Walt Disney World expands Frontierland with Piston Peak National Park and Big Thunder Mountain barn makeover

Walt Disney World Resort is reshaping the western side of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. The long‑standing Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat have been cleared to make way for Piston Peak National Park, a Cars‑themed national‑park‑style area that will feature mountainous terrain, pine forests and new attractions.

Construction crews have leveled the former waterway, built a massive concrete retaining wall and are grading the site for future rides. Simultaneously, the attraction Big Thunder Mountain Railroad received a cosmetic overhaul: its adjacent maintenance barn was repainted in an aged brown finish and its garage doors were given a weathered look to match the revamped Frontierland aesthetic. The ride itself underwent a year‑long refurbishment, including new track, updated ride vehicles, a refreshed queue, and a new "Rainbow Caverns" scene.

Other ongoing projects include refurbishing the exterior of the Haunted Mansion and preparing the unused space beyond Big Thunder Mountain for a future Disney Villainsland development.