Are Disney delays incoming?
Back at the D23 Ultimate Fan Event in Disney, Disney announced a litany of new projects for their theme parks. The most shocking to many was the announcement that the Magic Kingdom’s “largest expansion ever” would include the complete removal of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. These opening day elements are scheduled to be replaced by a Cars-themed expansion of the park’s Frontierland. While Disney pushed the narrative that “shovels were in the ground” for these projects, that’s not quite accurate.
Initially, it seemed like construction would begin moving quickly, as Disney filed a related permit in the days after D23. At the time, a permit was filed for “construction of a stormwater management master treatment facility just east of Magic Kingdom” which we surmised would be used for the stormwater drained from the Frontierland area.
However, it seems that issues have arisen with potential Cars-area construction. In early December 2024, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) requested a 60-day extension as part of the “ongoing discussions” between the state and Walt Disney World over the permit.
These discussions revolve around issues found with the permit by the South Florida Water Management District. In a letter to Disney, the agency wrote in part, “The additional information requested by letter on September 11, 2024 has not been received by the South Florida Water Management District (District). This information is necessary for the District to timely complete the processing of the above-referenced ERP application. The requested information was to be provided pursuant to the timelines outlined in Section 5.5.3.5, ERP AH, Vol. I to avoid denial of the application. If you are not ready to submit a complete response you may voluntarily withdraw the application prior to the application being denied… Should you fail to fully submit the requested information, or to withdraw the application, within 10 days of the date of this letter, the application will be considered incomplete and District staff will process the application for denial, without prejudice to your right to reapply at a later time.”
If the 60-day extension is approved, Disney would have until early February to make the necessary changes to the permit application to gain construction approval. Even if they were to do so, they would likely push the beginning of construction back much further into 2025 than initially anticipated.
This permit saga marks an interesting chapter in what is already becoming a controversial Disney plan, as many are upset about the idea of a Cars area replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, which have been cornerstones of the park since it opened in 1971, and generally question how the Disney/Pixar property about anthropomorphic automobiles fits into a land set in the American West.
Disney attempted to answer that second question when the expansion was first announced, with Walt Disney World Portfolio Executive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering Michael Handgun saying at the time, “Part of pioneering this new story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touch Magic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists to get it right and tell stories that connect with our guests.”
It remains to be seen if this permit issue will lead to significant delays or changes to the Cars/Frontierland plans. Stay tuned to AllEars for more as this story develops.
The Ridiculously Detailed History of Disney World’s Frontierland
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What are your thoughts on the Cars Frontierland expansion? Let us know in the comments below.
Finally, some good news about the REALLY BAD idea to transform the Rivers of America into CarsLand! I hope this permit kerfuffle leads to a long delay or cancellation of CarsLand in this location. Keeping my fingers crossed!