A brand-new Cars area is coming to Magic Kingdom, but one question that is often asked is: How does Cars fit into Magic Kingdom?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The new Cars area, Piston Peak National Park, will replace Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America and will be located in Frontierland, next to Liberty Square. Many Disney fans have commented on the disconnect between the themes, and there have also been worries about seeing off-road rally cars revving their way around a track while in line for Haunted Mansion. So, how does Piston Peak National Park fit into Magic Kingdom? Let’s dive into it!
Let’s start with how exactly Disney Imagineers are tying in Cars IP within Magic Kingdom. This new Cars area is not off the main hub, so you must get to it through Liberty Square or Frontierland. As you are making your way through Liberty Square and into Frontierland, there are lots of different elements represented. You will find nods to Colonial America in Liberty Square, architectural influences from Upstate New York, the West at Diamond Horseshoe, the North Woods at the Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Southwest States, New Orleans with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and Arizona with Big Thunder Mountain. There is A LOT jam-packed into this area, and many places across the United States are represented here.
Liberty Square
Now, this new Cars area will be adding a stop at a national park inspired by the Rocky Mountain area. Piston Peak National Park is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the “history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks.” While Piston Peak National Park is a fictional park, it will be inspired by national parks and utilize “Parkitecture” to harmonize structures with the natural environment.
Piston Peak National Park ©Disney
The backbone of Frontierland isn’t a specific story, but instead it is focused on “chasing your dream in the American wilderness and writing your own folktale.” All of the stories being highlighted are centered on characters with a “belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams.” Within Frontierland, you will find miners trying to strike it rich on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana trying to create the perfect Mardi Gras on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and Country Bears trying to entertain their audience in Country Bear Musical Jamboree. So, why would Cars be in Frontierland, and what dream are they trying to accomplish? They are trying to have the “fastest lap in the West” during the rally race!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
We also have some more good news about Piston Peak National Park! Disney Imagineers are carefully designing this new expansion with trees as natural barriers to keep the off-road rally racing separate from other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. However, they are also working to incorporate the surrounding areas together for a more seamless transition. For example, soaring geysers from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of the off-road rally.
©Disney
We are slowly learning more about what to expect with this new Cars expansion, and of course, we will be letting you know all the updates as we get them! Rivers of America, the Liberty Square Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island are all closing on July 7th in preparation for construction to begin on this expansion.
Rivers of America
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8 CLUES Hiding in the Map of Disney’s NEW ‘Cars’ Area Coming to Magic Kingdom
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Sorry but I just don’t buy it, there is no “good news” about this and I will never accept it…here….This should have been built elsewhere on Disney property…perhaps this fifth park everyone is talking about….I’m also very much against this new villains land….again bc of where it is being built. Disney just keeps screwing up lately…..
They should rename this to AMERICASLAND since it has eras from 1700’s Haunted Mansion & Hall of Presidents to 1800’s Diamond Horseshoe, Countrybear, Tiana’s & Big Thunder to now 1900’s National parks with Piston Peak. I love how it “by mistake” progresses across time and country from East to West naturally! This is now an epic land in Magic Kingdom.
I am dissappointed they are removing Tom Sawyer and the River Boat. I don’t think cars will ever fit in Frontierland. They need to leave the park as is and put cars land somewhere else. Liberty Square is Philadelphia not New York. I like the villains land not sure it will be going in the best place either. I guess we will see