Big Thunder Mountain Railroad recently reopened at Magic Kingdom, and I had to get on it as soon as I could! While I was excited to check out all the changes and updates, what I didn’t expect was to spend half the queue craning my neck at the construction site next door…
As you wind your way up into the main queue area, the Piston Peak National Park construction zone comes into full view, and there’s a lot to take in. It’s just so odd to see dirt and concrete walls taking shape over what used to be the Rivers of America for decades. Disney is actively installing tall fences to block sightlines, but the queue sits elevated enough that the walls aren’t doing much.
The higher you climb, the more you can see. Here’s what’s visible right now:
In the distance, you can make out the demolition of the old Mike Fink Keel Boats landing. Construction walls separate the site from guests on the Haunted Mansion side, obscuring the view from Liberty Square, but from up in the BTM queue, you’re looking over all of it.
Concrete retaining walls around the Piston Peak area are taking shape and growing fast. This will eventually be the themed barrier separating Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from Piston Peak National Park and the future Villains Land next door.
To the left of the Haunted Mansion, which is currently covered in its own scrim, there’s a massive dirt pile and stacks of large concrete pipes.
From the Haunted Mansion, there’s a small area within the queue where you can get a glimpse of the site beyond a few headstones. It’s quite an unintentionally themed view! This is from a few weeks back:
Without all of the trees from Tom Sawyer Island, you get some new vantage points here for Cinderella Castle. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure also takes on a new look from this side of the salt mine.
What Is Piston Peak, Anyway?
If you’re not caught up: Piston Peak National Park is a Disney/Pixar Cars-themed expansion coming to Frontierland, replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. The land draws inspiration from real-life national parks (particularly the Rocky Mountains) and will include two attractions: an off-road rally race ride and a family-friendly attraction.
The land also introduces a brand-new original character, Ranger J. Autobahn Woodlore, designed as a nod to classic Disney cartoons.
One thing Imagineers are deliberate about throughout planning is sight lines. The land is being designed so that guests in other areas of Frontierland won’t spot car architecture or hear engines bleeding through. And while Rivers of America is gone, the area will have a small river, waterfalls, and other water features in its place.
How do you feel about Piston Peak coming to Frontierland?
