Well, maybe not an actual parking lot, but two new attractions that will be filled with vehicles from the Disney and Pixar Cars franchise are going to be added to Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. It’s been a few days since I learned this news and it’s still a little bit of a head-scratcher for me.
First, I LOVE Carsland in Disney California Adventure Park. I think it’s one of the most ingenious lands I’ve ever seen in a Disney theme park pulling you straight out of the real world and right into a beloved, albeit fictitious, land from a movie. The details are incredible, and I find new and fascinating things every single time I visit.
When the announcement was first made at the Disney Experiences Showcase in the Honda Center, my thoughts went wild about how Disney would accomplish this in the Magic Kingdom. I even wondered at the moment if they’d fill in the Rivers of America. I mean, I never thought we’d see hub grass like we do today instead of the bodies of water that were in its place in the past, but here we are. I really don’t have an issue with the grassy areas and think that Disney did a beautiful job with it, but removing the Rivers of America is going to change the integrity of the park in a huge way. Where will the Liberty Square River Boat go? Will they pave it in so it’s stationery and maybe just a place to sit down and cool off? This might be the first time I’ve ever had real feelings about something I know and love being removed from a Disney theme park for the addition of something new.
One of the new attractions will invite guests on an exhilarating “rally race” through the mountains. The terrain will be wild as you climb mountain trails, dodge geysers, and splash through mudholes. The second attraction will be geared towards younger children and will be fun for the whole family.
Disney says they’re going to reimagine a section of Frontierland because “it’s time to leave the pit stop and head west into exciting new frontiers.” Two new Cars-themed attractions are going to take up a whole lot of real estate.
Like I said before, I love everything about Cars attractions heading to the East Coast; I’m just not sure if Magic Kingdom was the right park for them to be added. We’ve got Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and I can’t help but feel that that area could’ve been expanded to make way for two attractions while keeping McQueen in that area as well. The rugged terrain part doesn’t match that side of things, though. Maybe I should just settle down and let the Disney Imagineers do what they do without being in a whirl over here.
Will we ever be able to get used to seeing Magic Kingdom without Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square River Boat? Only time will tell. I’d love to hear how you’re feeling about these huge changes, so sound off in the comments!
Senior Editor for the DIS and DCL Fan | Disney Vacation Club Member | Thrilled to have been a '13/'14 Disney Parks Moms Panelist (now planDisney) | Lover of all things Disney; the Magic of Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line | ºoº
