Cars is going off-road at Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom park. Following news out of Disney’s D23 convention over the weekend that a Cars-themed expansion of the Frontierland section of the park is gearing up for two new rides inspired by the road-tripping Pixar franchise, the Disney Parks Blog announced Monday that the Florida resort is closing Rivers of America and the Mark Twain-inspired Tom Sawyer Island. Unlike its west coast counterpart — Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park — Disney World’s Cars area is set in the great outdoors beyond Radiator Springs.
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According to Disney, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island “will be transformed intovast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s mosticonic racers,” including champion race car Lightning McQueen.
“We are thrilled to create this original Cars adventure and put ourguests in the driver’s seat as we — quite literally —explore a new frontierin Frontierland,” said Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World PortfolioExecutive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Part of pioneering thisnew story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventurethat inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touchMagic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists toget it right and tell stories that connect with our guests.”
Frontierland will undergo the Cars area renovation in early 2025 to add “a brand-new thrilling rally race through the mountains, climbingtrails, and dodging geysers, in addition to a second attraction gearedtowards fun for the whole family.” Disney didn’t disclose when Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will close, but a spokesperson said there is “plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today,” including a 17-minute cruise around the scenic Rivers of America aboard the steam-powered Liberty Square Riverboat and the self-guided tour of Tom Sawyer Island, which is reached by log raft.
The two Cars rides will join Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the newly reimagined Country Bears Jamboree, and The Princess and the Frog-themed Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as the land’s major attractions. The first is described as a high-speed rally race across wild terrain and mountain trails, and the second is geared toward smaller racers.
“The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on thehorizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and strivingtoward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from thecountry, a princess from the bayou … or a racecar from the big city,” Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro said when announcing the area themed around Cars at D23 2024.
Disney World also confirmed plans for an all-new Disney Villains land as part of Frontierland’s multi-acre expansion, a Monsters, Inc. land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and new Indiana Jones and Encanto rides at the Tropical Americas section of Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.
