Cars in Frontierland? How Imagineers Approached the Piston Peak Project

With the possible exception of the confusion over whether Monstropolis was taking over Muppet*Vision 3D, the item that caused the most fan anxiety at D23 was the impact of Cars coming to Frontierland. How do you bring the inherently noisy world of motorized vehicles to the tranquil setting of Frontierland? Will removing the Rivers of America ruin the land’s vibe? These are all fair questions — and the inherent rapid fire nature of a D23 presentation didn’t allow Imagineering to assuage any of these concerns.

I recently attended a briefing with Walt Disney Imagineering, and they made it clear that they are aware of the concerns and that they are being very intentional with the design choices to ensure that they deliver a rustic haven that will also better utilize the west side of the Magic Kingdom. The work-in-progress concept art they showed was nothing short of stunning. Water flowing throughout the land gives the sense of serenity while hallmarks such as barrel bridges and geyser ponds that connect the project to its Frontierland heritage.

With its Colorado Rockies feel, this new area of Frontierland seems to want to continue to be an oasis despite being home to a family thrill attraction. Notably, none of the concept art we were shown was from D23 and the new looks embraced the national park aesthetic much more than what we had been previously shown.

I had previously stated that I was ok with this project at the Magic Kingdom, but would not tolerate it at Disneyland Park. Frontierland at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom are just very different, but in ways I had trouble describing. The Imagineers made me understand my take when they brought up an interesting point that unlike Disneyland’s Frontierland or even Disneyland Paris’s, the Magic Kingdom’s iteration is already filled with diverse time periods and locations. From 1927 New Orleans with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to the 1800’s Southwest with Big Thunder Mountain to the modern day with Country Bear Musical Jamboree, the land is a tapestry of settings that tell the overall Frontierland story. This is similar to how Fantasyland has the Castle Courtyard, Enchanted Forest, and Storybook Circus, which combine to form one land. To bring home the point, the land is not called Cars Land within Frontierland. Instead, Piston Peak is just another zone within Frontierland which will meld with the existing Frontierland in a way that will be unique to the Magic Kingdom.

I was also impressed that the Imagineers were very cognizant of concerns that have been frequently discussed in the fan community. They often repeated how intentional they are going to be with sightlines to ensure the new development doesn’t step on the toes of the storytelling of other parts of Frontierland or Liberty Square. This wasn’t just lip service as they discussed how Tokyo DisneySea’s Mount Prometheus, which gives off different looks depending on where you stand, as a guide in how they will carefully design elements to fit in from every angle. You won’t see Piston Peak’s peaks from Liberty Square, and a lot of work is being done to ensure this is the case.

Another touch being done, to make it meld into the Magic Kingdom environment is to bring in the most extensive melding of Pixar and Disney Animation that I can think of outside of Coco’s presence in Philarmagic. J. Audubon Woodlore has been “cars-ifyed" into J. Autobahn Woodlore. The decision to bring some Disney into this area to add some of the energy of the classic Disney animated wilderness was intentional. He may not be the most well known character, but there is no question he is classic Disney and his Cars counterpart is just as adorable as the original take.

The success of this project will come down to execution. While we won’t know how the land will truly feel until it opens, the way Imagineering talked about the project gave me a lot of hope. They are just as passionate about the Magic Kingdom as anyone and are aware of the concerns that are out there. But instead of just acknowledging them, they are making sure they are addressed, not to placate the internet, but because they feel the same way. They understand the important role a Frontierland type place plays in a castle park and they believe they can enhance it and not destroy it. Based on our conversation, I believe they can do it, and I look forward to experiencing Piston Peak for myself.