PHOTOS: Harper’s Mill and Rivers of America Construction Update

By Jenna Saxton Leave a Comment

If you’ve been to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World recently, you might have noticed that the Rivers of America has been drained for some time.

Tom Sawyer Island Pre-Construction

Currently Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat are listed on the refurb calendar through Feb. 28. And today, we did see active construction on the island while we were at Magic Kingdom!

Both Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat closed at the beginning of October, 2020 for a lengthy refurbishment. We’re not entirely sure of all that the construction entails, but there are signs of progress! Today, we spotted quite a few cars and workers on Rivers of America.

Tom Sawyer Island Construction

We spotted construction workers near the windmill on the island and the docking area for the boats that transport guests across the river. Normally guests don’t get to see all of the hard work being put into refurbishments. Disney tends hides it all behind a construction wall so it’s cool to get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making Disney attractions.

Tom Sawyer Island Windmill Construction

Along with the active work, scaffolding that once surrounded Harper’s Mill is now gone! The mill got a makeover with a red paint job. Though, it looks like they painted right over the name of Harper’s Mill that was written boldly on the side of the building.

Harper’s Mill

While you’re staring out at the empty river, you can still get a glimpse of the Explorer Map and it doesn’t look like there are any significant changes. Maybe Tom Sawyers Island just needed some TLC?

Tom Sawyer Island Map

For now, onlookers enjoy a view of a drained Rivers of America filled with trucks with the hopes of making it back onto the island soon for more adventures! We’ll continue keeping an eye on the progress and let you know about any updates!

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What do you think of the refurbishment? Let us know in the comments!