Former Walt Disney Imagineering Senior VP Eddie Sotto has once again challenged Disney’s controversial decision to bulldoze the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom. But this time, he isn’t just criticizing—he’s offering a fully imagined alternative that would preserve the park’s history while still allowing Disney to build its planned Cars and Villains expansions.
Sotto’s plan proves Disney doesn’t have to destroy the Rivers of America—the company is choosing to.
An alternate plan proposed by former Disney Imagineering SVP Eddie Sotto that shows Disney could save the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island – X
“Literally just penciled this out to show that you CAN have it all with a little imagination,” Sotto wrote on X. “Riverboat boards by TBA, track loops w switches (Main Street Streetcars), allowing direct access to BTM, even a stream for Canoes to explore a BTM ‘cavern’ under the rock bridge. MORE land now to use for Cars, but retains the immersive river experience. Tunnel to new ‘Lafitte’ Island? Villains can be accessed by Haunted Mansion and also thru Frontierland ‘portal’. It can all be done, you just have to want to. I hear the case is still closed, but was fun to ‘Imagineer’ a bit.”
Instead of completely erasing the Rivers of America, Sotto’s design redirects it to circle Big Thunder Mountain, allowing it to serve as a natural theming buffer between the American frontier and the Louisiana bayou of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The plan saves the main island of Tom Sawyer Island, eliminates the jarring thematic shift from Frontierland to the Bayou, and even introduces new elements like a cavern for canoes.
Concept art for Disney’s unnamed Cars attraction for smaller racers at Magic Kingdom
Most importantly, it creates more usable land for Cars Land and Villains Land without obliterating the park’s classic charm.
But despite Sotto proving this can be done, he acknowledged that Disney has no interest in alternatives.
Is This Really About Expansion—Or Is It Something More?
It’s no secret that modern Imagineering has taken issue with Disney’s historical representation of America, leading many to believe this is less about progress and more about progressive ideology.
For years, rumors have circulated that Frontierland and Liberty Square have been under fire from progressive voices inside Imagineering and the now supposedly defunct Stories Matter department.
An image of Tom Sawyer’s Island via DocumentDisney YouTube
The idea of colonial expansion and the early American frontier has long been deemed “problematic” by certain factions within Disney, and some believe that erasing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island isn’t just about making room for Cars Land—it’s about slowly eliminating the park’s ties to American history.
Disney has already reworked multiple classic attractions under the guise of “modernization”, including the removal of Splash Mountain for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The Haunted Mansion’s bride was also rewritten to remove any hint of darker storytelling in favor of a more sanitized version of the character. Additionally, Kim Irvine, a leading Imagineer at Disney, has openly admitted that they are considering removing the hanging man scene from the Haunted Mansion, citing “modern sensibilities.”
Disney imagineering’s Kim Irvine at the Haunted Mansion – YouTube, Los Angeles Times
For years, Frontierland and Liberty Square have been rumored to be next. The destruction of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island may not just be about making space for new attractions—it could be the first step in reworking the entire historical foundation of Magic Kingdom itself.
Sotto’s Initial Criticism of Disney’s Destruction of the Rivers of America
Before Sotto drew up his alternate plan, he had already called out Disney’s poor theme park design choices and how eliminating the river hurts the park’s overall immersion.
“Losing the river is not just about nostalgia, it’s a subconscious contrast that gives the other ‘lands’ their immersive impact,” he 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.
An image of Tom Sawyer’s Island via DocumentDisney YouTube
He added, “Parks should be designed holistically and emotionally. Epic Universe is emphasizing this contrast with its ‘portals.’ Just a thought.”
Sotto is pointing out something longtime Disney fans have known for years—Magic Kingdom was designed with clear, intentional thematic contrasts that tell a cohesive story. The river wasn’t just a piece of scenery—it enhanced the feeling of stepping into a different time and place.
Now, Disney is actively breaking down those transitions in favor of quick-fix IP expansions that disrupt the flow of the park.
Disney’s IP-First Mentality Could be Ruining Magic Kingdom on Purpose
Sotto’s alternative design makes one thing abundantly clear: Disney doesn’t need to bulldoze the Rivers of America to build Cars Land and Villains Land—it’s a choice.
But that choice is consistent with how Disney has operated in recent years.
Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World at Magic Kingdom during a clear Orlando day – Photo Credit: M. Montanaro
For example:
- Instead of expanding the park, they demolish existing lands and replace them with IP tie-ins.
- Instead of maintaining a sense of immersion, they force different properties together with no regard for thematic consistency.
- Instead of preserving the artistry and storytelling that made the parks special, they take the easy way out.
This is exactly what they did with EPCOT, which was originally designed to be a showcase of innovation and international culture. That park is now slowly being transformed into an IP-fest, with Guardians of the Galaxy, Moana, and Disney characters shoved into every corner.
Epcot Spaceship Earth Walt Disney World Orlando 2010. Photo Credit: chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Magic Kingdom is now heading down that same path—not because they have to, but because they want to.
The Big Question: Does Disney Want to Preserve Its History?
Sotto’s plan is brilliant. It preserves the immersive experience, maintains the Rivers of America as a storytelling tool, and still allows for new attractions to be built.
But as he admitted, Disney doesn’t want to take this approach.
Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World During a Stage and Fireworks Show – Photo Credit: M. Montanaro
When a fan previously asked if Imagineers could still convince Disney to reconsider their destruction of the Rivers of America, Sotto responded: “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.”
In other words: Disney knows people are upset, but they don’t care.
This isn’t just about making room for new attractions—this is about Disney’s growing disregard for its own history.
Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America represent Walt Disney’s vision of an America built on adventure, exploration, and storytelling. For decades, these attractions have connected generations to classic literature and historical imagination.
The Hall of Presidents in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World via wdwmagic YouTube
Now, Disney is erasing that history—not because they have to, but because they’re choosing to walk away from it.
If Disney is truly determined to erase Frontierland’s historical influences, this may just be the beginning.
Will Liberty Square be next? Will Haunted Mansion’s classic elements be removed? Will Frontierland itself cease to exist in its current form?
Walt Disney in Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (1966), Walt Disney Productions
Eddie Sotto just gave Disney a better solution. The question now is—do they actually care enough to listen?
Do you think Disney is purposely erasing Tom Sawyer Island out of want rather than need? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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