What's That Giant Crane Doing in Magic Kingdom, and What's It For?

Take a look at this stunning horizon. The iconic Big Thunder Mountain stands tall in the background, and we see not a cloud in the sky. What a beautiful Florida day!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Well…that’s not the case anymore. During a recent visit to Magic Kingdom, we spotted something new on the Frontierland horizon, and you might not like it.

OK, so first, let’s give you a little background. During the 2024 D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney announced that Frontierland will be getting a massive makeover. Here’s a peek at the new concept art.

‘Cars’ area in Magic Kingdom ©Disney

We’re expecting a new area inspired by Cars in Frontierland, which will feature Western frontier theming. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro said, “The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on the horizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and striving toward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from the country, a princess from the bayou … or a racecar from the big city.”

Coming Coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, a new area themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars” will leave Radiator Springs and head to the wilderness with two new attractions including an off-road race.

This new area of Frontierland will feature two new Cars attractions. But, as you may have noticed from the concept art, this new Cars land will replace Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America.

The endangered Tom Sawyer Island

Construction hasn’t started on Tom Sawyer Island quite yet, so you still have a little bit of time to explore this quiet part of Magic Kingdom.

NEWS: ‘Cars’ Expansion to Replace Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom

But wait. There’s more! Disney also confirmed that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will undergo a year-long refurbishment starting in 2025.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

While Disney didn’t reveal its exact plans for Big Thunder while the ride is closed for refurbishment, we have our suspicions. If Big Thunder Mountain is closed, guests won’t be able to see what’s happening behind the attraction. This could be the perfect time for Imagineers to work on the new Villains Land going “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain.” During a recent visit to Magic Kingdom, we spotted this big construction barrier meant to obscure the construction happening behind the scenes.

We’ve already spotted some construction

Big Thunder Mountain closes on January 6th, 2025, and will reopen sometime in 2026.

What a YEARLONG CLOSURE Means for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World

In the meantime, it looks like Disney is already working on some major construction behind the scenes. Look at these giant cranes we noticed near Big Thunder Mountain. Kinda ruins the view, right?

Well, that’s not very pretty.

Over by Big Thunder Mountain, you can get a closer look at the new construction equipment.

This is a bit of an eyesore.

Now that it seems like Disney is hard at work “beyond Big Thunder,” you might have to get used to this obstructed view of Magic Kingdom. We expect to see more and more construction appear over the next few months.

They should paint it blue to blend in, right?!

In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.

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Are you excited about the changes coming to Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!