Said my goodbyes to Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle/Rivers of America.
Magical, old school, exploratory experiences. Getting to show my 4 year old niece around the caves and Fort Langhorn is something I will treasure forever.
Something I found to be really interesting though....
The Rivers of America at WDW is different than its counterpart at Disneyland in that it's actually hard to see in most areas surrounding it. Disneyland's version is, basically, right on the same level as the shoreline. The water is incredibly prominent all throughout the loop. WDW's is nearly sunken below high walls on the Liberty Square side and hidden behind a lot of trees and wooden pathways in Frontierland. You almost have to go out of your way to enjoy the water. You can see it nearly everywhere out in California.
I'm not saying I agree with the removal, far from it. I genuinely hate the decision. But I was surprised to see how differently this river is integrated into the surrounding lands. This did give me a slight glimmer of hope in that this wouldn't be as catastrophic as I originally imagined.