Walt Disney World Resort didn't issue a press release or send an email about the latest Frontierland closure at Magic Kingdom Park. Instead, the confirmation came buried in a scheduling calendar.
The Detail Hidden on Disney's Own Website
Walt Disney World Resort's official website currently shows no operating hours for the Westward Ho Quick-Service dining kiosk at Magic Kingdom Park beyond June 22, 2026. That date serves as a de facto closure announcement, even if Disney hasn't publicly framed it that way.
The pattern is familiar. When Big Al's merchandise kiosk was on its way out, the same thing happened: operating hours disappeared from the website, and construction walls went up around the building on the very first day the calendar went blank. Westward Ho is sitting in exactly the same position right now, still serving guests in Frontierland, but with an expiration date effectively stamped on its scheduling page.
Walt Disney World Resort has not acknowledged the forthcoming closure in any public statement. The kiosk remains open in the meantime, though one of its signature items — the Candied Bacon Skewer — has already quietly migrated to Golden Oak Outpost, another Quick-Service location in Frontierland. Frozen lemonade, potato chips, and Coca-Cola beverages are among the other Westward Ho offerings that can be found elsewhere around Magic Kingdom Park.
The Bigger Picture in Frontierland
Westward Ho's closure will be the latest in a series of eliminations tied to the construction of Piston Peak National Park — the Cars (2006)-inspired expansion announced at D23 Expo 2024 that is steadily reshaping one of Magic Kingdom's most storied lands.
Tom Sawyer Island, the Rivers of America, and the Liberty Square Riverboat all closed permanently last July. The island was demolished, and the waterway was drained to clear the footprint for the Pixar-themed landscape now under construction. Big Al's followed earlier this month, with planning documents having already identified both the merchandise kiosk and Westward Ho as structures slated for demolition as Piston Peak National Park expands.
The rest of Frontierland and Liberty Square are also in various states of transformation. The Haunted Mansion facade is currently being extended as part of the broader overhaul, while a separate Disney Villains land expansion is planned for the area beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. That coaster recently returned from a refurbishment lasting over a year, which included a full track replacement and new scenes throughout the ride. The Walt Disney World Railroad remains in shuttle mode, connecting Main Street, U.S.A., and Fantasyland while bypassing Frontierland Station entirely.
With Westward Ho's June 22 horizon now on the books, Frontierland is about to look a little more like a construction site and a little less like the frontier guests have known for decades.
Do you agree with the direction Walt Disney World Resort is taking Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park? Share your thoughts with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
