Disney World Unveils Name and Construction Start Date for New Land in Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World has announced exciting news: Starting in the summer of 2025, construction will begin on a new themed land in Magic Kingdom, transforming Frontierland with a unique experience inspired by Pixar’s Cars universe. The area, named Piston Peak National Park, marks the park’s largest expansion ever, but it also means saying goodbye to beloved attractions.

Piston Peak National Park draws inspiration from Planes: Fire & Rescue and takes guests on a road trip through a rugged, Rocky Mountains-inspired landscape, led by Lightning McQueen, Mater, and other familiar Cars characters. The land continues Frontierland’s narrative of American pioneer spirit, guiding guests from colonial-era Liberty Square through the Northwest’s Country Bear Musical Jamboree, to New Orleans with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the rock formations of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Piston Peak ties it all together with heroic characters chasing their dreams in the wilderness.

The new land will feature two attractions:

• Cars Road Rally: A thrilling off-road racing experience where guests speed through rugged terrain, dodging geysers and navigating mountain trails. Disney Imagineering has developed a new vehicle type, inspired by testing in the Arizona desert and a custom-built motocross track.
• Family-Friendly Attraction: A fun and accessible experience for younger guests and families, with details still under wraps.

Guests can also look forward to dining options, shopping, a visitor center, Ranger HQ, and scenic trails within the Cars universe.

The area is designed in a style inspired by the National Park Service, ensuring buildings blend into the natural landscape. Tall trees will separate Piston Peak from Frontierland and Liberty Square, keeping the car theme out of view from Main Street, U.S.A. or Liberty Square. The landscape features snow-capped mountains, dramatic peaks, waterfalls, roaring rivers, and geysers from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad that extend into the rally trails, creating a seamless connection to Frontierland’s existing aesthetic.

Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat will permanently close starting July 7, 2025, with construction on Piston Peak National Park beginning the following day. These classic attractions, part of Magic Kingdom since its opening, will make way for the 14-acre expansion, which also includes a forthcoming Villains Land behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. While no opening date has been confirmed, Piston Peak is estimated to open between 2028 and 2030.

Disney Imagineering has conducted extensive research, including off-road vehicle testing in Arizona and collaboration with a motocross company to build a custom-designed track. This has resulted in a track-based vehicle system with dynamic motion, similar to that of Animal Kingdom’s DINOSAUR attraction.

Piston Peak National Park is part of several major projects in Magic Kingdom, including Villains Land and the Disney Starlight nighttime parade, which begins in the summer of 2025.