Photos: What’s Changed as the Rivers of America Closes Forever at the Magic Kingdom

The day many Walt Disney World fans have dreaded is finally here, as Tom Sawyer Island, the Liberty Square Riverboat and the entire Rivers of America have now permanently closed at the Magic Kingdom. On the day following their last day of operation, there are already quite a few noticeable changes and removals.

We’ll begin at the former Liberty Square Riverboat dock, which has seen all signage referring to the Liberty Belle removed. Interestingly, as revealed in the recently-released fun map for Piston Peak (the new Cars section of Frontierland replacing the Rivers), the dock structure itself will be sticking around. The dock is blocked off by ropes and rolling planters.

Here’s a look at the Riverboat Dock before it closed forever.

Over on Tom Sawyer Island, we spotted Imagineers and construction workers beginning the lengthy process of removing everything from the island and getting ready to demolish it, and fill-in the Rivers.

Tom still <3s Becky, for now…

Mostly everything visible on the island still stands as it was, for now at least.

This rather humorous construction door blocks off access to the lower-level of the Liberty Square Riverboat dock.

Slightly larger construction walls can be found at the other exit to the Riverboat Dock, also blocking off access to the former Keelboat Dock, which is used as an extended queue for The Haunted Mansion.

The Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island have been removed from the waterfront, and likely placed backstage – alongside the Liberty Square Riverboat.

Small construction walls block access to the Tom Sawyer Island raft dock.

As with the Riverboat Dock, all signage referring to Tom Sawyer Island has been removed from the raft dock.

And here’s what the dock looked like with the signage installed.

These closures are all in aid of construction on the largest-ever expansion to the Magic Kingdom, which kicks off in earnest with Piston Peak and its new Cars-themed attractions. For more about what’s to come in this area at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, be sure to check out our post here.

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