Former Walt Disney Imagineering Senior VP Eddie Sotto has added more fuel to the fire regarding Disney’s decision to bulldoze the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, expanding on why he believes this is a disastrous mistake.
Following his earlier confirmation that Disney is fully aware of the fan backlash but doesn’t care, noting that “The issue is closed,” Sotto returned to X to explain why the loss of the Rivers of America isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about theme park design done right.
The issue may be closed, and life will go on, but I’d like to say that losing the river is not just about nostalgia, it’s a subconscious contrast that gives the other “lands” their immersive impact. Sleek metal future, vs vast untamed nature. (Chocolate and Peanut Butter)… pic.twitter.com/09weE5dd3O
— Eddie Sotto (@boss_angeles) March 3, 2025
“The issue may be closed, and life will go on, but I’d like to say that losing the river is not just about nostalgia, it’s a subconscious contrast that gives the other ‘lands’ their immersive impact,” Sotto wrote. “Sleek metal future, vs vast untamed nature. (Chocolate and Peanut Butter) Stepping from one into another makes the immersion experience fun and ‘impossible.’ Even in energy level. Parks are now adding ‘decompression lawns,’ but the river and TSI played that role for decades. Parks should be designed holistically and emotionally. [Epic Universe] is emphasizing this contrast with its ‘portals.’ Just a thought.”
Disney’s Broken Design Philosophy Called Out by One of Their Own
Sotto’s comments seem to go far beyond just opposing the Rivers of America removal. He’s calling out Disney’s entire approach to theme park design in recent years—an approach that prioritizes IP placement over strong, immersive world-building.
His argument? The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island weren’t just there to take up space—they were essential to the way Magic Kingdom was built.
- The untamed, natural feel of the river provided a contrast to the sleek, futuristic look of Tomorrowland, the grandeur of Fantasyland, and the excitement of Adventureland.
- Guests didn’t just walk from one land to another—they transitioned through different visual and emotional environments, making each one feel more immersive.
- This is a fundamental principle of great theme park design, and Disney is now throwing it away.
An image of Tom Sawyer’s Island via DocumentDisney YouTube
Eddie Sotto even praised Universal’s Epic Universe, which is taking the opposite approach—designing its lands with massive, immersive portals that create clear visual and emotional contrasts. Meanwhile, Disney is gutting one of the last remnants of thoughtful design at Magic Kingdom.
A Recap: Disney is Ripping Out Magic Kingdom’s Heart for Another IP Land
As we reported earlier, Disney has officially received approval to move forward with a Cars-themed expansion at Magic Kingdom, wiping out the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island in the process.
Disney recently secured a permit from the South Florida Water Management District, allowing them to modify the 407 Basin Stormwater System, impacting 61.93 acres of wetlands and surface water.
An image of Tom Sawyer’s Island via DocumentDisney YouTube
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For decades, the Rivers of America, Liberty Belle riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island provided:
- A peaceful, Americana-inspired escape from the rest of the park.
- A natural contrast that enhanced the immersion of each surrounding land.
- A storytelling element that connected Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland.
Disney is now gutting this historic area to shove in a Pixar expansion featuring:
- A high-speed Cars rally race through mountains, geysers, and mudholes.
- A smaller family-friendly Cars ride aimed at younger guests.
Concept art for Disney’s unnamed Cars attraction for smaller racers at Magic Kingdom
This decision sparked massive backlash, with fans accusing Disney of stripping history from its parks in favor of quick cash-grab IP integrations.
Sotto’s Earlier Comments Confirmed Disney Doesn’t Care
Before today’s follow-up post, Eddie Sotto had already confirmed what many suspected—Disney is fully aware of the fan outrage but has no interest in changing course.
Others have tried and failed. As far as I know, the issue is closed. WDI is already well aware of the SM posts, issues and opinions.
— Eddie Sotto (@boss_angeles) March 3, 2025
When asked by a concerned fan if Imagineering could still fight to save the Rivers of America, Sotto replied:
“Others have tried and failed. As far as I know, the issue is closed. WDI is already well aware of the SM posts, issues, and opinions.”
Disney is Ignoring What Made Magic Kingdom Great
Sotto’s deeper criticism of this move isn’t just about the destruction of another classic attraction. His point is bigger—Disney has stopped designing its theme parks with any sense of flow or contrast
- Instead of immersive worlds, they’re plopping IPs wherever they can fit.
- Instead of letting areas breathe, they’re forcing everything to be a constant rush of high-energy attractions.
- Instead of understanding the emotional journey of theme park guests, they’re focusing entirely on synergy and branding.
Meanwhile, Epic Universe is doing the exact opposite—building massive themed lands that feel like actual worlds, each one separated by a dramatic transition space.
Concept art for Super Nintendo World at Universal’s Epic Universe
Disney, on the other hand, is gutting its own historical design philosophy in favor of throwing whatever’s marketable into a space, no matter how much it disrupts the experience. Sotto’s comments may not change Disney’s decision, but they validate everything fans have been saying—this is bad design, bad storytelling, and bad long-term planning for the parks.
Disney isn’t just bulldozing the Rivers of America—they’re bulldozing the entire design philosophy that made Magic Kingdom an immersive, emotionally engaging theme park.
And they don’t care what fans (or probably former imagineers) think about it.
Do you agree with Eddie Sotto about what Disney is doing to the Magic Kingdom? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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I am starting to think, this is all a part of… conspiracy, to defraud money. Look at their new places or maintenance; one by one are collapsing, degrading at hastened pace (like if someone used subpar materials and barely skilled workers), are utterly uninteresting (like that Star Wars restaurant, I think?, they had to remodel as some offices…); the haunted house with AI “art”, the collapsed Epcot center, the sewage problems, making strange decisions that generate lot of buzz but also creating distractions. I personally think, Bob Iger and people around him are defrauding hundreds of millions from investors, using “poor” and “loud” decisions as smoke screen.
So copying the government then? No wonder people want Disney and others to get the DOGE treatment. Hell, it would explain why corporations and celebrities both are decrying DOGE despite them actually benefitting from it. They don’t want us plebs to look too hard at what they’re doing.
Why does this make me think of the Sims City Skylines or something where you basically get rid of all natural habitat and cover the entire map with city?