D23 2026 has arrived, and Disney just handed Magic Kingdom devotees the reveal they’ve been waiting two long years for. The full picture of Piston Peak National Park — the Cars-inspired land taking shape in what used to be Frontierland — is finally out in the open, and it’s a lot to take in.
From Riverboats to Rally Cars
Let’s be honest: this transformation didn’t come easy. Back on July 7, 2025, Disney shuttered both Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America for good, clearing the ground for this project. For a lot of guests, that was a tough pill to swallow. The Rivers of America had been carrying Liberty Belle Riverboat passengers past Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad since Magic Kingdom’s opening day on October 1, 1971. Tom Sawyer Island followed less than two years later, opening May 20, 1973, and giving kids (and let’s face it, plenty of adults) a rare chance to just wander and explore without a queue line in sight.
When the closures were announced, the fan reaction was rough. Concept art helped soften the blow for some, but plenty of guests still aren’t thrilled about trading that slow, atmospheric charm for another IP-driven land. It’s a tension that’s followed this project from day one.
Josh D’Amaro, who was Disney Experiences Chairman at the time and now serves as Disney’s CEO, tried to bridge that gap in his remarks at the D23 2024 Horizons showcase: “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.”
What’s Actually Inside Piston Peak
So what did we actually get a look at? Disney pulled back the curtain on the full Piston Peak National Park model ahead of Saturday’s Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. And it’s shaping up to be something genuinely different for Magic Kingdom.
The land leans hard into Parkitecture — that National Park Service-style architecture built to look like it’s always belonged in the landscape. There’s a visitor lodge, a Ranger HQ, winding forest trails, and mountains and geysers that immerse you in what Disney’s describing as rally terrain. A tree line does the heavy lifting of keeping Piston Peak visually separated from Liberty Square and whatever’s left of traditional Frontierland.
Two new rides are heading here, and together they mark the first dedicated Cars land ever built at Walt Disney World.
The first is a high-speed rally racer that tears around the perimeter of Piston Peak, with ride vehicles that each bring their own personality to the track. While you wait, you’ll meet a brand-new character created just for the attraction: Ranger J. Autobahn Woodlore — a cheeky nod to Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore, the forest ranger who popped up in a handful of Disney cartoons back in the 1950s.
The second attraction had fans guessing for months. Disney only ever hinted that it would be family-friendly and skew a little younger. Now we know why they were being coy: it’s Miss Fritter. Yes, the mud-splattered, undefeated demolition derby queen and school bus from Cars 3 (2017), voiced by Lea DeLaria, is getting her own ride themed around her reign of terror at the Thunder Hollow Speedway. If the attraction captures even half of her chaotic energy from the movie, this could be one of the more fun family rides Disney’s built in years.
It’s also worth noting that this essentially gives Walt Disney World its own version of Cars Quatre Roues Rallye, the beloved family dark ride that’s been running at Disney Adventure World (the park formerly known as Walt Disney Studios Park) in Disneyland Paris since 2007.
The Bigger Picture
Piston Peak isn’t operating alone. It’s part of a larger project that also includes Villains Land, rising up beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Between the two lands, Disney is promising four new attractions total, and the company itself has called this the biggest expansion in Magic Kingdom’s history, which, for a park turning 55 this year, is saying something.
So here’s the real question hanging over all of it: as Disney keeps pushing forward with big, IP-heavy expansions like this one, can it still hold onto the nostalgia that made Magic Kingdom special in the first place? Some fans are already sold. Others are still mourning that quiet raft ride out to Tom Sawyer Island.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event continues through August 16 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, with select panels — including Saturday’s Horizons showcase — streaming for anyone watching from home on Disney+ and Hulu. Expect more reveals before the weekend wraps.
What do you think of Piston Peak National Park replacing this stretch of Frontierland? Let us know in the comments.
