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For the first time since crews flattened the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island areas in Frontierland, something is rising out of the ground at Magic Kingdom Park’s most active construction site.
Saying Goodbye to Frontierland’s Past
The transformation of this corner of Magic Kingdom Park has been methodical and, for longtime fans, difficult to watch. Following the announcement at D23 Expo 2024 that Walt Disney Imagineering would bring a Cars (2006)-inspired area called Piston Peak National Park to Frontierland, the demolition began in earnest in 2025.
Credit: Disney
The Rivers of America were drained. The Liberty Belle was removed. Tom Sawyer Island was bulldozed. The Frontierland landscape that generations of Magic Kingdom Park guests had explored, sailed past, and photographed was flattened to make room for what comes next.
Piston Peak National Park will draw from the sweeping natural scenery of America’s national parks and introduce two brand-new attractions to Magic Kingdom: a high-energy rally race and a family-friendly ride. Both will be distinct from the Cars Land experiences in Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort.
Construction Goes Vertical
Credit: Allen Castillo, Flickr
On March 18, WDWNT shared the latest update from behind the construction walls: for the first time since concrete was poured in the area, a new structure has become visible above the barriers. Photos show what appears to be several white wooden walls supported by triangular brackets, with Disney cast members visibly working on the framework.
The structure clears the tops of the construction walls but doesn’t yet rival the imposing pile of dirt nearby — the mound that replaced Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America and now dominates that stretch of the Magic Kingdom skyline.
That dirt pile could be directly tied to the development of Piston Peak National Park, but it may also be connected to the Disney Villains land under construction in the area “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad,” the other major project under construction at Magic Kingdom Park.
Credit: Disney
Walt Disney World Resort has not announced opening dates for either Piston Peak National Park or the Disney Villains land at the Magic Kingdom.
Has construction ever impacted your visit to Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your experience with Disney Tips in the comments.
