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Credit: Inside the MagicLocal authorities have officially green-lit Walt Disney World Resort’s plans for a 12.5-acre expansion near Magic Kingdom Park. The development, known internally as “Project K,” is believed to be a group of offices and other infrastructure necessary for the construction of the Disney Villains and Piston Peak National Park areas at the original Central Florida Disney park.
What’s Coming to Magic Kingdom?
At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney World Resort announced plans to build an all-new area inspired by Pixar’s Cars (2006) in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park. Disney Parks fans now know that the addition will be called Piston Peak National Park, with a natural landscape inspired by the beauty of American national parks.
There will be two attractions in the area: a family-friendly experience and a thrilling rally race-style ride. To make way for this area, Tom Sawyer Island, the Rivers of America, and the Liberty Square Riverboat were permanently closed.
But that’s not all. At the same fan event, Walt Disney World Resort revealed that it was finally building the long-awaited Disney Villains land in the area behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Little is known about the new Magic Kingdom Park land, but it’s expected to include new attractions, entertainment offerings, dining experiences, merchandise locations, and character encounters.
Authorities Approve Construction Permit
According to publicly available filings, the South Florida Water Management District has approved a permit filed by Walt Disney World Resort for a 12.5-acre expansion to a site near the Magic Kingdom known as STOLport. According to the permit filed in August, Walt Disney Imagineers plan to build at least two new office buildings on the property.
The approval expires in five years and allows Disney to construct new office buildings, as well as infrastructure, including sidewalks, parking, and utilities. Two existing retention ponds can be converted into a dry detention pond and a wet detention pond.
The STOLport site has previously housed temporary office trailer complexes for Walt Disney Imagineers, but the new construction will be more permanent.
Walt Disney World Resort has dubbed the ongoing construction at Magic Kingdom Park as its largest expansion to date, and the project is expected to take years to complete. Presumably, Walt Disney Imagineering wanted a higher-quality site to support the development efforts.
See the proposed layout of the office complex below, stamped with the Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts logos. The site is just south of Magic Kingdom Park, near the parking lot. Imagineers previously constructed roads connecting this area with the future site of Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, which is nearing completion and scheduled to open in 2027.
Construction Moves Forward
Walt Disney Imagineers have been hard at work in the area outside Magic Kingdom Park since at least early summer 2025, even before the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and Liberty Square Riverboat permanently closed.
They bulldozed hundreds, if not thousands, of trees for a construction equipment staging lot and another office trailer complex. This site is believed to be transformed into a backstage portion of the Disney Villains land planned “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.”
Due to construction, the Walt Disney World Railroad is currently operating in shuttle mode between Main Street, U.S.A., and Fantasyland. Construction walls and scaffolding have been erected surrounding the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. The waterway has been completely drained, and much of the island has been cleared by bulldozers.
Take an aerial look at the ongoing construction at Magic Kingdom Park via this video from X (formerly known as Twitter) user @bioreconstruct:
Aerial video of construction in Magic Kingdom.
Former Tom Sawyer Island near Frontierland will be Piston Peak National Park.
Larger former island next to Big Thunder Mountain and beyond to be Villains land.
Also seen are construction staging areas near roads.
Aerial video of construction in Magic Kingdom.
Former Tom Sawyer Island near Frontierland will be Piston Peak National Park.
Larger former island next to Big Thunder Mountain and beyond to be Villains land.
Also seen are construction staging areas near roads. pic.twitter.com/Fjz8JD69kr— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) December 1, 2025
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced a grand opening date for the Disney Villains land or Piston Peak National Park at the Magic Kingdom. Follow Inside the Magic for updates on these and other projects around the Central Florida Disney parks!
Did you have a chance to visit Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America before they permanently closed? Share your favorite memories with Inside the Magic in the comments!