- Disney Cars Area Magic Kingdom
- Rockey Mountains for Disney Cars Area
- Piston Peak National Park
- Off Road Competition
Since the project was announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event back in 2024, fans have been wondering how the world of Pixar’s “Cars” might intertwine with the American West of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. During a special presentation to select media this week, WDWNT was informed on how Walt Disney Imagineering will redefine the classic land with Lightning McQueen, Mater, and friends in the new Disney Cars area Magic Kingdom.
Imagineers approached the addition of “Cars” to Magic Kingdom with the intent of making the franchise fit Frontierland rather than the other way around. New details shared below illustrate their efforts.
Disney Cars Area Magic Kingdom – Bringing “Cars” to Frontierland
The Frontierland expansion (or reimagining, depending on who you ask) necessitates the closure of the Rivers of America, including the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island. Knowing that removing the Rivers would eliminate a large body of water from the park, they searched for the right frontier to replace it.
Whereas Frontierland at Disneyland and Disneyland Paris focus on the “Old West,” the land at Magic Kingdom has always had more nuance. Sections of the land represent different frontiers of early America, transitioning through locales through shifts in architecture, details, and soundscapes.
As it exists today (pending its imminent changes), the story actually starts with Liberty Square, which represents Upstate New York (The Haunted Mansion is a manor along the Hudson River Valley) and the Colonial U.S.A. As Liberty Square transitions into Frontierland, it takes on the Midwest. Tom Sawyer Island specifically emulates the Missouri wilderness, with The Diamond Horseshoe capturing the region architecturally. Along the riverbank where Country Bear Musical Jamboree and the Frontier Trading Post can be found, the design is meant to evoke the woods of the country’s “north.”
Approaching Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and bordering Adventureland, the theming moves to the Southwest. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and its surrounding area are New Orleans. Finally, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is themed to the “Old West” and inspired by the natural beauty of Arizona.
The above graphic is not official, but rather, it is an illustration of how the recently released “fun map” might overlay with the existing land.
Rockey Mountains for Disney Cars Area
Imagineers settled on the Rocky Mountains as the geographic inspiration, specifically noting that the location was chosen because of how lush and integral water is to the landscape. They felt this change in scenery would complement the existing Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rather than a desert location like Big Thunder Mountain’s Arizona-inspired Tumbleweed, the new area would incorporate many water features, altitude changes, and snow-topped mountains, but would hide what doesn’t fit the aesthetic and story of Liberty Square and Frontierland from view when necessary.
These designs became Piston Peak National Park, inspired by real national parks, classic Disney wilderness cartoons (such as Mickey’s Trailer), and successful theme park projects such as Grizzly Peak at Disney California Adventure and Camp Woodchuck at Tokyo Disneyland.
Piston Peak National Park
Piston Peak National Park is a name taken from the “Planes” franchise, but this area reimagines it and remains focused on the original “Cars” aesthetic.
The above graphic illustrates how the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will become the Rocky Mountains, with a slice of the Midwest still left near the northern woods.
To blend Piston Peak into its surroundings, the architecture and theming are meant to mesh “parkitecture” (architecture of our national parks) with “car-itecture.” Between “Cars” and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, guests will walk through the latter ride’s geyser field with rainbow pools. As the land turns to Piston Peak, the edges of said pools will resemble tires.
The high mountains, lush landscapes, and rushing waters are meant to fill a gap in the Magic Kingdom Frontierland scope and help blend the borders between it and Liberty Square. This also allows the area to keep some of the “untamed” wilderness from Tom Sawyer Island and add kinetic water features like the Old Tankful Geyser and waterfalls.
The land will lean heavily into the National Park aesthetic with log cabins, lodges, and more.
Off Road Competition For Cars Area
Walt Disney Imagineering told us that the current theme of Frontierland is “chasing your dreams in the American Wilderness and writing your own folktale.” The off-road rally attraction was selected when Imagineers were considering how the Cars characters would fit into this storytelling. They decided an off-road competition for glory would show the determination to achieve greatness in such a setting, all while differentiating it from Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure.
As shown on the “fun map,” the “Cars” area will feature an original character that pays homage to classic Disney cartoons.
Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and Liberty Square Riverboat will close permanently in July. The Walt Disney World Railroad will operate in shuttle mode until the “Cars” expansion and Disney Villains land open.
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