Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland has seen massive changes over the last year, but the change is just getting started!
Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland
Over the summer of 2024, Frontierland welcomed Tiana’s Bayou Adventure along with an updated version of The Country Bear Jamboree. But that is not all the changes happening in Frontierland. The Frontierland Shootin Arcade closed to make way for a Disney Vacation Club Member lounge, and Big Thunder Mountain has also closed for a lengthy refurbishment as it is not set to re-open until 2026.
But wait, there is more! The Rivers of America, along with Tom Sawyer Island, are set to close to make way for the Cars expansion. While we are all for Magic Kingdom getting new attractions, there is a complicated reason why we are not entirely sold on this new area of the park.
Magic Kingdom is home to six themed lands: Main Street, U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, and Frontierland. Each of these lands sticks to its theming, so we have to ask why cars are being added to the land that represents the American Frontier?
Rivers of America
Train? Check. Riverboat? Check. Mine train? Check. A western-themed show where bears sing? Check. A churro cart themed as a wagon? Check. But motor vehicles in the time period of the American Frontier? Now, that may be pushing it a little bit.
©Disney
In case you missed it, it was announced that a new Cars expansion would be coming to the Magic Kingdom and would feature two new attractions. It was later confirmed that the new area would take the place of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, which are currently part of Frontierland. While we had a feeling that Tom Sawyer Island would be receiving some sort of change, we did not expect the Cars franchise to be moving into the land of the Frontier.
Coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, a new area themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars” will leave Radiator Springs and head to the wilderness with two new attractions including an off-road race. @Disney
Josh D’Amaro, the Chairman of Disney Experiences for the Walt Disney Company, said, “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 race car from the big city.”
©Disney
Disney did note that this new area will not be a clone of Radiator Springs like the Cars Land in Disney California Adventure but instead be a new story that seems to be more Western-themed. One of the attractions is set to be a rally race through a mountain terrain featuring geysers and mud holes.
©Disney
While it seems that Disney is going to try to keep the Western theming throughout the expansion, it still feels that cars, let alone race cars, do not fit within the story of Frontierland. But who knows? As Josh D’Amaro said, Frontierland is home to many stories now. We wonder if there could be a name change on the horizon for Frontierland or if the ‘Cars’ expansion will be considered a seventh land in the Magic Kingdom.
Construction crane working behind Big Thunder Mountain
While these new changes in Frontierland may be hard to get used to, Walt Disney once said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world,” and the same goes for Disney World. We only have a few pieces of concept art to go off of, so maybe Disney will surprise us! We will just have to wait and see!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Frontierland
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So not thrilled about the Cars thing. I have young kids, and I know kids have different tastes (i.e. my kids are quite upset over the loss of Muppets 3D while many couldn’t care less about the Muppets)…but is the overall population, even kids, into Cars enough to devote this much area to it? Really upset about what we’re losing here and how little it fits into the theme. Less IP, Disney…we don’t need it!!
It would fit better at Hollywood Studios. It could be put near Toy Story behind Animation Courtyard /Star Wars Launch Bay is. Launch Bay isn’t being really used anyway.
I completely agree. How do Cars fit in the FRONTIER theme? Frontier is wide open land with very few people. It’s the old west. They didn’t have cars in Deadwood or the old west mining towns. This is just a way to bring more IP to the parks to make it like Disneyland. It doesn’t fit. I mean, I don’t want to be in line for Haunted Mansion and hear cars zooming by!
I’m hoping the Riverboat will go out into the Seven Seas Lagoon, perhaps helping transport between REsorts and MK. I hope t won’t just go away.
I am not impressed with Disney’s lack of imagination in its latest make-overs. Do better, Disney. Honor your legacy.
I think the name Cars Land might be a clue. It will be adjacent to FrontierLand but shielded enough to not be part of it. I am holding out hope that it will be its own “place” and the Disney will make sure it does not overlap – at least I am hoping.
Sorry, DFB, this isn’t complicated. It’s just plain poor planning on Disney’s part and go the cheap route on attractions like Tiana’s! What does the bayou have to do with the west and plains???
It just sort of looks isolated from Frontierland a bit there- (based on concept art) Almost as if they would not only fill in the river but raise it to those ‘matterhorn’ looking mountains on the east side of Frontierland to maintain immersiveness from existing walkspace. (not to mention mitigate vehicle noise from the new attraction?) Should be interesting.
Bottom line will always win out. MK will someday be simply an amusement park. Separating the lands for the sake of the experience is vanishing . It’s sad for those of us who remember otherwise, but people who have never been, won’t be aware of anything else. They’ll have a great time. So will I, except I’ll have a bittersweet memory
Yes, eyes on the future! Can’t wait for “Spaceship to Dodge City” ride or “Flying Saucers Over The Place Where Bears Used To LIve” ride. I guess I just have one question….What’s wrong with these people?
Wouldn’t TomorrowLand Speedway be a better area for the new Cars attractions?
Definitely agree with everybody who said Cars doesn’t fit into Frontierland. The idea of putting it in HS in the Animation Courtyard makes so much more sense. That’s an underutilized area and right next to Toy Story land. I think put all Pixar into HS.
I disagree. I have been wishing for this forever. However, I wanted them to change test track into Cars land. But I am ok with the location and the theme. Cannot wait until this come to fruition.
I am seriously grieving the lovely green-and-water respite from the whole paved over theme park vibe. Rivers of America/ Tom Sawyer Island isn’t just an ‘attraction’…its also a huge breathing space in the park. Paving it over and running cars on it just sounds…tiresome. Hot. I know Walt was always looking to improve and push the envelope, but I really feel he would be saddened by the loss as well.
I’ve been super critical of the recent WDW changes (IMO the Moana walk through is pretty, but dull – and belongs in AK), but, in the decades I’ve been going to WDW, I’ve only gone to Tom Sawyer Island twice and been on the Riverboats twice (once in DL). I’ve always thought it was a waste of space where something truly exciting could be.
I feel that a new Carsland attraction fits well for Frontierland because of where the first film takes place. It also could have worked behind the Italy pavillion at EPCOT if it focused on the sequels. Plus, isn’t Tom Sawyer island remaining in DL?
WDW should leave Frontierland the way it is and just add another new area for whatever they want to build!!!
God knows they charge enough money to afford to build an all new part!!!
Taking away the beautiful areas there at Frontierland is really very disappointing and very selfish towards those of us that enjoy the area!
I am so disappointed. I loved the feeling of walking into Frontierland. It was like walking into an old western movie. If they would have opened the snack bar on Tom Sawyer Island all these years it’s been closed, it would have been more inviting. From the Hall of presidents to Liberty Square… it’s quintessential Americana. I think I’m checked out forever. These changes are decisions that take away any Disney nostalgia.
Jennifer, so sorry you are so disappointed. I am one of those who feel that the cars land will mix well because it will match well with the mountain of Big Thunder Mountain. I hope you will keep watching here to see what we actually get. It is always sad to me when a real Disney fan gives up on them.