The Complicated Rules Disney Must Follow When Building Cars Land in Magic Kingdom

At last summer’s D23: Ultimate Fan Event, Disney shocked the theme park world by announcing that the Cars franchise was coming to Disney World, in the form of a massive expansion of the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. They confirmed that two new rides  – – including a massive E-Ticket – – would be coming, but that the expansion would mean the removal of the park’s opening day staples Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America.

©Disney

While Disney said at the time that the project was a definite to be built and construction would begin in early 2025, the truth is that a project of this magnitude takes a long period of preparation and there are a lot rules, both official and unofficial, that Disney has to follow. These are just some examples.

Permits, Permits, Permits!

A construction project the magnitude of this expansion requires a litany of construction permits and other legal documents, even at the Most Magical Place on Earth. Disney actually filed their first construction permit for the project back in 2024, just days after it was announced. However, things weren’t that simple.

Magic Kingdom

Within weeks of applying for that permit, the South Florida Water Management District requested further information from Disney about the work associated with the construction. After several months of legal back and forth and extensions requested by each side, Disney finally filed additional documents on January 18th, which featured maps showing that Disney is going to direct surface water to a new inlet or pond which implies that was one of the concerns of the South Florida Water Management District.

While that may settle this particular permit issue, the saga shows just how complex the legal wrangling about construction projects like that came.

Frontierland?

The second “rule” that Disney arguably has to adhere to is that the upcoming Cars project has to fit with Frontierland thematically on some level. Now, some would argue that by its very nature, a Cars project can NEVER fit in Frontierland, but Disney is certainly at least trying to justify the expansion’s place in the land.

Cars Land ©Disney

When the expansion was announced Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World Portfolio Executive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, explains that “We are thrilled to create this original Cars adventure and put our guests in the driver’s seat as we—quite literally—explore a new frontier in Frontierland. Part of pioneering this new story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touch Magic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists to get it right and tell stories that connect with our guests.”

©Disney

Only time will tell if this strategy works.

Fit into Frontierland

Speaking of the expansion’s space in Frontierland, there’s also a “rule” Disney must follow beyond the theme. Specifically, the new Cars attractions and hemming have to scale in a way that they don’t mess up the sightline or break the immersion of three of the Magic Kingdom’s most iconic structures: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the mountain which houses Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the Haunted Mansion.

©Disney

Differentiate from Disneyland… While Still Being Cars

Cars Land at the Disneyland Resort’s California Adventure theme park is one of Disney Imagineering’s most immersive single-themed, accurately recreating the Radiator Springs location from the film down to the last detail.

Cars Land

The new Frontierland expansion completely should completely differentiate itself from that land, as it’s not based on a direct location from the film, and instead – – as explained above – – themed to the American frontier. However, the land still needs to represent the IP in a way that appeals to fans and makes it instantly recognizable as Cars. It’s truly a tough tight rope for its designers to walk.

Construction

The final “rule” Disney has to navigate is figuring out how to complete the massive-scale project of turning the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island into a massive Cars expansion, all while the Magic Kingdom remains open. This will be especially challenging since the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland is one of the park’s major thoroughfares, providing passage between Adventureland and Liberty Square and Fantasyland.

©Disney

While Disney has publicly stated that they plan get “shovels in the ground” and work to begin on the Cars expansion in 2025, the project is way more complicated than that rosy announcement would imply. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on this on-going construction project.

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What do you think is the most important “rule” Disney should follow during this Cars expansion? Let us know in the comments below.

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2 Replies to “The Complicated Rules Disney Must Follow When Building Cars Land in Magic Kingdom”

  1. I want this project to fail so much! It will absolutely destroy the ambiance of Frontierland. Give me woodsy and peaceful anyday over noise and concrete paving. Not only will we be giving up the ambiance and spacious walkways along the riverbanks, but we’ll be giving up 2 rides that entertain for 20 minutes on the riverboat…and as long as you like on TS Island….for a couple of short rides with long lines. No, no, no, no!