The first structural peek above construction walls in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park confirms that what concept art promised is on its way…Piston Peak National Park is no longer just a plan on paper.
From Demolition to Construction
The road to this moment has been long and, for many Magic Kingdom Park regulars, bittersweet. The announcement came at D23 Expo 2024, when Walt Disney Imagineering revealed that a Cars (2006)-inspired mini-land called Piston Peak National Park would take root in Frontierland, drawing from the dramatic natural landscapes of America’s national parks. Two new attractions were promised — a high-energy rally race and a family-friendly ride — both designed to stand apart from the Cars Land experience already operating at Disney California Adventure Park.
In 2025, the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat all closed for the last time. Crews drained the waterway, removed the Liberty Belle, and bulldozed Tom Sawyer Island, erasing landmarks that had defined Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland since the Central Florida Disney park‘s earliest days. The landscape was leveled, concrete was poured, and the area sat largely unreadable from guest-accessible viewpoints.
Until now.
Something Is Finally Rising
On March 18, WDWNT shared a photo showing the first structure visible above the construction walls at Piston Peak National Park. A framework of white wooden walls braced by triangular brackets has climbed high enough to clear the barriers, with Disney cast members actively working on the build.
The structure doesn’t yet match the height of the substantial dirt mound nearby — the same mound that replaced Tom Sawyer Island and now looms over that stretch of the Frontierland skyline.
That dirt pile carries its own open question. It could be directly associated with Piston Peak National Park’s ongoing development, or it may be tied to the Disney Villains land taking shape in the area “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.”
Walt Disney World Resort has not confirmed details on either project’s timeline, and no grand opening dates have been announced for Piston Peak National Park or the Disney Villains land.
What changes have you noticed in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments!
What Frontierland, it doesn’t exist anymore. It’s Whateverland these days.