The Cars are coming.
Cars Area Concept Art ©Disney
This past summer, Disney shocked the theme park world when they announced that a Cars-themed expansion was coming to the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, controversially replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. According to Disney, the area will blend into Frontierland by tying “into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward.” Get ready for Piston Peak National Park!
The upcoming area is inspired by National Parks, specifically, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The name of Piston Peak stems from the fictional land, Piston Peak National Park, from the 2014 Disney film Planes: Fire & Rescue (which is part of the Cars universe). And, now that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat are closed for good, Disney is wasting no time beginning the construction process on this new area.
Tom Sawyer Island is now CLOSED
We spotted those infamous Disney World construction walls up over at the docks where you’d catch a raft to the island.
Walls are UP at the entrances
It looks like Cast Members are making their way onto Tom Sawyer Island wearing high-visibility vests and hard hats since this area is now officially a construction zone.
Cast Members in hard hats and high-vis vests
And, over by the entrance to the Liberty Square Riverboat, new construction walls have appeared as well. There’s now a door with walls up over at the entrance and a similar situation over at the exit of the ride.
Disney has already filed permits for the demolition of Tom Sawyer Island and much of the Rivers of America, so it’s likely that those changes are imminent as well.
Liberty Square Riverboat walls are up
New attractions, stores, and food and beverage spots will be part of this new land. Guests can look forward to two NEW Cars attractions! Get ready to race through the mountains on wild terrain along mountain trails as you dodge geysers and splash through mud holes on an exciting and thrilling rally race ride. Disney also shared that the second ride will be geared toward “smaller racers” and will be fun for the whole family!
Piston Peak ©Disney
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Construction of the massive — and controversial — Cars area coming to the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland has begun. Stay tuned to DFB for further coverage of Disney World’s ongoing construction.
NEWS! Close-Up Look At NEW Cars Rides Coming to Disney World!
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Will they be erecting a entrance sign saying “Todayland”?
The absurdity continues.
Where is the river boat going?
I’m very excited for the new Cars area. Will still miss the River Boat. How will they get that boat out of the way? I hope you keep your eyes on that and write a story about it. Is there a way out of the River? I’m curious to know. WORK FAST, DISNEY!
We are so excited for Cars! To me that was one thing missing from Disney World, but now we will get the best of both worlds! Can’t wait!!
Very excited for Cars!! It is our granddaughters favorite Disney movie. Sad to see riverboat go, but admittedly we only rode it one time over many many visits to MK. Cars will definitely lure many more riders, so something to help spread out crowds.
Travesty. One of the worst decisions ever made by Disney Corp. and they’ve made quite a few. Disney World is turning into an amusement park and no longer will be a theme park. I’m switching my allegiance to Universal.