Disney officially announced at D23 all new details about the attractions and theming coming to the Magic Kingdom in Frontierland. Sharing the news at D23 were Michael Hundgen, Vice President Creative for Walt Disney World and Imagineer Jason Grandt.
Car Ridge Run Rally is the name of the previously announced racing attraction. Imagineer Jason Grandt described the attraction 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 a themed environment based on America’s national parks. You will climb up the ice, snow covered mountain of Piston Peak itself, Jason shared that he’s very excited for guests to experience the snowy summit at night.
Once you reach the top, you will race down through camelback hills and later make your way through a geyser field. The race finishes by circling the Old Tankfull geyser before a final sprint to the finish line where Lightning McQueen and Mater are covering the race live on Racing Sports Network.
Announced at D23, Cars Ridge Run Rally will debut a completely new ride vehicle. It is designed to not only simulate an off-road car, but to be one. Michael Hundgen explained that the attraction design is nothing like most 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.”
The second attraction coming to Piston Peak was announced publicly for the first time is Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along. It is inspired by the “Diva of Demolition” from Cars 3, The ride will feature Miss Fritter as Michael Hundgen’s described as “huge school-bus-sized animatronic” who hosts a stampeding bash at her “wildest demolition derby yet.”
Progress is already “fully underway” and Michael described the visible updates that you can see from the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue as “Imagineering in the round,” that will bring a racing experience unlike anyone has ever seen before at the Magic Kingdom.
Are you as excited as we are for Piston Peak? We can’t wait to experience it at the Magic Kingdom when it opens!
Barry joined Thrillgeek in 2016. He has been a journalist for over 20 years. He is one of the co-hosts of the Thrillgeek Podcast, Editor and Digital Content Coordinator here at Thrillgeek. When he is not going to the theme parks, traveling with his wife, Cyn or playing with their dogs. He is playing drums, going to concerts, trying some of the amazing food or enjoying many of the amazing performing arts we have in Orlando.