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Credit: Video Screenshot, YouTube, bioreconstructRight now, walking through Magic Kingdom Park’s Liberty Square and Frontierland areas can feel like a maze of plywood walls. Much of the area is barricaded due to the ongoing refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the development of an all-new Disney Villains land, and the transformation of the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island into a Cars (2006)-inspired area.
As per usual, Walt Disney World Resort uses construction walls to hide in-progress areas from Disney Park guests. However, a recent aerial video from YouTuber bioreconstruct recently shed light on the current state of the former Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America areas in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park.
The Future of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park
Piston Peak National Park
At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering announced plans to add two all-new attractions inspired by Pixar’s Cars to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park. Unfortunately, to make room for the area, Walt Disney World Resort confirmed that much of the original Wild West-themed land would disappear, including the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat.
Over the past year, Walt Disney Imagineers have shared more details about their plans for the Cars land, which will officially be called Piston Peak National Park. The new Frontierland area will be inspired by the natural beauty of America’s national parks and will incorporate existing water features (including parts of the former Rivers of America). It will feature two all-new attractions: a thrilling rally race ride and a family-friendly experience introducing a new character, Park Ranger J. Autobahn Woodlore.
In early summer 2025, Walt Disney World Resort cleared numerous trees for an equipment staging lot at the perimeter of the Magic Kingdom to support the construction of Piston Peak National Park. The Liberty Belle and Tom Sawyer Island welcomed their final guests in July. Soon after, plywood walls and scrim-covered scaffolding surrounded the Rivers of America, forcing guests to peek over or rely on aerial footage to watch crews drain the historic waterway. Still, those aren’t the only construction walls in Frontierland.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed on January 6, 2025, for what Walt Disney World Resort called a year-long refurbishment. Since the attraction’s closure, crews have completely replaced the old roller coaster track and repainted the steam train-inspired ride vehicles. Magic Kingdom Park guests spotted Walt Disney Imagineers testing the refreshed ride several times throughout October, November, and December 2025.
This week, Walt Disney World Resort announced that the Frontierland roller coaster will reopen in spring 2026. The Central Florida Disney park has promised to debut some “new magic” when it reopens, including a remastered opening scene complete with a refreshed Rainbow Cavern area.
Disney Villains
Also at D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering revealed plans to finally bring the long-awaited Disney Villains land to the Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World Resort has described the project as the largest-ever expansion to Magic Kingdom Park, and it’s already taking shape “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.” Disney hasn’t shared much else about the land, but it’s expected to include attractions, character encounters, restaurants, and merchandise locations.
Local authorities recently approved a permit for two new offices onsite at Magic Kingdom Park, allowing Walt Disney Imagineers to monitor the construction. The land is expected to take shape in some of the backstage areas currently being used for equipment staging and temporary trailers related to the Piston Peak National Park expansion.
Due to the Disney Villains, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Piston Peak National Park construction, the Walt Disney World Railroad is currently operating in “shuttle mode” between Fantasyland and Main Street, U.S.A. It doesn’t stop at Frontierland Station.
End of 2025 Construction Update
On November 30, YouTuber bioreconstruct shared an aerial video of construction in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park. The footage gives the most intricate look at the ongoing project that Disney Parks fans have seen in weeks, if not months:
The photographer/videographer also shared still images from the video on X (formerly known as Twitter), where another user, @DSNYNewscast, analyzed what they were seeing. The Disney Parks fan pointed out that the footage shows a fully-drained Rivers of America, a pile of leveled dirt in place of the former island, and the complete removal of some of the Walt Disney World Railroad tracks in the area:
🚗Piston Peak (Cars) & 😈 Villains Land construction:
• Tom Sawyer Island has been completely levelled.
• Land grading continues on the former Rivers of America basin.
• Laydown Yard beyond train berm has been cleared.
• Railroad tracks completely lifted for easier construction access.
🚗Piston Peak (Cars) & 😈 Villains Land construction:
• Tom Sawyer Island has been completely levelled.
• Land grading continues on the former Rivers of America basin.
• Laydown Yard beyond train berm has been cleared.
• Railroad tracks completely lifted for easier… https://t.co/DfFJ1njRdG— DSNY Newscast (@DSNYNewscast) December 1, 2025
Currently, crews appear to be focused on leveling the former area and ensuring it has a stable foundation for the new construction.
When Will the Construction End?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen in the spring of 2026. However, Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced a grand-opening date for Piston Peak National Park or the Disney Villains land at the Magic Kingdom. It’s unclear when the Walt Disney World Railroad will return to its full service route.
Which Magic Kingdom Park addition are you more excited about: the Disney Villains land or Piston Peak National Park? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!