Way back at the 2024 D23 Ultimate Fan Event, Disney announced that a NEW Cars-themed area was coming to the Magic Kingdom. In the many months since, they’ve revealed that the new installation will be the national park-themed Piston Peak, and will be located within Frontierland.
Piston Peak ©Disney
The area, which will be replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, both of which closed in July 2025, will include two new rides. While we are super excited for Piston Peak to come to Magic Kingdom, we have some bad news about the rally race ride that will be part of this expansion.
Construction has already begun on this area, with land clearing well underway in the months since the Rivers closed.
©bioreconstruct on X
As mentioned, Disney has confirmed two rides for this area. The first will be geared toward “smaller racers,” which leads us to believe that this will be a family-friendly attraction with either no height requirement or a very low one.
©Disney
We have a few more details about the second attraction, along with some concept art. This attraction is a racing ride where you will go on a “thrilling rally race through the mountains. Take on wild terrain as you race across the landscape, climbing mountain trails, dodging geysers, and — Mater’s favorite — splashing through mudholes.” According to a Disney Parks Blog post discussing the attraction, the ride will include racing over rocky terrain, ascending to mountain peaks, and dodging around geysers.
Coming Coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, a new area themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars” will leave Radiator Springs and head to the wilderness with two new attractions including an off-road race.
While this new rally race attraction sounds super fun, we noticed a few things. We can expect this ride to have a higher height requirement since Disney specifically pointed out that the other attraction will be for “smaller racers.” Compared to Radiator Springs Racers in Disney California Adventure, the height requirement is 3′4″, and we could expect to see a similar height requirement for the new ride in Magic Kingdom.
Radiator Springs Racers
The concept art shows the cars racing through different terrains like dirt, but there is no track. It seems unlikely that this would be a trackless ride. We will keep our fingers crossed, as Cars Land in California Adventure does have a trackless outdoor attraction, so the technology may be able to be applied to the new rally race ride. Still, we do not think you will actually be racing through the dirt.
©Disney
Cars Land in California Adventure resonates with people because they feel like they are walking right into the movie and being transported into Radiator Springs; the Magic Kingdom’s Cars expansion is not a second Cars Land and will be themed to fit into Frontierland. This may be disappointing to some as it will be a brand-new story.
Coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, a new area themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars” will leave Radiator Springs and head to the wilderness with two new attractions including an off-road race.
Also, unlike Cars Land in California Adventure, the Cars expansion is not its own land, and you will likely be able to see other parts of Frontierland. Technically, this expansion is part of the land, but it can take you out of the immersion if you can see the Haunted Mansion or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, whereas, in Cars Land, you really feel like you are on Route 66 in Radiator Springs.
Cars Land in Disney California Adventure
It is important to note that sometimes, the final product does not match the original concept art released. For example, the original concept art for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure differs from what was built.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Although it has not been built yet, when the Tropical Americas-themed land, Pueblo Esperanza, in Animal Kingdom, was initially announced, the concept art showed a pink river outside of the Madrigal’s Casita. The updated concept art released this year is almost the exact same, but the pink river is now gone. This just goes to show that concept art changes and sometimes does not reflect the final product.
Tropical Americas concept art with no pink river
We will continue to keep an eye out for more information regarding the Cars expansion as well as all the other new and exciting projects making their way to Disney World in the coming years, so make sure to continue to follow along with Disney Food Blog so you never miss out on all the latest Disney news!
‘Cars’ Expansion Will Bring A New Shortcut To Magic Kingdom…And We LOVE IT!
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Why does California Disneyland get better rides? WDW Orlando is so much bigger and we have to have rides discontinued to fit in new rides??? I always envied the Indiana Jones ride in Cali. Now it will come to Orlando, but it’s a little too late for me. It’s old news.
Save rivers of America
Why is it unlikely to be a track less ride?
Typical of Disney these days…over promise and under deliver!! Plus do things the customer base doesn’t even want!
Trackless ride might be dangerous. Car could flip over. Severe injuries.
I never believe the concept other than a broad view. They never end up matching the “as built” process art. I do not have a good grasp on how the vehicles actually move. Are the gasoline, battery and or on a track. I can’t believe it would be trackless, far to many opportunities traipsing across the desert southwest.
Lucretia,
Disney uses trackless rides a lot. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad, Luigi’s ride at DCA, Rise of the Resistance, etc. None of those are dangerous. The cars are controlled by a computer and are on a set course. Trackless just means that there is no actual track for the cars to run on. They are still on a track but one which is more computer controlled and follows a set course. It’s not dangerous at all.