by James Coulter
Rev up your engines! A new high-speed attraction is coming to the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
Piston Peak National Park is the new Cars-themed land that will allow guests to venture off on a high-octane, off-road trek through the rugged wilderness of Frontierland.
Plans are underway to bring this new themed land and attraction to life. Here are a few facts that we know so far:
#1: Goodbye Rivers of America
Piston Peak National Park will be built in Frontierland in the space currently occupied by Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. As such, both attractions are expected to close around July 7 to facilitate construction.
However, as shown in a detailed map recently unveiled by Disney Imagineers, some portions of the river and the Frontierland boardwalk alongside it are expected to remain intact, and new features such as waterfalls and geysers are expected to be added.
#2: Continuing Frontierland’s Legacy
While replacing attractions like Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, which have existed within the park since its opening, the new themed area is expected to continue Frontierland’s “sweeping storytelling tradition.”
As Disney Parks Blog reported: “At the heart of all these stories are heroic characters with a belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams. To continue this journey in great American storytelling, Piston Peak National Park will be part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom.”
#3: Inspired by America’s National Parks
Piston Peak National Park is named after a similar location within the Cars franchise (specifically, Planes: Fire & Rescue).
The landscape of the area will be designed after Rocky Mountain National Park, which Disney Imagineers have reportedly visited for inspiration.
#4: Parkitecture
The buildings constructed for the area will be designed to blend in with the natural setting of Frontierland using an architectural style called “Parkitecture.”
As Disney Parks Blog reported: “To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called ‘Parkitecture,’ which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.”
#5: Out of Sight and Ear Reach
Even though the new high-speed attraction will be built in the heart of Frontierland, sightlines and noise buffers have been taken into consideration so that guests won’t see or hear it unless they’re actually riding it.
As reported by WDW News Today, landscaping such as rock formations and waterfalls will block the sight of the attraction from the rest of Frontierland.
Likewise, noise-buffering techniques such as “rail pitch for the ride path, landscape buffers, [and] adjusting audio mixes” will be employed so that the noise of the attraction cannot be heard from anywhere else in the park.
#6: New Ride Vehicles
To emulate the off-road experience of all-terrain vehicles, Disney Imagineers have worked closely with a motocross company to design a track to design and test new ride vehicles for the attraction, as explained by Michael Hundgen, an Imagineer who discussed the attraction during a Disney panel at SXSW.
“Our primary goal is creating an emotional experience for our guests,” Hundgen was quoted on the Disney Parks Blog. “For this Cars attraction, we need to invent a new type of ride vehicle. No one builds these in a factory because it has to do so much more than just carrying you from one place to another. We have to create a car that conveys a feeling when you ride in it.”
#7: Part of a Bigger Expansion
The new Cars-themed land and attraction are only a smaller part of a bigger expansion planned for the Magic Kingdom Park.
As revealed at last year’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, another expansion is planned behind Big Thunder Mountain with the construction of a Villains-themed land.
The new land will be themed after iconic Disney villains and is expected to include two new attractions, as well as shopping and dining experience.
Construction of both the Cars and Villains-themed lands are expected to begin in the near future.
