End of an Era: Magic Kingdom Retires Two 52-Year-Old Attractions. What started with celebration and a look to the future on May 20th, 1973, ended with tears and once again a look to the future on July 6th, 2025, at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park. Tom Sawyer’s Island has officially closed as of 7:00 PM, and the Liberty Belle Riverboat, FKA The Robert F. Irvine, closed this evening at 8:00 PM EST.
Which means that the whole of Rivers of America in Walt Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom is officially closed and due for demolition starting July 7th, 2025. This is all being done to make way for a new Cars-themed land coming soon called Piston Peak National Park. The new land in Frontierland will feature two new attractions.
- The last day to experience Tom Sawyer Island is July 6. The location will close permanently on July 7 to make way for the largest expansion in history at Magic Kingdom.
- The last day to experience the Liberty Square Riverboat is July 6. The attraction and Rivers of America will close permanently on July 7 to make way for the largest expansion in history at Magic Kingdom.
We were at the Magic Kingdom tonight and were part of a select few guests who received a wristband earlier in the morning to be part of the last group to ride on the Liberty Belle Riverboat. Once the ride had officially closed off to day guests of the Park at 8:00 PM, this group was then able to be the last guests to ride the Riverboat on Rivers of America. These guests were joined by select Cast Members from custodial and attractions.
The last voyage was quite a scene as guests lined the shores all along Frontierland, waving and cheering on the riders on the boat. There were even Cast Members lined up from Peco’s Bill Tall Tail Inn, and once the boat passed the Tom Sawyer Island area, those Cast Members were cheering on the crew and guests on the Liberty Belle. Finally, the Walt Disney World Railroad Cast Members lined the train tracks and gave guests a farewell send-off. You can see this video below.
Earlier in the evening, we spotted the final Cast Members riding the raft over to Tom Sawyer Island to sweep the island and make sure no guests were left behind.
End of an Era: Magic Kingdom Retires Two 52-Year-Old Attractions
