We finally have the full scoop on the massive Cars expansion heading to Magic Kingdom, and it looks absolutely incredible! Taking over the old Rivers of America, Piston Peak National Park is going to be a complete wilderness transformation of Frontierland, with two brand-new attractions, snow-capped peaks, bubbling geysers and some seriously wild ride tech.
Disney dropped a ton of new details at D23 in August, and I have not stopped thinking about them since. So grab a snack, buckle up, and let me walk you through everything that is actually coming, plus the parts I am most excited to experience for myself.
Our best guess? We will be exploring this long before Villains Land opens, likely in 2028. (That is just my prediction, by the way. Disney has not announced an opening date yet. More on that below!)
Related: Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat Officially Closed at Magic Kingdom
What Is Piston Peak National Park?
Piston Peak National Park is a fictional national park set in the world of Disney and Pixar’s Cars. Instead of recreating Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen, Mater and their friends are heading into the “wheelderness.” Disney says the land draws its inspiration from the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks.
Picture towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. That is the vibe Imagineering is going for, and honestly, it sounds like the kind of place we would happily spend a whole afternoon exploring even without a ride.
Fun fact: if the name sounds familiar, Piston Peak National Park is also the setting of the 2014 movie Planes: Fire & Rescue, which lives in the same universe as Cars.
Goodbye, Rivers of America
To make room for all of this, the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat closed for good. Their final day was Sunday, July 6, 2025, and the closures officially took effect on July 7, 2025. Those rivers and that island are being transformed into the vast, rugged terrain for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers.
I will admit I got a little misty-eyed saying goodbye to the Liberty Belle and those Tom Sawyer Island caves. But after seeing what is replacing them, I am all in.
What Disney Revealed at D23 2026
Cars coming to Magic Kingdom was first announced at D23 back in 2024, and in June 2025 Disney shared the first details on the Cars expansion, including the Piston Peak National Park name. At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on August 15, 2026, Imagineers took the stage during the Horizons: A Carousel of Progress showcase and finally gave both attractions official names.
Here is the breakdown of what is actually coming to Piston Peak National Park.
🚌 Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along: A Chaotic Demolition Derby
For a fun, family-friendly experience, we are getting Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along. Disney is pitching this one to “young and young-at-engine roadsters,” so it sounds like the whole crew will be able to ride together.
If you need a refresher, Miss Fritter is the legendary demolition derby champion from Cars 3, the scrappy school bus with a big personality who ruled the Crazy Eight derby. Now she is rolling into Piston Peak National Park to host her wildest derby yet.
The best part? Imagineering is building a massive, school-bus-sized Audio-Animatronics figure of Miss Fritter herself to host the chaos! Disney officially calls it a giant school bus Audio-Animatronics figure, and in the concept art she towers over the arena, surrounded by string lights, flaming barrels and a whole lot of dust as spinning vehicles circle the derby floor.
As the name suggests, it looks like a spinner-style ride. Disney has not shared height requirements or ride details beyond that yet, but I am already picturing all of us screaming and laughing as Miss Fritter cheers on the carnage.
🚙 Cars Ridge Run Rally: Next-Level Off-Roading
The main event at Piston Peak National Park is the massive thrill ride: Cars Ridge Run Rally. The story sends racers on a quest to find the wildest racer in the wheelderness as everyone competes for the “fastest lap in the west.”
You all know how much we love cruising with the top down in our Jeep, so this new ride tech sounds wild. Disney says Cars Ridge Run Rally will be a new type of racing experience unlike anything in a Disney theme park, with a newly developed ride vehicle that rocks, bumps and drops like an off-road car taking on adventurous terrain.
At D23, Imagineers went even further, explaining that the vehicle is designed not to simulate an off-road car, but to be one. The tires and suspension are actually driving over and reacting to the terrain, so we will feel every single bump, rock and sudden drop as we tear through the trails. As a Jeep family, that is music to my ears!
🏔️ An Epic Mountain Track
This is not a flat race! The rally course takes us up and down snow-capped Piston Peak itself. Think of a bouncy climb through the trees, an icy summit at the top, and then a bumpy plunge back down the mountain toward the finish line.
On the way, we will drift right through a bubbling geyser field. And here is the really cool part: Disney says it is the very same geyser field from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, extending into the new area. That perfectly ties the new land into the Big Thunder landscape next door.
🎙️ Live Racing Commentary
Lightning McQueen and Mater are not getting left out! Disney confirmed they will be hanging out on the sidelines, giving play-by-play coverage of the race. In the concept art, the pair are set up in a broadcast booth branded RSN, the Racing Sports Network from the Cars films, right next to the finish line.
The finish area in that art is packed with cheering Cars characters in the grandstands and a big rustic “FINISH” arch, so it looks like every lap is going to end with a proper victory celebration.
Lodges, Waterfalls and Trails: Piston Peak National Park Theming
Honestly, what has me most excited is how much of Piston Peak National Park is about the setting and not just the rides. Disney says guests will be able to see and explore a visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more, all set within the Cars universe.
To make those buildings feel at home in the landscape, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called “Parkitecture.” It was developed by the National Park Service to create rustic structures that harmonize with nature, which is exactly why so many real park lodges look the way they do.
- Natural barriers: Trees will separate the off-road rally from the rest of Frontierland and Liberty Square, so the rally stays tucked into its own wilderness.
- A calming waterway: Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a waterway across from Grizzly Hall, so there will still be water in this corner of the park.
- Geysers and waterfalls: Big Thunder’s geysers will stretch into the rally trails, and the concept art shows waterfalls tumbling down the mountain.
With all the waterfalls, scenic trails and gorgeous rustic lodges they are building, this feels like a true National Park experience rather than just a basic ride overlay.
How It Fits With Big Thunder Mountain and Villains Land
Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland has always told a westward story, moving from Liberty Square through Grizzly Hall and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure out to the Arizona bluffs of Big Thunder. Piston Peak picks up that journey and pushes it deeper into the mountains. If you have ridden since the recent Big Thunder Mountain Railroad upgrades, you already know how much love that area is getting.
And the fun does not stop at Piston Peak. Villains Land is being built beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. At D23, Disney revealed it will feature a cursed forest and a broken, twisted Wishing Well, with villains like Cruella, the Evil Queen and Dr. Facilier moving in. It will be on a scale similar to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, with dining, shopping, a Maleficent-inspired coaster and a dark ride hosted by the Magic Mirror.
Together, the Cars area and Villains Land make up the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. That is a whole lot of new park to explore in the next few years!
Piston Peak National Park Opening Date: What We Know
Here is the honest answer: Disney has not announced an opening date for Piston Peak National Park, Cars Ridge Run Rally or Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along. Construction is fully underway, and crews have been busy transforming the former riverbed since the closures in July 2025.
So what about my 2028 guess? That is purely my own prediction. The Cars area got its head start when the river closed in summer 2025, and between the construction progress and how much Disney showed at D23, I would not be surprised to be riding by 2028. I also think it opens well before Villains Land, which is a huge project in its own right. But again, until Disney gives us a date, take it as an educated hunch!
What This Means for Your Next Visit
If you are heading to Magic Kingdom soon, here is what to keep in mind:
- Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat are gone for good. They closed permanently beginning July 7, 2025.
- Expect construction walls around the former river area between Frontierland and Liberty Square as Piston Peak National Park takes shape.
- The Walt Disney World Railroad’s Frontierland station closed when construction began, so check the My Disney Experience app for current train operations before you plan around it.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is back after its refurbishment, and it is worth a spin to get a sense of the landscape Piston Peak will connect to.
For park hours and the latest attraction updates, check the official Magic Kingdom page on the Walt Disney World site before you go.
Magic Kingdom Is Getting a Whole New Wilderness
Between a school-bus-sized Miss Fritter, an off-road rally with real suspension, a snowy mountain, Big Thunder’s geysers and Lightning and Mater calling the action, Piston Peak National Park is shaping up to be one of the most exciting additions Magic Kingdom has seen in years. Magic Kingdom is getting a whole new wilderness!
Now I want to hear from you: which ride are you most excited for, Cars Ridge Run Rally or Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along? And do you think my 2028 guess is right? Let me know in the comments!
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