Cars-Themed Piston Peak National Park Coming to Magic Kingdom

Disney shared new concept art for the Cars-themed land coming to Magic Kingdom. Frontierland will soon be home to Piston Peak National Park, the fictional location first introduced in the Planes: Fire & Rescue film. Accompanying Disney’s announcement was news that Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Belle will permanently close on July 7 to make way for the new land. So a bittersweet day.

In recent years, Disney has had to rewrite Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland story, first with the addition of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and today with Piston Peak. Let’s have them explain it:

“Since the early days of Magic Kingdom, adventurous guests have traveled across space and time as they pass from Liberty Square to Frontierland. Starting with architectural influences from upstate New York and colonial America in Liberty Square, before traveling to a bear-y fun concert in the North Woods, a stop by New Orleans at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and ending in the Arizona bluffs at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. 

“At the heart of all these stories are heroic characters with a belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams. To continue this journey in great American storytelling, Piston Peak National Park will be part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom.”

Piston Peak looks beautiful in the Planes movie, so I’m excited for the possibilities. The land will have plenty of trees, creating a barrier between the E-ticket Cars ride and the rest of Frontierland. The terrain will also include mountains, a river (yes!), waterfalls, and geysers.

Update: After publishing this article, I spent more time thinking about why today’s concept art resonates so much more with me than Disney’s initial version. I realized it’s that river, running alongside the path from Liberty Square to Frontierland, that makes all the difference.

Did Disney pivot after hearing the overwhelmingly negative fan feedback about draining the Rivers of America? Maybe. But whatever the reason, the updated rendering just feels more familiar. And when you’re springing a big change on people, a little familiarity goes a long way.

Okay, back to the original post.

This might not be Walt’s original vision for Frontierland, but it works for me. I know it won’t for everyone, and that’s okay. Whatever Disney’s reasons are for removing the Rivers of America, Imagineers are working to create a beautiful land that makes sense in an updated Magic Kingdom. Your mileage may vary.

Read more: Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away Parade Debuts July 20