First Permits Filed for Disney World's New Cars-Themed Area, Replacing Tom Sawyer Island

Aug 12, 2024 in "Cars Land Magic Kingdom"

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Cars Land Permits

Posted: Monday August 12, 2024 4:35pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney Imagineering is moving quickly following the recent announcement of plans to redevelop Magic Kingdom's Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America into a new Cars-themed experience.

The first permits for the project have been filed with the South Florida Water Management District today, specifically for modifications to the stormwater basin located behind Tom Sawyer Island and Big Thunder Mountain.

Cars Land Permits

As is common with major projects at Walt Disney World, extensive preliminary work related to water management must be completed before new construction can begin.

Wide view of the new Frontierland, with two Cars-themed attractions replacing Tom Sawyer Island

Disney has announced that construction on the new Cars-themed area is slated to start in 2025.

It was confirmed today that the Cars-themed land will directly replace Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, though no closing date has been set. Disney assures guests, 'You will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today.'

Describing the upcoming area, Disney stated, '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.'

Cars Concept Art

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Chef idea Mickey`=1 day ago

Bingo!"Now that would been a beautiful park!"

IanDLBZF2 days ago

TheRealSkull2 days ago

Should've been a full-fledged Cars Land where Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is now, Star Wars taking over the entirety of Echo Lake/Indiana Jones/Backlot area, Monsters Inc. in Animation Courtyard. Just imagine that. And they could have had it all completed by now. Hollywood Studios had the potential to be one of the greatest theme parks in the world.

Chef idea Mickey`=2 days ago

Could we say maybe it's trying to show a new ride mechanism when it really isn't. Taking the Door Coaster files from years ago for a Monster's Inc Land in 2027, Guardians being the last thing new Disney has come up with unless that wasn't either. The Car attraction being different with that theming is a reason to occupy it's location otherwise getting rid of the Rivers for just a Spanish Village is so unnecessary.

JoeCamel2 days ago

Nope, princess can't ride if you do that

Jrb19792 days ago

Adorable shouldn't be in the same sentence as an off road rally car ride. Intense and fast should be what describes it. What bugs me more than anything that Disney does is how much they want simulate speed and thrills but won't actually do it. If you're making an off road rally race, make it have speed and drifts like an actual race. Make it feel like the real thing instead of dumbing it down.

DisneyHead1232 days ago

From what people have been saying here it sounds like Disney wanted it gone either way. I think a Coco Village (or my dream, French Quarter) would have been a much better replacement though. Maybe I’ll be surprised by the Cars ride though. At least it has something of a nature theme.

TrainsOfDisney3 days ago

I wonder what the plans for the River were with the coco village / beyond big thunder plan.

DisneyHead1233 days ago

Found the post I was thinking of, it was by @PREMiERdrum! (Takes a moment to reflect on the fact that my phone is perpetually lost and if you ask me the name of a person I met last week, there is no chance I will remember it. But give me a Disney rumor, and suddenly I'm recalling message board posts from three months ago! 😂)

DisneyHead1233 days ago

That was the ride, the rumor on here was that it was a Coco themed village as a themed outdoor area. One poster (can't remember who,) said that blending the sight lines with the Villains area was pushing the cost up too high which is why they went with Cars. (No idea if that's true or not.)

Bocabear3 days ago

I think the Carsland at DCA was massively expensive...that is why they will not repeat it. It blows SWGE out of the water with it's attention to detail, whimsy and style... SWGE in comparison feels dead and colorless.

Chef idea Mickey`=3 days ago

I don't get it when to me Cars Land in DCA is more popular and iconic than Galaxy's Edge. Galaxy's Edge got two same lands in the domestic parks but they don't want to do the same with Cars. I get that they want to keep something unique especially to DCA but doing that with an IP franchise shouldn't be. Galaxy's Edge didn't need two lands, should of kept it WDW exclusive. It's not stopping Frozen so why with Cars. I'm actually surprised a Cars Land isn't proposed for DLP and that's in another part of the world.

JD803 days ago

Sir this is a Wendys.

Bocabear3 days ago

I am waiting for the first-ever Cinderella ride and Mini-land...set a few years after the movie, and Cinderella and the prince are living in a rockwork canyon in Egypt. Join the fun with the mice and birds as they create another fancy gown for Cinderella to wear to the Souk! Coming to EPCOT 2036...lol