Frontierland is a staple of the Disney “Castle” park experience in the United States. The open waterways, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, plus the iconic orange spires of the American West. When Walt Disney Imagineering first announced the demolition of a major portion of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, fans freaked out. But, new concept art and details showcase a stunning National Park is coming to Orlando.
Piston Peak National Park
Piston Peak National Park, an area inspired by the stunning landscapes of the American Frontier. While not based on one specific park, this new Magic Kingdom area will touch on what makes so many spots special. Disney states, “imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. While fictional, Piston Peak is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks. ”
Cars Land area coming to Magic Kingdom
Piston Peak National Park gets its name not from Imagineering, but from a pre-existing Disney property, the 2014 “Planes: Fire & Rescue” film. Different from the film, but sticking with the theme of the Cars Universe and National Parks, this totally re-imagined area will change the current Rivers of America into what you see above.
We can break down this land map to highlight some key areas. The first is what appears to be Harper’s Mill from Tom Sawyer Island, moved to a new area. The next area is the presumed secondary ride in the land (although this artwork doesn’t show any ride vehicles). This area offers some waterways with a second life for the Tom Sawyer Island barrel bridges. The third appears to be a direct reference to the original concept art with Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen. It would appear this race finishes right before passing by the Harper’s Mill building and coming back to the load/unload area.
As this is a stylized map, we can’t take it 100% seriously. Some pieces may be exaggerated in size, whereas other areas might not be as prominent as they will be in person. But, this new artwork does give a good, general feel of the land.
"Disney is building a National Park right in the middle of the Magic Kingdom."
We spoke with @FOX13News on Florida Tonight about the new Cars Land expansion, Piston Peak National Park, and how the storyline of Frontierland is radically changing at @WaltDisneyWorld. pic.twitter.com/JzyjMgvEF2
— Everything You Need To Know (@EYNTKinfo) June 5, 2025
Piston Peak could be one of Walt Disney World’s most gorgeous lands
Now, that statement could get some fans instantly mad. Some feel they are already losing the most beautiful theme park space in the state. There are a lot of “ifs” in this possibility of a gorgeous land, but the land’s current design seems to be heading in the right direction. The most important aspects of this upcoming land are:
- Plentiful trees and shrubbery (you can’t be a National Park with a bare forest)
- Water, from geysers to streams, rivers and waterfalls
- Kinetic energy (this can be achieved with swaying trees, flags in the wind, ride vehicles and flowing water)
- Continuation of the surrounding storylines
- Rockwork that emulates the feel of being in nature
Budget versus creativity at Magic Kingdom
The concept art seen above was released last August and was met with very mixed reviews. This reveal left some fans feeling as if they were deceived, with Disney originally stating “Beyond Big Thunder,” and instead planning to build this next area in the heart of Frontierland. While this art does show trees, rockwork and lots of ride vehicles, fans were quick to point out the lack of water.
The newest concept art seems to remedy that. Even if rivers and waterways were meant to be a big part of the original concept, it didn’t appear as obvious as it does now. Seen in the realistic style concept art above, water is there. But compared to the current flow in the Rivers of America, it seemed like a drop in the bucket.
Some fans will claim Disney always planned for more, others will say outspoken fans on Facebook, Reddit and X saved the day. We won’t really know until Disney reveals a documentary down the line or an Imagineer retires and writes a tell-all book. What we do know is that it is very clear in this new, themed map of Piston Peak National Park that water is a big deal.
What can we expect at Magic Kingdom in the next three years?
The first thing we can expect are walls. Lots and lots of walls. Progress requires construction, and Magic Kingdom is about to, once again, experience a lot of cranes and dirt moving. We can hope that Disney does this in phases to mitigate some noise and construction from the park. But for a project as large as the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, there honestly isn’t much you can do. Disney is preparing to just rip off the bandaid this summer and get to work.
These photos were taken of the Rivers of America in 2020 during a major renovation of this area. The Liberty Belle steamboat was shipped out and the water was drained. This is a view we should see again, very soon. Disney has stated that the last day of operation for Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle is July 6th, 2025. If they haven’t drained the Rivers of America within a few months of closing these attractions, the fans will likely uproar (again).
If I was high up in the Disney chain of command I would start this project at 100% speed. Disney cannot go beyond regulations, state checks and other red tape style incidents, and we won’t fault them for reasonable delays. But, this company has been plagued with online grievances (myself included) for delayed or cancelled projects over the past five years. With a mountain of promises coming from the latest D23 Expo, Disney will be fighting uphill to prove they are trying their best on this next iteration of Frontierland.
Changes to Walt Disney World are going to be happening non-stop over the next five years. And, some changes have already occurred. Cool Kid Summer is happening now, with new shows, character moments and foodie items. Checkout what is new at Walt Disney World.
New shows, roaming entertainment and Stitch themed food. This is Cool Kid Summer at @WaltDisneyWorld and we spoke with @GarrettFOX35 | @JohnnyKJackson7 about the newest park offerings and why they work so well this summer. pic.twitter.com/BT3X5F26hS
— Everything You Need To Know (@EYNTKinfo) May 28, 2025
