Magic Kingdom Removes Westward Ho as Frontierland Boardwalk Is Cleared
The demolition marks visible progress on Piston Peak National Park, Disney’s Cars‑themed reuse of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island that will change park circulation and sightlines.
Overview
- Guest photographs posted on August 23 show the Westward Ho Refreshments structure fully demolished and the nearby churro cart and Big Al’s removed or relocated.
- Westward Ho had closed to guests on June 21 and was later surrounded by construction walls before crews gutted and tore down the building.
- The removal is part of Disney’s multiyear Piston Peak National Park project, which reclaims the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island footprint for a Cars‑inspired wilderness.
- Construction permits and contractor filings signal the work will continue through 2027 and that Disney is reworking pathways, sightlines, landscaping, and vendor locations as the build expands.
- Longtime visitors see the demolition as a loss of Frontierland history—the Westward Ho name traces back to December 1971—while Disney says design choices will use landscaping and 'Parkitecture' to blend the new land with existing Frontierland.