The ‘Turbo-Charged’ Expansion: Tracking the High-Speed Construction of Disney’s New Cars Attractions

As we reach mid-February 2026, the Magic Kingdom is no longer just a place of “Happily Ever After.” It is currently the site of the most ambitious engineering project in the history of Walt Disney World. Gone are the days of blue-sky concepts and vague sketches. Today, thanks to the eagle-eyed aerial reporting of @bioreconstruct, we are seeing the literal foundations of the future being poured into the soil of Florida.

Disney’s $60 billion investment into its parks is manifesting as a titan of dust, steel, and concrete in the northwest corner of the park. From the radical transformation of the former Rivers of America into a high-octane “Piston Peak” to the massive land-clearing operation for “Villains Land,” the park is evolving at a breakneck pace. Here is your comprehensive update on the construction progress and a realistic look at the timeline for these game-changing expansions.

Piston Peak: Concrete Footers and “Muddy” Milestones

For decades, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island provided a tranquil, slow-paced escape. As of February 14, 2026, that landscape is unrecognizable. The river has been fully dewatered and filled, creating a massive construction pad that now connects Frontierland directly to the expansion territory.

The Arrival of Foundations

The most significant development this month is the appearance of concrete forms and footers. Aerial imagery reveals that Disney has moved past the demolition phase and into structural installation. These forms are concentrated along the edge of the existing Frontierland boardwalk, aligning perfectly with concept art that depicts cascading water features and streams.

• The Off-Road Rally: Heavy grading is visible for what will be the flagship Cars attraction. Unlike the smooth, slot-car track of Radiator Springs Racers in California, the Piston Peak version is being built as a rugged, all-terrain experience. The footers currently being poured are designed to support the intense mechanical stress of ride vehicles that will simulate driving through mud, rocks, and forest.
• A New Perspective: The drainage pipes and utility lines are now being buried, a crucial step before the massive “rockwork” of Piston Peak begins to rise. We expect to see the first vertical steel for the “Visitor Lodge” and “Ranger HQ” by the end of this year.

Villains Land: Clearing the Path for Evil

While Piston Peak is a reimagining of existing space, Villains Land is a pure expansion, pushing the boundaries of the Magic Kingdom into previously untouched wetlands. The scale of this project is staggering—Imagineers have confirmed it will be comparable in size and detail to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

The “Dark Dirt” Phase

Aerial photos from February show a “clean slate” of dark, graded dirt stretching from the back of Big Thunder Mountain to behind “it’s a small world” and The Haunted Mansion.

• Massive Grading: Thousands of tons of earth have been moved to level the site. Disney is currently finalizing the “soil stabilization” phase, a complex process required to build heavy show buildings on Florida’s swampy terrain.
• Building Outlines: New permits filed earlier this month reveal the footprints for what appear to be two massive show buildings. One of these is rumored to be a high-thrill E-ticket attraction (likely featuring Maleficent or Hades) with a footprint of approximately 70,000 square feet.
• Visual Barriers: Construction walls are now a permanent fixture near the Haunted Mansion’s crypt queue, as Disney prepares to bridge the gap between the “real” world and the “cursed” world of the villains.

The Frontierland “Glow-Up” and Big Thunder’s Return

While the expansion areas are a sea of dirt, the existing Frontierland is also undergoing a metamorphosis to match its new neighbors.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Reopening Spring 2026)

The “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” has been closed for a major overhaul, and the latest updates are promising. Testing has officially begun on the tracks, with weighted ride vehicles spotted throughout the month. When the mountain reopens in Spring 2026, guests can expect:

• A completely replaced track for a smoother experience.
• Enhanced “Rainbow Caverns” show scenes with updated phosphorescent effects.
• Refurbished Audio-Animatronics that “push back” as the train rattles through the caverns.

The Railroad “Shuttle”

Because construction has severed the full-circle track of the Walt Disney World Railroad, the train is currently operating in “shuttle mode” between Main Street, U.S.A. and Fantasyland. It will likely remain in this configuration for at least 2 more years, as the Piston Peak infrastructure requires the train path to be entirely rerouted.

Estimated Completion Timeline: The Road to Opening Day

Disney is notoriously tight-lipped about opening dates, but the progress visible from the air allows us to project a realistic roadmap.

Note: With Universal’s Epic Universe now open and drawing massive crowds, Disney is under immense pressure to accelerate these dates. If vertical steel for Piston Peak rises by Summer 2026, we could see a “turbo-charged” opening as early as Fall 2027.

Conclusion: A Kingdom Evolved

The Magic Kingdom expansion isn’t just about adding rides; it’s about fixing the flow of a park that hasn’t seen a significant dimension shift in decades. By creating a seamless loop from the Bayou of Tiana, through the wilderness of Piston Peak, and into the dark shadows of Villains Land, Disney is fundamentally changing how guests navigate the park.

As the concrete cures and the dirt piles rise, it’s clear that 2026 is the year of “The Big Build.” While the loss of Tom Sawyer Island is a sentimental blow to some, the promise of two massive, immersive worlds suggests that the Magic Kingdom’s best chapters are still being written.

Are you more excited to race through the mud in Piston Peak or face off against Maleficent in Villains Land?