A guest-favorite ride at Disneyland Resort in California is reportedly in the plans for the “Beyond Big Thunder” project coming to Magic Kingdom at Disney World, per a new report.
Credit: Disney
Tiana’s Bayou Creates a Problem Imagineers Hadn’t Considered
According to the report, when Imagineers at Disney World began to plan the retheming of Frontierland into the Bayou at the resort, they came to an interesting conclusion: The desert-themed Big Thunder Mountain attraction would be left with no associated themed land. Therefore, to fix the problem, Disney is reportedly developing a desert-themed land for Magic Kingdom.
At 2022’s D23 Expo, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro teased the audience about the possibility of a new area referred to as “Beyond Big Thunder,” saying that it might include a villains-themed area, as well as attractions inspired by Disney’s Encanto (2021) and Pixar’s Coco (2017). Maybe.
Credit: Disney
Then, during the 2023 Destination D23 event, fans were told that both attractions would now be part of an expansion at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, themed to the Tropical Americas. No updates were given about the proposed Magic Kingdom expansion at the time because, according to the report, the plan for other desert-themed rides and attractions to go along with Big Thunder Mountain had not yet been decided.
Now, however, rumor has it that plans for those rides are no longer up in the air.
A Disneyland Ride is Reportedly Coming to Disney World
As such, a modified version of Disneyland’s Radiator Springs Racers at Cars Land at Disney California Adventure is being considered for construction behind Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom.
Credit: Becky Burkett
At this time, the exact location of the Radiator Springs Racers is not known. What is known, however, is that the addition of such a ride at Disney World will be well received by fans of the Central Florida Disney Parks.
Radiator Springs Racers Tells the Story of Disney/Pixar’s ‘Cars’
At Disneyland’s Radiator Springs Racers attraction, guests are invited to start their engines and “zoom through the desert landscape of Cars Land, inspired by the Disney and Pixar movie Cars [2006].”
Credit: Becky Burkett
Before the “big race,” all the gang from Radiator Springs shows up to show their support–Mater, Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson, Sally, Luigi, Guido, Mack, and Ramone. Before hitting the road, guests get to take a quick spin into one of two famous Radiator Springs spots–Luigi’s Casa Della Tires or Ramone’s House of Body Art–and enjoy a racing makeover.
Then it’s off to the competition at the starting line. Riders zip over hills and around high-banked turns before cruising down straightaways as they take in the sights of spectacular red rock formations all around them, as well as the towering Cadillac Range mountains, inspired by the iconic Cadillac Ranch public installation along Route 66 near the city of Amarillo, Texas, which features six partially-buried classic Cadillac models from 1957 to 1962.
Credit: Becky Burkett (L)/Visit Amarillo (R)
As part of the attraction, guests can tour Ornament Valley before arriving in Radiator Springs, dubbed the cutest little town in Carburetor County–the setting for the 2006 Disney/Pixar film Cars, which follows the story of Lightning McQueen, voiced by actor Owen Wilson.
McQueen is on the first leg of his journey to Los Angeles after finding himself in a three-way tie with Strip Weathers, aka “The King,” and Chick Hicks during the Dinoco 400 at Motor Speedway of the South.
Credit: Disney/Pixar
After McQueen is separated from his transporter, Mack, while McQueen is asleep, he wakes up to realize that Mack is nowhere to be found. The nearest town is Radiator Springs, a forgotten little locale along old Route 66.
Though McQueen is initially unhappy about being in Radiator Springs–and about being arrested and sentenced to fixing the road that leads out of town before he can leave and continue on the way to Los Angeles to participate in the race, McQueen ultimately finds his place in Radiator Springs and among the other cars that live there.
Credit: Disney/Pixar
There’s been no official announcement from Disney about the possible addition of Radiator Springs Racers at Magic Kingdom. However, this report wouldn’t be the first one to be talked about only days before Disney World makes such an announcement, confirming what had been previously “leaked.”
Here’s hoping the report about Radiator Springs Racers ultimately rings true so that Disney World guests can finally enjoy one of Disneyland’s most popular attractions too!
