Confirmed – Tom Sawyer Island & Rivers of America Will Be Transformed Into Cars Land
This past weekend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed exciting new details about what’s coming to Walt Disney World. In addition to getting up close and personal with monsters and villains, 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.
“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.”
The new area will bring you along for the ride (pun intended) 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.
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.
And cruising just around the bend, 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. Walt Disney Imagineering is pushing creative boundaries to dark and mysterious levels to bring this new, first-of-its-kind land to life.
Together, these new additions to Magic Kingdom will represent the largest expansion in park history
Source: Disney Parks Blog
About the Author: John Yaglenski
When I look closely at this new concept art, it looks as though there are little pockets of water here and there – perhaps a small leftover from the Rivers of America? I hope they keep SOME water feature in the area.
I just hope they don’t start calling this CarsLand and it’s still known as Frontierland.
Something punny like Front-tire Land.
😳😳 It’ll be weird if there are Rally Cars racing around the Haunted Mansion though…just gonna say it! Hoping they don’t mess this up!
I have mixed feeling about the redevelpment of Tom Sawyer Island. On one hand I love the nostalgia and quietness of the area. It also brings me back to my childhood where my friends and I would play in woods for hours on end during our summer vacations!(if our area had caves we would have been in them as well! On the otherhand Tom Sawyer Island is a pick chunck of land that probably does not resonate with many younger people today, if they even know who Tom Sawyer is? That being said, I am excitied for the upcoming changes/additions to the area of frontier land but sad it is at the expense of Tom Sawyer Island I guess we are gaining 2 new “exciting" attractions and losing 2 “not as exciting attractions" that is just progress and change, you can never stop either.
I am excited about this one. It is sort of sad that Rivers of America will be gone. We did not do it very often but it was cool to have the paddle wheel boat. Tom Sawyer island was never a big draw for us. We would randomly go over once in a while.
Cars Land at Disneyland is one of my favorites. Luigi’s Rollickin Roadsters is a lot of fun for everyone. Maybe it will be the other attraction they mention.
The Villians land sounds like it is right up my alley. It will probably be a lot of fun at night.