It has been a HUGE weekend of announcements and we got a sneak peek at so many new attractions that will be coming to Disney World in the next few years during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
Cinderella Castle
We learned more about Pueblo Esperanza which will be replacing DinoLand U.S.A. in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as found out about a Monsters, Inc. land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Magic Kingdom also got some big news with BOTH a Villains land and a Cars land announced for the park. There have been some discussions on where these new lands will be going in Magic Kingdom, and we just got some confirmation on where they will be located.
Disney offically announced where the Cars land will be located in Magic Kingdom!
©Disney
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into this brand-new land coming to the park. That means that Cars land will be located in Frontierland and as Disney wrote will, “put our guests in the driver’s seat as we—quite literally—explore a new frontier in Frontierland.”
Cars is coming to Magic Kingdom! ©Disney
This new expansion in Magic Kingdom will include the addition of two Cars attractions. The first one will have you racing through the mountains and along wild terrains, all while trying to dodge geysers and splashing through mud holes. While the second attraction will be more family-friendly and geared for smaller racers.
©Disney
We took a look at the current Magic Kingdom map and based on Disney’s announcement and the concept art, the red line here indicates where we expect the new Cars area to be.
Map of where the new Cars area will be
We also dug into the concept art a bit. If you zoom in, this appears to be the current Liberty Square Riverboat building. At least it looks like it to us! What do you think?
Concept Art
Construction on this new area is expected to begin in early 2025, so if you are hoping to explore Tom Sawyer Island one last time or enjoy a trip on The Rivers of America, you better hurry! Make sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news!
Find out more about the Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
What do you think about Cars land replacing The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island? Let us know in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
I was very excited about having a Cars Ride. However it’s heartbreaking that it’s coming at the expense of losing The Rivers of America and the River Belle. The Rivers of America is what anchors the Haunted Mansion and Tiana together. As a sixty- something person I still go to Tom Sawyers Island every trip, however I can understand wanting to re-theme the island at this time possibly with something Tiana or Haunted Mansion ; such as a restaurant and/or shops with continued utilization of the raft system. BUT to backfill the river is just beyond comprehension especially with all the available land beyond Thunder Mountain.
Truly a disgusting thing the Disney Management is doing. It just goes to show management does not care about the people that supported this company over the years. Please ELON take this company over before it is completely destroyed. And management knew what they were doing is a terrible idea that’s why they didn’t release the artwork at D23. Well I’m done, no more D23 and no more vacations to Disney. It’s easier to support companies that actually care about their customers, Universal here we come.
Can someone from the DFB confirm if Disney is really getting ride of the Rivers of America and the paddle boat? Will they just go around it? I didn’t visit Tom Sawyer Island much in my 30 years at Disney, but this last trip with my 3 small grandchildren, it was a good place to take a break and have them explore.
Hi Lucretia. Disney confirmed they are getting rid of both Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, which would include the Liberty Belle riverboat.
The aesthetic of the park is a huge reason why Disney parks have such a draw. Taking away the Rivers of America is a horrible decision. I could understand refueling Tom Sawyer’s Island but filling in the river is crazy to me. In CA they managed to shorten the river and still put in Galaxy’s Edge. For all the land Disney has in Florida, they don’t need to take away such an iconic part of the park. It makes more sense to have a transition from Thunder Mountain into Radiator Springs similar to the transition from Splash Mountain to Galaxy’s Edge. Disneyland has a lot less real estate to work with yet they respect the land they have more than Disney World.
As a lifelong Disney World fan, I am beyond heartbroken. Destroying the one serene, beautiful space in the park for another IP is a nightmare. Water and green space are essential to the beauty and ecology of the park… more pavement in its place will only make the park hotter. And uglier. WDW has so much space to expand. This is a cheap shot targeted at removing yet another unique feature of the original look and feel of the park, transforming it into a more expensive Six Flags. Disgusting.
I guess we should have known that Bob Iger doesn’t give two hoots about the park aesthetics when we saw the ugly building in Epcot where Guardians of the Galaxy is housed. He is working on ruining Disney World.
All I can say is WHYYYY????? Did they not learn anything since the Tiana ride debacle?????? This is FLORIDA!! They have a bazillion acres/space. THIS RIDE WAS DESIGNED BY WALT!!!! LEAVE HISTORY ALONE!!!!!
I thought Disney was all for the environment? Isn’t that why there aren’t straws, etc. in the parks? How is taking away that waterway good for the environment? What about the creatures that use that space? This is one of the very worst decisions Disney has ever made. Please, someone come in and take this company away from Iger and friends.
No. Absolutely not. The passed two or three trips I have not gotten to ride Liberty Belle due to lines or it being closed but shutting the whole river area down to build a Cars land? No. That doesn’t even FIT in that land!!! What does Cars have to do with colonial America to the old west? Yes it’s Route 66 but it has NOTHING to do with the theming of the area.
AGREEED ! Go figure ?build another PARK !
I was curious with all the negativity regarding the loss of the Riverboat and Rivers of American if there’s been any comment from the upper echelons. Personally I will miss the Riverboat. It was nice to have a slow comfortable ride after all the craziness of standing in long lines for rides and getting from one end of the park to the other.
This makes a lot of sense. Animated talking cars were a big part of the old west and fit in perfectly with Frontierland.
They are going to ruin a great view…… Cars should have replaced Monsters Inc…… area…… cost savings….
I worked for a State Government Agency and we had to take a civil service test quite often. One of the questions had to deal with change. Even if change is for the better, the older we get, we do not like change. If you take that test, I just gave you the answer. My family used to go to Disney World about every 2 years. We would often not go into an attraction because it was the same old attraction without any changes. We looked for whats new and improved. Without change, Disney will die right in front of us.