Piston Peak Unveiled: Disney's New 'Cars' Inspired Land Takes Shape
Walt Disney Imagineering is working on a new area inspired by Cars in the Magic Kingdom, dubbed Piston Peak. The land is designed as a national park, drawing inspiration from Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and Yellowstone. Imagineers Jason Grandt and Chelsea Whikehart hosted a panel at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event to discuss this project.
The terrain in Piston Peak will feature gray granite rocks near Liberty Square and Haunted Mansion, transitioning into red rock formations closer to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Design choices, staging, and color palettes were inspired by classic Disney shorts, such as Humphrey the Bear and Donald Duck cartoons, as well as global park areas like Camp Woodchuck at Tokyo Disneyland.
The area will also feature 'carified' architecture, with structures built to car scale. The Cars Ridge Run Rally, a family thrill ride, will allow guests to participate in an off-road rally race across varied terrain, including snowy mountain peaks and geyser fields. Kinetic effects include tire-tread geyser eruptions alongside the track.