoreline. Disney used to have someone patrol, walk, and rake the sand here every morning. It was pristine. It was once unthinkable to see garbage sitting like this. Disney was famous for its cleanliness. The bottle is sun-faded, and you can see it's been there a long time. This is unacceptable, and it's sad. If I can see this, why can't they?

I really miss the golden age of Hollywood/ behind the scenes of a working studio theme. The new franchise land theme, rather than exploring the nostalgia of classic cinema and production processes really suffers in my opinion. We really lost something great.

Pure and simple this is not Disney quality, is a weak idea to replace an iconic part of the park, is frankly boring, and the fans overwhelmingly don’t want it. Save the rivers of America Disney. Don’t do this it’s a terrible idea. It’s a waste of money. No..

If true, this is one of the most depressing thoughts. Destroying Rivers of America will truly be the most destructive and stupid thing Disney could do to the Magic Kingdom. It will rip out the heart of the park. I hope they come to their senses before they destroy everything.

Wow. This looks awful. Not even close to the real Walt. This is worse than expected.

This is going to be Disney's worst nightmare soon. Imagine the buzz this will have when it opens; instead, we get "Journey of Water" to look forward to (announced in 2019 - opening 2023?). Nothing in the pipeline to counter this. It's going to be a problem.

The Magic Kingdom has endured a slow, relentless erosion, so much so that it barely resembles the place it once was. This isn't just about a few rides closing. It's the dismantling of the soul of the place. We lost Mr. Toad. We lost 20,000 Leagues. We lost the rose garden, the original barber shop, the Center Street flower market, and the charm of Main Street's cinema, bank, and arcade — all of which were gutted and repurposed into generic retail. The Castle Hub was flattened into an open concrete space. The Walt Disney Story is gone. The Swan Boats are gone. The Mike Fink Keel Boats. The Shooting Gallery. The Diamond Horseshoe Revue. Mickey Mouse Revue. Snow White’s Adventures. The Skyway. Mission to Mars. If You Had Wings. The entrance to Tomorrowland, with its optimistic fountain and spires, is unrecognizable. The original Country Bears are gone. Splash Mountain was erased. And now, they’re coming for the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Belle riverboat. Piece by piece, the heart of the park has been carved away. What’s replaced it? Cheaper. Louder. Shallower. Always justified by some excuse — synergy, crowd flow, IP recognition — but rarely executed with even a fraction of the care, charm, or purpose that came before. If you remember what the Magic Kingdom used to be — as I do — then you know the staggering totality of what’s been lost. These changes aren’t guided by vision. There’s no master plan. It’s scattershot, reactive, and painfully obvious. I don’t oppose change. I welcome it — when it’s thoughtful, when it’s inspired, when it builds on what made the park special. But we’ve waited decades for the Magic Kingdom to receive something genuinely meaningful again. Something worthy. This new project? It’s not that. It doesn’t fit. It doesn’t flow. It creates more problems than it solves. The fact that we’re still being given vague, cartoon-like map previews speaks volumes. Look at what Imagineering has delivered recently — like the EPCOT “reimagining.” Overpromised, overhyped, underwhelming. What’s happening here feels no different. Whether it’s a lack of budget, poor leadership, or just a loss of passion, the outcome is the same: disappointment. So, forgive me if I don’t feel optimistic. I want to be wrong. I hope I’m wrong. But when I look at what’s happening — and what’s already gone — it feels like we’re not just losing attractions. We’re losing the last fragile pieces of the Magic Kingdom’s soul.

I think it’s time for new leadership at the Walt Disney Company. Someone who will embrace creating new properties instead of just relying on buying someone else’s IP. Someone focused on returning the company back to the quality it used to be known for. It’s time.

One of many reasons why Disney shouldn't have done this.. We all knew it was only a matter of time before images like this got out. This is not good.

What a depressing thought.

The river and the island are lifeless, and it's sad. Soon, this will be nothing but dirt. All these trees will be gone. This will be but a memory. Disney is making a huge mistake.

The main difference between a Disney park and an amusement park is it is centered around a specific theme and storyline to immerse guests. Meticulously designed areas, with attention to storytelling, architecture, attractions, decor and atmosphere. We shouldn’t lose this.

Wow this looks awful. The shed wasn’t worth destroying the site line.

It’s sad to see this. The AA figures look good, and really that’s all this needed. We didn’t need this “under new management” style refresh / show gut. There is nothing timeless about this. It’s exactly what I feared Disney would do to it. It’s such a soup of IP. Ugh.

It still boggles my mind that Disney thought this was a good idea for Epcot.

The more I look at what Disney is proposing to do with ROA, the more I’m convinced that this isn’t about putting cars in there because they need the land. It’s about getting rid of “Problems”. TS Island, Frontierland, and Liberty Square.

They really did mess Epcot up. What a disappointment.

They should be embarrassed. This is the very best Disney could do for the center of Epcot? I’ve heard excuses (budgets, pressure washers, shoddy install) none of it excuses the failure to fix it. This telegraphs that they don’t care enough to fix it…every…day…it’s…broke.

I’ve been watching the reactions to this announcement and I’ve seen several saying Disney should announce something, etc. It just testifies to how bad Disney fans want real investment. Not retheme, not new festivals or fireworks, certainly not tear down and replace but real new.

Disney's "Modern Polynesian" - fronted by rotting vegetation. This is the view people are paying top dollar for. This water looks awful. Doesn't feel like a Polynesian Island; it looks like a sewer carrying away waste. This used to be so beautiful, and the lake was the draw.

Hard to believe that Disney destroyed this and it’s now just a garbage pile of rubble. They treated it like it had no value at all, and that’s really sad.

The people who green-lit this absolutely have no idea what Epcot as a concept was or should be. The sooner they bring the bulldozers out and tear this all down and start over the better. It’s a blight on the park. They could start by putting the fountain back.

Disney has endless money to bulldoze the Rivers of America but yet not a penny to open this abandoned pavilion in a park that could desperately use it.

The Rivers of America is a visual and thematic anchor, tying together Frontierland, Liberty Square, and the Haunted Mansion. It creates a sense of grandeur and openness, balancing the park’s crowds and noise with a place for guests to breathe. Replacing it with Cars risks overcrowding the area and disrupting the park’s carefully curated layout. Frontierland, Liberty Square, and the Haunted Mansion do not make thematic sense when you have a cars dirt track anchoring it.

This is a perfect illustration of what’s been lost with current Disney. Look at the quality of the sign from 1992 vs the cheaply printed one of today. The attention to detail, even in the signs, is how they used to operate.

This is a perfect illustration of why we won’t trust the current Disney regime to do right by the Rivers of America. What was promised vs built here in this comparison is just awful.

Tom Sawyer Island is alive with long lines, packed rafts, families, laughter, and picnics. "It's only popular because it's closing." If it takes destroying something to prove it mattered, maybe the problem isn’t crowds at all. The surge in interest isn’t proof that Tom Sawyer Island was irrelevant; it’s proof that Disney failed to recognize its value until fans felt they were losing it. Clearly, the fans are still connected to these places that matter. The absence or presence of the crowd isn't the problem; the decision-making process is.

I don't understand why Disney would abandon creating beautifully detailed theming in the resorts to make them all bland Marriott clones. It truly baffles me that they wouldn't want to build such things as this. Can it be because they don't want to spend the money? IDK.

Again Jim - have you lost your mind? Ridership? This area was never about ridership. This is literally the fabric and setting for the theme of a large part of the parks charm and ambience. If ridership is your metric we might as well build six flags parks. Setting matters.

This is just absolutely terrible. I can't believe that a company that was once masters of design slapped this eyesore up next to a jewel of design. It's plain ugly and awful. They really don't care anymore. It's obvious.

Wow this is very screen heavy….

Hopefully, this publicity will pressure Disney to reconsider. Many have put much effort into trying to save this, and I remain hopeful. forbes.com/sites/carolinerei…

The average cost of a Disney's Wedding Pavilion ceremony reportedly is from $18,000 to $35,000 - and for that, you have a massive modern DVC tower ominously hanging over your Victorian pavilion, which overlooks a water feature that is almost completely overgrown.

I think the fact that Disney had to respond at all kind of negates their thin excuses. Clearly there is a problem. Clearly they are overpricing their product. The only one who doesn’t think so is them.

Here's a rare picture of the person who built the Disney company and the person who is destroying it.

Notably absent from these “incredible” shots was any of the Liberty Belle proudly steaming around the Rivers of America. We know why - and that’s concerning.

Disney's Hollywood Studios used to have a clear identity. Now it's a confusing mix of Star Wars, Toy Story, and whatever else Disney feels like. From celebrating the art of filmmaking to shamelessly promoting Disney franchises, something great has been lost.

Absolutely agree. Disney was never just about the rides.. and it’s not only about the rides now. Disney parks are special places. The ambiance matters.

I don’t count this as “expansion” when we are yet again losing what we already have to make Disney’s very poor idea of a plan come together. I hate to see them destroy something so wonderful.

Not surprised. Disney has so stripped any sense of theme from their rooms. Yet there are loads of people who "Love the colors", "Love the modern design", "Think Disney exceeded their expectations," and so on. Sadly, so many are satisfied with a Marriot clone and soulless design.

I’m sorry Jim but seriously are you out of your mind? You of all people should know better. This isn’t brave - they hid it from the crowd at D23 until after. That’s cowardly. Congratulations to them on destroying the Rivers of America? Seriously? WTF!

Can you imagine if Disney had just upgraded the Fountain at Epcot instead of destroying it? flowing water adds to the visual beauty and provides motion and life to the area. Disney used to know this. They are going to make the same mistake, but worse, again..

Wasn’t good enough to have a seating area that people could use for no cost. Instead we can monetize every blessed square inch by turning it into a bar. The mentality of Disney’s management is whacked. They keep doing things which are just obviously wrong. This is simple stuff.

This is absolutely awful. I don’t even know where to begin. We already know the issues with this building, but this sign.. the size, the “quality”. This whole project was clearly from the imagineering “B” team. These details matter. Not good.

You look at this and then can’t help but think what Disney could have done with a fountain upgrade at Epcot.

So getting rid of a virtual queue (a problem Disney created) and celebrating all the AA figures working on an attraction (which has been open since June) is what constitutes fantastic for a Disney park? Can the bar truly be this low now for improving the guest experience?

I'm sorry, but that looks awful. It completely ruins the Poly's tropic isolation atmosphere and looks like a mess on the horizon. I'm glad I knew the poly when it was thematically correct before this was done to it.

Yes indeed, it is Perfection. Makes you wonder why anyone would ever want to destroy it when they didn't have to.

Wow this is a new level of cheap, even for Disney. That’s ah.. really something. Why even bother?

I hate how toxic this change is becoming, which is a huge reason not to do it. It’s splitting the fans again with people who care about the history vs the people who don’t care and want something new at any cost. Mix in the Disneyland “never at our park” crowd and it’s a mess.

This has to embarrass Disney. Something that should be exciting for the fans has turned their best fans against them. Tons of bad press. This is a PR disaster for Disney. Any company would run from something this negative. It's time for Disney to change course.

Well.. July 6th it is. Unfortunate. We’re about to see years of barricades.

Imagineering going anywhere near the Carousel makes me nervous. This seems odd that they would be poking around this. I wouldn’t trust that anything they do - doesn’t have some other (usually bad) motivation behind it.

Wonderful. Yet another international park which will draw what little talent they have left in imagineering away from focusing on the domestic parks.

This area in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is absolutely brutal. It’s awful on a hot day. I’ve been waiting for them to add shade in here for years. Anything shade wise would be better than getting fried walking through here.

I know Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom is on its way out, but it's surprising to me that Disney couldn't find a way to fix this land without completely scrapping it. As a theme it seems like there should be a lot they could have worked with.

Disney poured millions into the EPCOT “refresh” and ended up with a tripping hazard where a majestic fountain once stood. They could fix it—if they’d stop wasting money bulldozing the Rivers of America. Tear it out! Restore the fountain! Admit it failed! It's embarrassing.

I love that Tony was at Epic today. It’s nice to see that he’s still staying connecting to what’s going on in the themed entertainment space. Disney should be begging him to come back. They need him..badly.

The Magic Kingdom thrives on its timelessness, blending nostalgia with a scenic atmosphere. Bulldozing the Rivers of America for an IP-based ride will date the park as IPs fade in relevance over time. The River is immune to that. An appeal that doesn’t rely on franchise popularity.

It’s also a sign that the folks currently running WDW likely have not a clue about what they are doing. Fort Wilderness does not need a 10 story DVC tower. It is absolutely a sad state of affairs.

Wow. That looks absolutely awful. Zero effort with off the shelf picnic tables that look like they belong in a highway rest area.

This is why the parks must be drained of every dollar - so Disney can spend that money on films such as this. I’m still surprised they released it.

As you look at this video, consider that this is only 1/5 of the park. This is why I said that Disney's tear-downs and rethemes aren't going to cut it. The enormity of this and the level of detail and theming are amazing. Whatever Disney does, it has to be at this scale.

There is not one view of this that is good. The wedding pavilion looks out of place and is dwarfed by this Marriott tower. What a visual contradiction. It violates one of the central tenets of Disney design. It’s awful.

Even now, 42 years later, this mural by Claudio Mazzoli in Epcot is still Futuristic and excellent in every way. I really hate that Disney scrapped the Future World theme. That was a huge mistake.

Disney used to care for their guests' comfort. This is the tram waiting area at TTC. Imagine how hot and uncomfortable it is to stand here under the sun with no shade, or in the rain, unable to move in line waiting. Not everything needs to cost a lot to improve guest comfort. It's the details and the little things that matter. It's design for comfort that says "you're important enough that we did this for you". This tells me that the management doesn't have the same experiences as park guests, because they don't wait in the lines. They need to get out in the parks, and should be focused to a crazy degree on improving the guest experience. Put up some shade!!

Disney swapping MuppetVision 3D, Mama Melrose’s, and PizzeRizzo for a Monsters, Inc. land is a mistake. Nostalgic charm traded for short-term buzz. Disney's track record on these transitions lately (looking at you, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land) hasn't been great.

I liked it better when it was an attraction that all guests of the park could enjoy - instead of yet another access controlled Lounge. What a waste.

Well I know they think they “saved it” but not sure what’s left was worth saving. Half empty theater and loaded with self referential “country” Disney songs. Really unfortunate it exists in this form.

Look at this. They’ve destroyed Fort Wilderness. There is no fixing this. Disney doesn’t think the massive number of guests staying at this new tower won’t walk over to pioneer hall? It’s not built to handle two resorts. Plus its theme makes no sense now. They’ve ruined it. Ugh.