Walt Disney World has filed its response to Florida’s Request for Extra Info, and it’s clear that Imagineering is not going to be reversing course on its plan to fill in and substitute the Rivers of America with Vehicles Land in Magic Kingdom. This publish discusses the newest on this months-long saga, together with what this might imply for cut-off dates and development.
In case you’re unfamiliar with these plans, Walt Disney World introduced two all-new Vehicles points of interest in a reimagined space of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom throughout D23. Together with this, they formally introduced Villains Land growth at Magic Kingdom, primarily behind Vehicles Land, and between/behind Large Thunder and Haunted Mansion.
Subsequent to D23, Walt Disney World revealed that the Vehicles space will really substitute the Rivers of America, which means that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Sq. Riverboat will completely shut. This information let quite a lot of the air out of the tires from Walt Disney World’s in any other case blockbuster evening.
The most recent growth issues the saga of the South Florida Water Administration District (SFWMD) allow course of. The wanting the back-and-forth is that Disney filed permits pertaining to stormwater displacement again in August, and SFWMD responded by requesting adjustments and giving Disney a deadline for these.
Following that, the SFWMD despatched a letter warning Disney that its 10-day deadline to reply was quick approaching, and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) intervened on Walt Disney World’s behalf to request a 60-day extension. The SFWMD granted the extension request, however solely partially, providing a brand new deadline of January 9, 2025 versus February for Disney to substantively reply SFWMD’s Request for Extra Info (RAI).
Ultimately, it gained’t matter. Walt Disney World didn’t want till the offered January 9, 2025 deadline, a lot much less the February one which was requested on its behalf by the CFTOD. Walt Disney World offered an intensive packet of knowledge on December 19, 2024, which included a 23-page letter together with numerous extra pages of maps, plans, appendices, and updates to previously-filed paperwork.
In case you’re actually inquisitive about all of this, head to the SFWMD ePermitting web page and enter “407 Basin Stormwater Modifications” because the mission identify within the search. From there, try the RAI Info drop-down. There’s a bunch of stuff there, together with the aforementioned 23-page letter.
A part of the rationale I’m recommending that you just learn the correspondence itself is as a result of I, admittedly, lack the subject material experience to evaluate the standard and sufficiency of Walt Disney World’s response. Whether or not it adequately addresses the questions and issues raised by the South Florida Water Administration District is unclear to me. It seems to my untrained eye that it does usually, and kicks the can again to SFWMD for clarification in a few cases, however I very properly could possibly be unsuitable.
From what I can verify, there are primarily two angles from which Walt Disney World approaches this. The primary is a simple matter of addressing the questions and issues one-by-one, with concise solutions and clarifying info. The second and extra attention-grabbing method is in attaching a Response to RAI from 2015 together with different correspondence from 1993. Disney incorporates these by reference into this 2024 RAI response, together with one other letter from 2011 and the 1992 Walt Disney World Grasp Growth Plan allow.
There’s rather a lot to unpack with all of this, however it seems that Walt Disney World’s assertion is that additional evaluation or scrutiny isn’t needed or acceptable. That’s as a result of, in mild of those paperwork, the wetland traces are grandfathered-in. I think it’s not value getting slowed down within the specifics of the allowing course of and backwards and forwards over the wetlands.
A deep dive into water administration and various authorized jargon most likely isn’t why you’re right here–it’s to know the place this mission stands. In a nutshell, Disney’s massive transfer was “bringing receipts” to indicate SFWMD that quite a lot of its questions had already been addressed–a decade or few in the past.
From a sensible perspective, the important thing takeaway from these 23-pages and supporting maps and paperwork is that Walt Disney World has not altered course on its plans to take away the Rivers of America and fill within the waterway.
On the contrary, Disney doubles down on this and clearly outlines that they are going to be draining the Rivers of America and filling in the whole expanse with dust to create a leveled and graded development space. It is a needed prerequisite for development of the Vehicles Land growth in Frontierland, and also will type the muse for the subsequent part of labor on Villains Land.
If Walt Disney World have been getting chilly toes concerning the Rivers of America plans following fan backlash, it will’ve been mirrored within the allowing course of with SFWMD. This sends the unequivocal message that it’s full steam forward on Vehicles Land. That there can be no last-minute changes to salvage even a sliver of the Rivers of America.
For our half, that is what we’ve heard all alongside. That though Walt Disney World didn’t anticipate the diploma of backlash, no quantity of complaints would trigger a course change. That the worth of the actual property, underutilized capability, long-term repairs prices, expense of alternate siting of the growth, and different components made this the solely viable plan. (Don’t shoot the messenger–I’m simply sharing what I’ve heard, not that I agree with it.)
Another websites had reported the other. That Disney is contemplating going again to the drafting board. Or quite, that Disney was contemplating it. We talked about this beforehand, noting that though we hadn’t heard this, being dismissive of the rumors can be silly since so many sources acquired the placement of Monstropolis unsuitable in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
At this level, we are able to just about shut the door on the Rivers of America being saved. Once more, all the pieces I’ve heard since August indicated to me that the door wasn’t open within the first place, however this seals that. Disney has already endured the worst of the controversy, they usually’ve held agency. Taking additional steps in the identical path strongly suggests there by no means was another.
The one hope there, as earlier than, was that the South Florida Water Administration District would reject Disney’s permits.
To that time, it nonetheless stays a obscure chance that the South Florida Water Administration District nonetheless gained’t be glad with Walt Disney World’s RAI response, and there’s extra back-and-forth than anticipated. That would end in delays and prices spiraling past what was initially budgeted.
If something, that’s the one factor that might realistically let the air out of the tires of the Vehicles land mission: money and time.
I nonetheless don’t view that as doubtless. On the contrary, I’d put the possibilities of this mission getting the inexperienced mild from the state roughly as conceived at over 90%. I’m simply saying that if there’s any foundation for the Rivers of America being saved, it’s not in a change of coronary heart from Disney, however quite, the SFWMD slow-rolling the mission, and Disney shifting into a special path consequently. In mild of the RAI response, I’d put the possibilities at that within the low single digits.
As you’re doubtless conscious, Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America don’t have any cut-off date at current. Walt Disney World has solely indicated that work will kick “into excessive gear” in 2025, however earlier than then, that “friends could have loads of time to expertise the attraction and nostalgia of Frontierland as it’s as we speak.”
Nonetheless, Walt Disney World made that assertion again in August and has been silent as to the Rivers of America future since. When providing a sneak peek at 2025 and letting followers know they’d have all yr to expertise DINOSAUR, Walt Disney World made no such assurances concerning the Rivers of America. In actual fact, they didn’t say something in any respect. At what level has “loads of time” handed?
Our guess is Easter 2025 on the earliest. That’s over 8 months for followers to say their goodbyes, which is longer than the typical timeframe between reserving and touring. This isn’t to say that Rivers of America will shut then…we simply wouldn’t count on it any sooner than that. And it actually doesn’t come right down to giving followers one final go to. It’s extra a matter of practicality.
To that time, Magic Kingdom would possibly attempt to get by means of Summer season 2025 earlier than closing Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. Disney Starlight Parade goes to be massively fashionable upon debut and can want ample viewing area throughout its opening summer time alongside the promenade in Frontierland. Building partitions up on one aspect of the walkway would cut back viewing capability. (See Building & Openings Timelines for New Lands, Rides & Additions at Disney World.)
Beginning the mission shortly after Labor Day 2025 can be potential. That offers Walt Disney World all summer time with the Rivers of America working as regular, which is perhaps needed at a time when rather a lot can be down in Magic Kingdom. Park operations might not need much more offline–particularly if that features decreased parade viewing choices or cuts into crowd movement (the waterfront promenade is a crucial parade bypass).
Additionally understand that it’s not like this mission will get authorized, and partitions go up round Rivers of America the very subsequent day. There’s presumably a good quantity of backstage prep and website work that could possibly be undertaken even earlier than the waterway is drained. It’s additionally potential that Disney may set up a coffer dam to protect entry to Tom Sawyer Island and the view of the Rivers of America for the entirety of 2025. (See photograph above of the final time a coffer dam was used throughout a refurbishment just a few years in the past.)
They’ve accomplished one of these factor earlier than–and it may extend the period of time followers should say goodbye to those areas whereas additionally lowering visible blight till it’s completely needed. In such a situation, the Liberty Sq. Riverboat can be first to shut, and that may most likely occur earlier than the second half of 2025.
Finally, the back-and-forth on the SFWMD allowing course of doesn’t actually change an entire lot within the grand scheme of issues. It does considerably will increase the chance that the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island can be secure by means of a minimum of Easter 2025. That was most likely all the time the case (and I’d think about Disney constructed a buffer into its inside timeline for allowing–it’s not like that is their first rodeo), however this simply additional cements it.
I’d take {that a} step additional and predict that, you most likely have till a minimum of August 2025 to say goodbye to the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. There looks as if a reasonably good chance that Disney does backstage work first, and this serene surroundings and entry are preserved for nearly the whole yr–perhaps into early 2026. I wouldn’t wager the farm on that and I’d plan a goodbye journey properly earlier than then if seeing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island have been a must-do, however my suspicion is that we’ve got extra time to take pleasure in these areas.
After all, my actual hope is that Imagineering goes again to the drafting board completely and finds a solution to protect the promenade and waterfront. I can settle for shedding Tom Sawyer Island and the riverboat, I assume, however paving over that stunning vista is a bridge too far for me. Hopefully fan suggestions or a last-minute miracle can reserve it, however I’m not holding my breath.
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Your Ideas
Ideas on the Walt Disney World’s response to the Request for Extra Info? Hoping that there’s nonetheless an opportunity of adjusting the plans if Florida doesn’t approve? Excited or underwhelmed by the plan to switch Rivers of America with Vehicles land? Or, are you in wait and see mode with this? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
