Walt Disney World Pictures

WDW Pictures: Magic Kingdom – Rivers of America Refilling (January 2021)

The Rivers of America in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World was closed and then drained in preparation for renovation work in October 2020.  During my visit in January 2021 the river was being refilled.  Here are pictures from four different days spanning January 19th through 26th showing the  river go from drained to filled.  The attractions reopened Feb 5.

Walt Disney World shared two videos of the process. One a timelapse of the refilling and another of the Liberty Belle’s return from dry dock –

Disney shared several images from the Liberty Belle’s Transit back to the Rivers of America.


My first morning there, Tuesday January 19th.  The Rivers of America are drained, the new track is installed and all signs of renovation work appear wrapped up from the angles I looked at this visit –

WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 19, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 19, 2021

On Saturday the 23rd when I visited the Magic Kingdom the water level in the Rivers of America was above the track.

WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 23, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 23, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 23, 2021

On the evening of Sunday the 24th  the water level was almost back to normal –

WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 24, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 24, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 24, 2021

My final morning on Tuesday the 26th the water level appeared to be back to normal.

WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 26, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 26, 2021
WDW Magic Kingdom - Rivers of America - Renovation January 26, 2021

For more pictures, trip logs, thoughts and observations from this trip be sure to visit my January 2021 Walt Disney World Trip Summary Page.

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