The future “Cars” attractions at Magic Kingdom will be built on Tom Sawyer Island, and the planned villains land will be in the “beyond Big Thunder” area of the theme park, Walt Disney World announced Monday.
“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,” a Disney news release read Monday in reference to the “Cars” area, which will be considered part of Frontierland.
Tom Sawyer Island has been operating at Walt Disney World since 1973, about two years after the opening of Magic Kingdom. It was inspired by Mark Twain’s characters and stories and is accessed by log rafts. It is surrounded by Rivers of America, home of the Liberty Belle riverboat attraction.
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“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,” Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World portfolio executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, said in the release.
“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,” he said.
The “Cars” attractions and Villains Land were announced during a D23 session late Saturday evening.
The area devoted to the Disney villains will be in the currently undeveloped area that has been dubbed “Beyond Big Thunder,” the land beyond the Frontierland roller coaster named Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Disney also confirmed Monday.
Construction permits are being filed this week, Disney World said, and work will get into “high gear next year,” leaving time to “experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today,” the release reads.
The Magic Kingdom land has had other adjustments recently. The Splash Mountain ride was transformed into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which opened in June. The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, a Magic Kingdom original attraction, has been shuttered in favor of a Disney Vacation Club lounge.
The “Cars” attraction will include a ride that represents a rally race that includes mountain trails, geysers and mudholes. A second attraction will be for “the youngest racers,” Disney said. A rendering released Monday shows animated characters and new structures on the island and what appears to be a walkway forming an entrance from the Haunted Mansion area. The Liberty Belle, which has also been at the park since 1973, is not represented in the image.
Few details are known about the Villains area, although Disney said it would include two attractions, shopping and dining.
“Walt Disney Imagineering is pushing creative boundaries to dark and mysterious levels to bring this new, first-of-its-kind land to life,” Monday’s news release said. After public speculation by executives — presented as a blue-sky approach — about that land, the project was nicknamed “Beyond Big Thunder.”
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Other WDW additions announced at the D23 session include the “Disney Starlight” parade, debuting at Magic Kingdom next summer; The Tropical Americas area, replacing Dinoland with “Encanto” and “Indiana Jones”-themed rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2027; a new “Monsters, Inc.” land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios; a new “Mandalorian” theme for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2026; and lounges at Epcot and Magic Kingdom in 2025.
Epcot’s Test Track is currently being remodeled with new scenes and exhibits. The updated exterior will “harken back to the original World of Motion pavilion design,” Monday’s news release said. The attraction is scheduled to reopen sometime next year.
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