Piston Peak Construction Has Consumed Rivers of America and Reached Liberty Square
Work will remove the Rivers of America and build elevated Piston Peak terrain behind a new concrete retaining wall that changes sightlines and guest circulation.
Overview
- New aerial and ground photos published July 19, 2026 show the former riverbed and Tom Sawyer Island fully graded, a long concrete retaining wall poured along the site's southern edge, and crews backfilling sand to raise new mountain terrain.
- Cleared and leveled areas now reach the borders of Liberty Square so guests in the Haunted Mansion extended queue can see active earth-moving equipment and construction views.
- The secondary boat dock in front of the Memento Mori shop has been walled off and a shed-like structure is under construction to integrate that dock into the new land and planned water infrastructure.
- Disney Imagineering has confirmed the Rivers of America will be removed but will be replaced by a smaller perimeter stream, and reporting identifies two planned Piston Peak attractions: a high-energy off-road rally and a family ride.
- Next steps include finishing the retaining-wall backfill, beginning vertical mountain and ride construction, and managing visitor impacts as Frontierland circulation shifts and nearby projects such as Villains Land proceed; reports differ on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad's current status.