Disney Unveils New Frontierland Concept Art, Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island Replaced with Cars-themed Land

Aug 12, 2024 in "Cars Land Magic Kingdom"

Gallery / 3 Photos
Frontierland Concept Art Aerial View

Posted: Monday August 12, 2024 9:08am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has taken the wraps off its massive new Magic Kingdom development and revealed new concept art depicting the new Cars-themed area, and confirmed that Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America will be removed.

Frontierland Concept Art Aerial View

While confirming that Cars will be built directly in place of Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, no closing date has yet be announced, but Disney says, "Guests will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today."

Speaking about the new area, Disney says, "Soon, you'll be able to explore the uncharted territory of the great outdoors with an expansion in Frontierland themed around Pixar Animation Studios' "Cars." It's time to leave Radiator Springs and head west into exciting new locations. To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world's most iconic racers."

Overhead map showing how the new concept art relates to the current Frontierland. @Coaster Lover

Cars Concept Art

"We are thrilled to create this original Cars adventure and put our guests in the driver's seat as we—quite literally—explore a new frontier in Frontierland," shared Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World Portfolio Executive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. "Part of pioneering this new story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touch Magic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists to get it right and tell stories that connect with our guests."

Disney says the new area will bring you along for the ride with a brand-new thrilling rally race through the mountains, climbing trails, and dodging geysers, in addition to a second attraction geared towards fun for the whole family.

Cars Concept Art

Ahead of work revving into high gear next year, guests will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today.

Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island, inspired by Mark Twain's classic tales, has been a beloved part of Magic Kingdom since its opening in 1973. It offers guests a chance to explore caves, trails, and forts reminiscent of the American frontier. The Liberty Square Riverboat, a nostalgic paddlewheeler that has been operating since 1973, takes guests on a scenic journey around the Rivers of America, offering views of Frontierland, Liberty Square.

Also announced at D23 this past weekend, guests will be able to venture Beyond Big Thunder Mountain into an all-new land dedicated to Disney Villains. Inspired by the wicked characters fans know and loathe, the multi-acre expansion will include two major attractions, plus dining and shopping. Together, these new additions to Magic Kingdom will represent the largest expansion in park history.

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Incomudro1 hour ago

Don't worry... Present day Disney is on a quest to make things worse.

TrainsOfDisney2 hours ago

Yes….. like modern cars in Frontierland! Haha

UNCgolf3 hours ago

They definitely are to an extent, but it could be much worse.

Brer Panther3 hours ago

I'd probably be more okay with Indiana Jones if it wasn't replacing Dinosaur. I'd still raise an eyebrow at it being in Animal Kingdom but to remove something that fits the park with something that's about humans irks me. I'd argue they're already doing that.

James Alucobond3 hours ago

Probably this? But that proposal in general had the feeling of being exclusively push from the higher-up IP proponents and none of the pull that you would normally see in response from someone downstream in Imagineering. It's a healthy push-pull dynamic that can sometimes still make things work in the era of IP mandates, but the AK announcement felt like an executive spoke directly to the concept artist. It was weird.

UNCgolf4 hours ago

Bruce Vaughn was brought back to head Imagineering after the Moana/Zootopia concept -- maybe he pushed for a change? I have no idea.

Fox&Hound4 hours ago

I think the point is that, whether we like it or not, they are changing the definition of Frontierland away from cowboys and indians and wild west and going in a different direction. I agree Cars does not fit with FL as we know it, but it may end up fitting with their newly defined FL.

Fox&Hound4 hours ago

So what changed? Did someone put their foot down an demand thematic integrity? Not being silly, I truly do not know.

Disgruntled Walt4 hours ago

I wouldn't have as much of a problem with a Cars Land tacked on the outside of Magic Kingdom. I'm not a fan of single-IP lands, especially in MK, but I can live with it. It's the fact that they are fundamentally changing one of the CORE lands of MK and eliminating a big part of what makes the park special—that's the bigger issue here.

UNCgolf5 hours ago

Does anyone like this even exist, though? Who has been supportive of Cars at MK while also defending DAK's theming?

Centauri Space Station5 hours ago

I do and that’s fair i just mean if DL lost ROA then they wouldn’t have any river or boats at the resort at all.

lazyboy97o5 hours ago

Again, things elsewhere have no bearing on the spatial design of Frontierland. Lousy tile work in your kitchen isn’t somehow made better or less worse because you have good tile work in the bathroom.