Piston Peak, the new Cars Land coming to Magic Kingdom, had a trunk full of details revealed at the 2026 D23 Expo. In this post, we’ll share the news before adding our commentary. We’ll start with the news!

Disney officially announced new details about high-octane attractions and spectacular scenery coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. Taking to the Horizons: A Carousel of Progress stage at D23 2026 to share the news were Michael Hundgen, Vice President Creative for Walt Disney World and Imagineer Jason Grandt.

Cars Ridge Run Rally 

Details were revealed around Piston Peak’s previously announced racing attraction. Imagineer Jason Grandt introduced the crowd to Cars Ridge Run Rally and shared a pun-filled description of the experience as a quest to find “the wildest racer in the wheelderness” as they compete for the “fastest lap in the west.” 

The course will take racers through the rugged beauty of America’s national parks, including a climb up Piston Peak itself, where an icy, snow-covered mountaintop awaits. Jason shared that he’s especially excited to experience the frosty summit at night. 

After reaching the top, racers will plummet down for a camelback descent and later navigate an exhilarating geyser field. The race ends by circling the Old Tankfull geyser before a sprint to the finish line where Lightning McQueen and Mater are covering the race live on Racing Sports Network. 

Fans at D23 got an up-close look at those off-road challenges – plus ridges, rivers, mud flats, tree-covered trails, and more – at the “Imagineering: Horizons” pavilion, where a detailed 225-square-foot scale model showcased the entire Piston Peak National Park project. We’ll have more on this impressive model in the coming days.

Revolutionary Ride Technology and Construction 

Cars Ridge Run Rally will debut a completely new ride vehicle, designed not to simulate an off-road car, but to be one. Michael explained that the attraction design is unlike typical theme park systems, promising that guests will “feel every bump, drop, and rock because this vehicle’s tires and suspension are truly driving over and reacting to them.” 

Progress is already “fully underway” and Michael described the visible updates as “Imagineering in the round,” as guests can watch this land get built from the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue. The new track promises to offer a racing experience unlike anything else in the world. 

Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along 

Making its public debut, the second attraction coming to Piston Peak was announced: Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along.

Inspired by the “Diva of Demolition” from Cars 3, Michael announced that the ride will feature Miss Fritter as a “huge school-bus-sized animatronic” who hosts a stampeding bash at her “wildest demolition derby yet.”

Piston Peak National Park Builds on the Story of Frontierland

Cars from around the country are fueling up to be the wildest racer in the “wheelderness.” Of course, we know that fans are curious to see how the exciting new backdrop for the big rally race will fit into the waters, landscapes, and storytelling at Magic Kingdom. 

Today, we are excited to share that Piston Peak National Park will continue the sweeping storytelling tradition that has crossed Liberty Square and Frontierland since opening day.  

Westward Ho! Crossing into New Frontiers at Magic Kingdom

Since the early days of Magic Kingdom, adventurous guests have traveled across space and time as they pass from Liberty Square to Frontierland. Starting with architectural influences from upstate New York and colonial America in Liberty Square, before traveling to a bear-y fun concert in the North Woods, a stop by New Orleans at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and ending in the Arizona bluffs at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  

At the heart of all these stories are heroic characters with a belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams. To continue this journey in great American storytelling, Piston Peak National Park will be part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom.

Welcome to Piston Peak National Park

Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. While fictional, Piston Peak is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks.  

Inside Piston Peak, guests will be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney and Pixar Carsuniverse. To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called “Parkitecture,” which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.  

From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally.

Commentary

Piston Peak stole the show at the 2026 D23 Expo. While other updates and brand new announcements. were exciting, the substantive details and model offered for Piston Peak really won fans over. That includes me. I’ll be writing a bigger post about this in the next week so for this bit of commentary let’s stick to the two attractions detailed above.

Cars Ridge Run Rally should add another E-ticket attraction to Magic Kingdom. I could see this being the most popular ride in the park for years to come, similar to what we’ve seen at California Adventure’s Radiator Springs Racers. I’m thankful that this new land won’t offer a replica of that great attraction but will instead be something entirely new.

The focus on nature and different climates in Piston Peak should enhance Cars Ridge Run Rally. Not only will the ride be fun to zip around on and race whoever’s next to you, it should be scenic. From snow peaks to desert to the comically named Old Tankfull geyser, there will be plenty to look at.

The footprint for the ride is very large and the ride system is promising. With so much space to play with, I’m curious if the attraction will be full speed most of the way through. Going back to Radiator Springs Racers, there’s obviously different paces to that ride. It appears that Cars Ridge Run Rally will be more thrill focused. Time will tell on that.

If there’s a nit to pick with the details announced it’s that I don’t really like the name. There’s something about how those words flow that doesn’t work for me. I think I want the third word to be 2 syllables instead of 1? Something like Cars Ridge Racer Rally sounds better to me. None of this matters and I’m probably just sleep deprived but thanks for reading this paragraph anyway.

Moving on to the secondary attraction, Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along. There’s plenty of syllables here! This attraction will be a flat ride and the notable information shared at the parks showcase was that it will feature a massive bus animatronic. That’s cool! I don’t claim to remember much about Cars 3 but I trust that a “Diva of Demolition” will make anything more exciting.

That said, why a demolition expert (I’m choosing to believe that’s what Miss Fritter is) in the middle of a national park? I don’t want the words demolition and national park anywhere near each other! While I have a hard time getting too up in arms about this choice but I don’t understand why they didn’t pick a second ride that also showcases Piston Peak’s beauty.

As for the ride system, it looks like the Cars attraction in Disney Adventure World. That one is fine but nothing to write home about. Adding an animatronic host should give it more character but the whole second attraction feels a little like a wet noodle thrown on a pretty painting.

With the complaint out of the way, I’m happy that this new Magic Kingdom land will have two attractions. That was always announced as being the case but confirmation is good. Cars Ridge Run Rally will almost assuredly have a height limit so I’m hoping that Miss Fritter doesn’t demand one.

All in all, we’re extremely excited about one attraction in Piston Peak and with the overall aesthetic coming to the land. I’ll have more on the area in the next week, as the model is one of the most impressive things I’ve seen at a D23 Expo.

Are you excited for the attractions in Piston Peak? Let us know your thoughts, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide to help you out. This site offers discount tickets for those looking! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!