The Walt Disney Company may be making headline-after-headline at D23 this year, but the big reveal for Magic Kingdom’s next expansion at Walt Disney World is landing with a thud.
X-Men, Coco 2, Stitch 2, Incredibles 3… the list goes on-and-on for Disney’s big convention in California this week. Announcements galore have stunned audiences and set social media ablaze. But lost in the shuffle has been the first good look at what Disney is planning for Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, arguably its most important asset in the entire portfolio of Disney. Yes, Magic Kingdom, as the flagship theme park for Walt Disney World, likely drives more revenue and profit for the company than any other item the Mouse House owns. In fact, it’s not even close.
So consider us a bit surprised that Disney failed to go back to the drawing board and improve on their Cars-themed expansion between Frontierland and Liberty Square. They axed Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island to do this… and fans are not exactly thrilled over the final model for what’s on the way.
NEW: Here’s a first look at the Piston Peak National Park model. #D23 pic.twitter.com/qWMfdb0Q70
— Scott Gustin @ D23 (@ScottGustin) August 14, 2026
The amount of money spent on all the rockwork is likely staggering. Yet with all that land, only two attractions are going in and the disruption to areas around it is impressive. Haunted Mansion will look straight at a tow truck spinner ride – so will everyone in the queue. Hasta la vista, immersion.
A very quick overlay into Google Earth. https://t.co/0RKkwsXDKY pic.twitter.com/8uTZjuNw05
— Scott Walker (@scottwalker88)
Reactions have been strong from online commentators. Unfortunately for Disney, they have also been overwhelmingly negative. That’s been true since the announcement of this expansion and continues to this day.
It’s so stupid looking there. Jammed in and completely ruins the areas theming. The most forced thing done at these parks. Especially bad is the juxtaposition of it against the haunted house.
— Romainiac (@Romainiac66) August 14, 2026
I’m sorry, Say you want, but the theme does not fit in there by Liberty Square and Frontier Land. You could’ve kept Rivers of America and built this land in a different spot and everyone would’ve been happy.
— Dave Peaslee (@DavePeaslee) August 14, 2026
So they clearly exaggerated the water just to shut people up right? https://t.co/RQf329hQF7 pic.twitter.com/cYzq5uhr2s
— John The Mon (@JohnTheMon2) August 14, 2026
Not all is terrible with the announcements coming for Disney Parks from D23. Most people seem to be excited for Encanto at Animal Kingdom. The Indiana Jones temple stuff in the same area looks pretty good. That said, there’s no denying at this point the Disney Company is in a real pickle with what they’ve planned for Magic Kingdom. If “Piston Peak” is a dud with fans, it will have been a vast amount of money (billions?) for no gain whatsoever. Like Epcot before it, in which the park is largely worse than before Disney spent billions to update it, Magic Kingdom could become a casualty of hodgepodge planning from a new crop of Imagineers lacking in imagination.
Sadly, that’s where we seem to be going with Lightning McQueen and Mater in sunny Orlando.
