Get ready to race into a brand-new adventure at Magic Kingdom! Disney has officially revealed the name of its upcoming Cars-themed expansion coming to the park—and while it’s not what anyone expected, it definitely sets the tone for the wild, off-road experience Imagineers have in store.
Say hello to… Piston Peak.
The name might ring a bell if you’ve ever watched Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014), the Pixar spin-off of the Cars franchise. While that film isn’t front-of-mind for most Disney fans, it introduced a fictional national park called Piston Peak—a rugged, mountainous region inspired by both Yosemite and Yellowstone. Now, that same fictional locale will lend its name to Magic Kingdom’s newest land.
Where Cars Meets the Great Outdoors
This new expansion is heading to the back portion of Frontierland, a section of the park that’s undergoing one of its most significant transformations in decades. The current area—including Tom Sawyer Island, the Rivers of America, and the Liberty Square Riverboat—will officially close on July 7, 2025. The new land will take over that space, bringing with it two major attractions and a whole new vibe.
But here’s what fans need to know: Frontierland isn’t being completely bulldozed. It’s shrinking, yes, but not disappearing. Big Thunder Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the newly refreshed Country Bear Musical Jamboree will still be part of a scaled-down Frontierland. Piston Peak will simply sit adjacent, operating as its own unique space while thematically bridging the gap between the rustic frontier and the high-octane world of Pixar.
The Look and Feel of Piston Peak
Disney’s Imagineers say the design of the new land will be rooted in the natural splendor of the Rocky Mountains, with pine trees, water features, rock formations, and a focus on “national park vibes.” It’s not a carbon copy of Radiator Springs from Disney California Adventure—this is a brand-new build with unique attractions and settings.
There will be two rides anchoring the land: a high-speed rally-style race and a more mellow family attraction, each set inside its own themed lodge. Architecture in the land will be “car-ified,” meaning you can expect building designs with quirky car-world logic—like windows placed low enough for vehicles to see through and rustic materials like old hubcaps and wagon wheels used as decoration.
The goal? To create a space that feels lived-in by the Cars characters but still feels distinctly part of Magic Kingdom.
Fans React: A Name with Mixed Feelings
While some fans were thrilled to hear Disney is investing in new original experiences for the Florida parks, others were surprised (and maybe a little puzzled) by the name “Piston Peak.” For those unfamiliar with the Planes spinoff, it feels a bit out of left field—especially compared to the star power of Radiator Springs or Lightning McQueen himself.
Still, the name fits the park-inspired setting, and it could easily grow on guests once the land opens and the story begins to unfold. Disney’s bets on immersive lands usually pay off in the long run, and if this one delivers the same kind of energy and attention to detail as Cars Land in California, it’s sure to be a fan favorite.
The Road Ahead
Construction on the new land will begin shortly after the closures in July, and while Disney hasn’t given an official opening date, it’s safe to assume this is a major piece of their ongoing plan to compete with Universal’s Epic Universe.
As we prepare to say goodbye to some Magic Kingdom classics, it’s also a time to look ahead. The debut of Piston Peak signals Disney’s continued push into the future—where nostalgia and new ideas collide in ways that surprise us.
Love it or hate it, one thing’s for sure: Magic Kingdom is never standing still.
