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Fans of Walt Disney World are in for a wild ride.
As construction for the upcoming Piston Peak National Park at the Florida theme park ramps up, much of Frontierland in Magic Kingdom is slowly being replaced — and fans aren’t thrilled.
Popular Disney Blog Inside the Magic reported that large sections of the area are now consumed by construction walls, notably around Big Al’s and the Westward Ho area, where guests have now been funneled through a temporary, narrow walkway.
However, even that small amount of limited access may soon be closing. Inside the Magic noted that permit filings and typical timelines at Disney could point to the remaining pathway closing imminently.
If that walkway access is eliminated, some parts of the park will disappear from view, including Big Al’s, which is considered a piece of Disney history as it’s one of the few structures that has been there since the Magic Kingdom’s early years.
One of the most discernible changes has been the closure of the Frontierland boardwalk shortcut, which was once a quiet bypass for guests to use during peak crowds, Blog Mickey wrote.
Some fans have expressed concern that the small, back walkway near Country Bear Musical Jamboree could also close as construction advances.
Several snack kiosks and merchandise stops, considered staples in Frontierland, are additionally being removed as the new Piston Peak National Park is making its way in, and Blog Mickey noted that the Frontierland Walt Disney World Railroad station has shut down, with the train now operating as a shuttle between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A.
Fans have expressed their disappointment and frustration over having to say goodbye to the Frontierland they once knew and loved.
“What the hell is the point? Who the f–k is wanting this? What does this accomplish? Who asked for the destruction of Dinoland? Who’s asking for this???? Who says ‘yep, frontierland, we have some big huge world issues over there, we have to get right on it and changing it’???” one disgruntled fan questioned on Reddit.
“I love Frontierland, keep it as it is,” another wrote.
“But why? They fit the theme of the area. And yes I know likely due to new cars area. But are we really gonna tear down Frontierland for this?” a curious parkgoer asked.
“I utterly despise that they’re closing Rivers of America just to replace it with a cars attraction of all things! I have several issues with this,” one fan ranted on Reddit last year, with someone else noting, “With the river gone that area is going to be a concrete monstrosity.”
“It’s a shame Magic Kingdom is losing its Rivers of America to ‘Cars,’” another chimed in, with a disgruntled fan agreeing, “I don’t think Magic Kingdom should lose [it] either. It’s such a beautiful area. Sure, Tom Sawyer could be updated, but keep the river.”
“I am heartbroken,” a fan flatly declared.
The updates come as bigger, more drastic changes have already rocked Frontierland.
The Rivers of America, Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island — the centerpiece of Frontierland — closed in July 2025.
The beloved Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster is currently closed for refurbishment, though it’s expected to reopen on May 3, 2026.
Disney’s new Piston Peak National Park will offer an entirely different experience, inspired by the Rocky Mountains and the Pixar “Cars” franchise.
Many of the blogs and fans online have expressed that the destruction of Frontierland is a revision of Disney’s lineage, as the land was rooted in America’s history.
“The land is in the middle of a broader transformation—one that is steadily altering its long-standing identity,” Inside the Magic wrote.
Frontierland, first introduced at Disneyland in California in 1955, was designed to be a tribute to the pioneer spirit with riverboats, frontier towns and wilderness trails. The version at Walt Disney World opened in 1971 and turned the vision into an Old West environment.
As Inside the Magic noted, the land wasn’t built around major Disney characters or franchises, but rather a fully-immersive environment that made guests “feel as if they had stepped into a different time period.”
“It’s becoming harder to ignore where things are heading. Frontierland isn’t disappearing, but it’s clearly changing in ways that move it away from its original identity,” the blog wrote. “For longtime fans, that creates a mix of emotions. There’s excitement about what’s coming next, but also a sense that something unique is slowly being left behind.”
“Frontierland will continue to exist, but the version that has defined it for more than 50 years is steadily fading, piece by piece.”
For its part, Disney said last June that Piston Peak National Park will “continue the sweeping storytelling tradition that has crossed Liberty Square and Frontierland since opening day.”
“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,” the Disney Parks blog said.
