Latest news with #Cars-themed
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Walt Disney World closing some of its original attractions for good
Attractions will permanently close in just a few weeks to make way for two new lands at the Florida theme park Walt Disney World in Florida is set to bid farewell to some of its original attractions in a matter of weeks, making room for two brand new lands, one of which is inspired by a beloved Pixar children's film series. The Liberty Square Riverboat, the Rivers of America, and Tom Sawyer Island will cease operations on July 7 to pave the way for a Cars-themed land. This closure signifies the end of an era for some of Magic Kingdom's original attractions, many of which have been a part of the park since its inauguration in 1971. The Liberty Square Riverboat has long provided guests with a picturesque journey around the Rivers of America aboard the Liberty Belle, while Tom Sawyer Island has offered an interactive, walk-through frontier adventure inspired by Mark Twain's cherished tales. Disney's announcement verifies that this area will soon undergo a complete transformation as part of the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history, reports the Mirror US. A new Cars-themed land named Piston Peak will take over the existing waterways and island, introducing a high-energy off-road rally experience featuring Lightning McQueen and friends at the heart of Frontierland. The park has hinted that the attraction will debut a brand-new ride system designed to emulate the sensation of navigating rugged terrain, hills, and rocky paths - a significant departure from the smooth, water-based attractions currently occupying the space. Also in the pipeline is a new area dedicated to Disney's infamous villains, celebrating all things 'bad guys', set to open behind Piston Peak. The launch dates for these exciting additions to the Magic Kingdom are yet to be announced, but it's widely believed that the Cars-themed experience will be the first to welcome visitors. Disney enthusiasts have a few weeks left to soak up the nostalgic charm of the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island before they permanently shut down on 6 July. Work on the Cars project is set to commence shortly after, with significant site work already taking place backstage.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Walt Disney World Teases Details About New 'Cars'-Themed Land amid 'Largest Expansion' in History of Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World has released details about the upcoming Cars-themed land, set to launch as part of the Piston Peak National Park transformation The Cars attraction was first announced at the Disney Experiences showcase at D23 on Aug. 10 "Cars from around the country are fueling up to be the wildest racer in the 'wheelderness,'" a Disney Parks Blog post read Walt Disney World is gearing up for the "largest expansion" in the history of Magic Kingdom! On Tuesday, June 3, the Orlando, Florida park released new details regarding the Piston Peak National Park transformation and the upcoming Pixar Cars-themed land, per a Disney Parks Blog post. "Cars from around the country are fueling up to be the wildest racer in the 'wheelderness,'" the post began. "Of course, we know that fans are curious to see how the exciting new backdrop for the big rally race will fit into the waters, landscapes, and storytelling at Magic Kingdom." It was announced that two new Cars-themed attractions would soon be built in Frontierland at the Disney Experiences showcase at D23 on Aug. 10. In the latest post, the park announced that Piston Peak National Park "will continue the sweeping storytelling tradition that has crossed Liberty Square and Frontierland" since it opened in the '70s. The post read, "Since the early days of Magic Kingdom, adventurous guests have traveled across space and time as they pass from Liberty Square to Frontierland." "At the heart of all these stories are heroic characters with a belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams," the statement continued. "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," the park said. The post continued, "Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. While fictional, Piston Peak is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks." The park revealed that Piston Peak visitors would "be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney and Pixar Cars universe." "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," the post added. "From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall, and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally," the description read. The post also confirmed that amid the ongoing work on the park this summer, the attractions Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat would be closing from July 7. "Imagineers are also hard at work beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, bringing to life the first-ever land inspired by the Disney Villains with two major attractions, dining, and shopping all on an incredibly twisted grand scale," the park added. Details of the off-road Cars vehicles heading to the park were first revealed at The Future of World-Building at Disney panel at SXSW in March, per a previous Disney Parks Blog post. Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter and Imagineer Michael Hundgen shared the news, with the latter saying, 'Our primary goal is creating an emotional experience for our guests." '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," he added, per the post. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Imagineers worked with a motocross company after taking a trip to Arizona to experience driving in a real off-road vehicle on rocky terrain, the park said. 'We're using a customized production vehicle,' Hundgen explained. 'It has sensors all over it, and we're taking it for test drives on our dirt track to gather data on how the vehicle responds to different terrain. This is where we turn that feeling we want into real-world engineering." A Disney spokesperson didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information. Read the original article on People
Scottish Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Disney reveals first look at new Cars-themed land opening at the theme park
Plus, what else is new with Disney - including a new cruise ship GEAR UP Disney reveals first look at new Cars-themed land opening at the theme park Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WALT Disney World Resort in Florida is opening up a brand-new land, and it's all dedicated to Cars. Called Piston Peak, the new land will allow fans to enter the fictional world of Cars with a National Park twist. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Disney has revealed a first look at Piston Peak in Florida Credit: Disney Parks 7 Visitors will get to drive around Piston Peak Credit: Disney Parks For those familiar with Walt Disney World Resort, the new area will be added to Frontierland to the right of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Disney announced that it will be the "largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom." Inside will be a visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and, of course, there will be new attractions added to the land too. One will allow visitors to race through the mountains on wild terrain, avoiding geysers and mud holes. The creative team is also developing new race car personalities for the attraction. Each vehicle on the ride will have its own name and number, similar to real-life race cars. In order to develop the new land, Disney is set to close Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat beginning July 7, 2025. On the Disney Parks blog which explained more about the park, it detailed: 'From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. "Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally.' Plans also reveal there are lots of water elements in the park, including a waterfall. Inside our family trip to Disney World in Florida 7 The revealed attraction will be a racing one Credit: DISNEY PIXAR 7 Concept images reveal the designs of the attraction's car designs Credit: DISNEY PIXAR Disney has not yet announced an opening date for the attraction. Walt Disney World will see other new additions, like a new hotel. The Disney Lakeshore Lodge, which was formerly called Reflections Lakeside Lodge, is a nature-inspired resort being built on the former River Country water park on Bay Lake. Originally announced in October 2018, this Lakeside/Lakeshore Lodge will 'be a celebration of Walt Disney's lifelong love and respect for nature." It will have more than 900 hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas. It is set to include treehouse suites and waterfront cabins and the opening date is currently 2027. In 2027, Disney World will introduce a new area called Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom, replacing DinoLand USA. This new land will feature an Encanto-themed attraction, a re-themed Indiana Jones attraction, and a carousel. It will be inspired by Central and South America. 7 Disney has revealed concept images for the World of Frozen in Paris Credit: Disney 7 There will also be a Lion King log-flume ride In Europe, Disneyland Paris is going through a transformation too. It's adding a whole new area called Disney Adventure World, which will also eventually replace Walt Disney Studios Park. One of the very first areas to open will be the World of Frozen, and the Kingdom of Arendelle will open its gates in 2026. It will include an all-new attraction called Frozen Ever After, and there will be an immersive shopping and dining experiences. Also, Disney Adventure World will feature a new "Lion King" themed area and log flume ride. In the works is Adventure Bay which is a central lake set to be built as part of the revamp. One Sun Writer went behind the scenes to take a look at the land in development. On the waters, Disney Destiny recently unveiled its newest ship to Disney's cruise ship fleet and this one will be themed around classic Disney villains and heroes. On the cruise ship, characters that are expected to a make an appearance include Marvel superheroes and traditional villains such as Maleficent, Loki, and Dr. Facilier. One Travel Writer even visited the world-first Disney music festival right here in Europe. Disney also recently brought back its free dining plans which can save families up to £1,119.
NDTV
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Disney To Introduce Cars-Themed Land; More Details Out
Disney has revealed plans for a major expansion at Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, introducing a Cars-themed area called Piston Peak National Park. This new space will bring Pixar's Cars to life, providing guests with an exciting experience in a beautiful setting. About The Piston Peak National Park: Piston Peak National Park will take the place of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. It will be designed to look like America's national parks, especially the Rocky Mountains, featuring tall pine trees, snowy mountains, and a river, similar to the stunning landscapes seen in Disney's Planes: Fire & Rescue. The expansion will have two main attractions: Off-Road Rally Adventure: Guests will drive through forests and over mountains in vehicles that don't follow tracks, meeting new characters from the Cars movies. Family-Friendly Ride: There will also be a second ride, yet to be named, that will be perfect for younger guests and families, ensuring everyone can have fun. Piston Peak National Park will include new features like a visitor lodge, a Ranger headquarters, and scenic walking trails to create a more immersive experience. The park will stretch from Liberty Square to Tiana's Bayou Adventure and the refurbished Thunder Mountain Railroad, which is set to reopen in 2026. Anyone who wants to visit Tom Sawyer Island and the Riverboat attractions, make sure to do so before July 7, when construction begins. Although there is no specific opening date for Piston Peak National Park yet, it is expected to open no earlier than 2027 or 2028. Disney's addition of Piston Peak National Park is a major expansion of the Magic Kingdom, blending the fun of Pixar's Cars with the beauty of nature. This new area is sure to provide exciting adventures for visitors of all ages.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Disney Is Going Offroad, Breaks Ground on New 'Cars' Race Track
Disney is putting in the work to make their new Pixar's Cars-themed land as true to the form as possible by building an offroad dirt track for its vehicle rides to utilize once the park opens. The new section of the park was first revealed in Disney's D23 summit last summer, where they also announced a live-action Monster Jam movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. During "The Future of World Building at Disney" talk during SXSW in Austin, Texas, Disney revealed its new track and ride plans for the newest section of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, where the Cars' Radiator Springs inhabitants leave their town behind to race through the desert. The park will pull from offroad desert rally to bring park guests an immersive racing experience. Before Disney's imagineers began work on the track, the team traveled to Sedona, Arizona, to test-drive offroad vehicles, including the Polaris RZR, over rocky terrain to get the most honest feeling to mirror in the park's ride. From there, the team enlisted the help of a motocross track building company to shrink the desert experience into a reasonable footprint. The project now moves into developing customized vehicles that will take park guests through the new course. Disney Imagineer Michael Hundgen explained that these future cars are using data points gathered by customized production vehicles to see how they'll react to the track and how to make it the most genuine experience. "We're using a customized production vehicle," Hundgen said. "It has sensors all over it, and we're taking it for test drives on our dirt track to gather data on how the vehicle responds to different terrain. This is where we turn that feeling we want into real-world engineering." The vehicles will then go through a Disneyification process to bring them to life and help guests, young and old, have an emotional response to the existing and new characters of the Cars universe. "Our primary goal is creating an emotional experience for our guests," Hundgen explained. "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." You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
