Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Walt Disney World is officially racing into an extraordinary new era. During the monumental D23 fan event, Disney executives shared breathtaking new details about the highly anticipated Cars expansion that will take over a portion of Frontierland.
Officially dubbed Piston Peak National Park, this massive new land invites guests to leave the desert of Radiator Springs behind and explore the great American “wheelderness.” With ride names officially confirmed and construction already in motion, here is everything you need to know about Magic Kingdom’s next masterpiece.
Building the Great “Wheelderness”
To perfectly blend a world of talking cars into Frontierland, Imagineers are drawing inspiration from the grand tradition of American storytelling and iconic national parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Rocky Mountains.
The land utilizes “Parkitecture,” a rustic design style originally developed by the National Park Service. However, since Piston Peak was built by cars and for cars, the architecture features unique “car-ified” touches, such as wagon wheels integrated into the buildings and lower windows designed for vehicular sightlines. Seamlessly tying the area into the existing park, the geothermal activity from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch directly into Piston Peak, resulting in bubbling hot springs and the land’s massive signature geyser, playfully named “Old Tankfull.”
Two Brand-New Attractions
The biggest reveal at D23 was the official names and thrilling descriptions of the two new rides coming to the park.
- Cars Ridge Run Rally: This headlining E-ticket attraction takes guests on a high-speed off-road quest to find the “wildest racer in the wheelderness.” Racers will embark on a steep climb up the mountain trails to a frosty, snow-covered summit. After braving the ice, vehicles will plunge downward through a stomach-dropping camelback descent. The grand finale features a high-speed sprint through an active geyser field, circling the erupting “Old Tankfull” before crossing the finish line, where Lightning McQueen and Mater are broadcasting the race live for the Racing Sports Network!
- Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along: Designed for families and younger guests, this entertaining flat ride is themed entirely around Miss Fritter, the undefeated demolition derby queen from Cars 3. Guests will join her “wildest demolition derby yet,” hosted by a massive, school-bus-sized Miss Fritter animatronic.
Paving the Way for Progress
To make way for Piston Peak’s towering mountains and exhilarating rally trails, Magic Kingdom is already undergoing a historic transformation. As many guests have seen, the beloved Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are permanently closed, and construction crews are actively working to clear the site.
While saying goodbye to these opening-day staples is bittersweet, they are making room for an incredible future. Between Piston Peak National Park and the highly anticipated Disney Villains land being developed just beyond Big Thunder Mountain, Magic Kingdom’s next chapter promises to be an unforgettable adventure.
