Disney gave us a sneak peek at the new Piston Peak land coming to Magic Kingdom last night when we got a first look at the Imagineering: Horizons exhibit at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, and it answered a lot of questions.

Piston Peak!

One of the biggest questions we’ve had for a while is just how well the new land is going to fit in with the existing fixtures of Frontierland, and this massive model we just got to see has certainly answered that question. Let’s dive into the specifics and really see what we’ll be working with!

As a reminder, Piston Peak is going in the space where Rivers of America, the Liberty Square Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island used to be, which will place it around Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Frontierland Trading Post, and Country Bears Musical Jamboree. The display that Disney had set up gave us a really good idea of where parts of the land will be situated when compared with what already exists. To orient yourself, in the photo below, the piece closest to the camera is the curve of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, with the viewing bridge/pathway spreading out beyond it. It looks like Piston Peak will begin immediately behind that walkway. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is not represented in this model, but you can see the walkways to the left of Tiana’s that would lead you towards it.

The entire display

It’s also clear to see that some of the additional wooden pathway that leads to the Tiana’s overlook will stick around, and the rest of the bridge will too! However, it’ll just be getting a makeover with more twists and turns. It looks like we’ll be getting a new building where Big Al’s, the outdoor merchandise stand, used to be, but the walkway will end after that. If you’ll be looking to enter Piston Peak from the Frontierland Trading Post and Country Bears Musical Jamboree side, it looks like the water will prevent you from doing so. That means you’ll need to either enter the land at the front, which faces Liberty Square…

A close up near existing Frontierland

…or if you’re looking to enter towards Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, you’ll just be able to walk right in, as there won’t be any water or limitations around this area.

Close up near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Taking another look at the land, we’re now looking at it from the back. This is going to take a moment, so bear with us. We want you to imagine you’re standing in the currently empty space between Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Haunted Mansion. In the photo below, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is to your right, while Haunted Mansion is to your left, represented by a beige model. This is also the angle you’ll likely see the land when you’re walking from the upcoming Villains Land, as the land is being built behind Big Thunder. It’s our assumption that from this angle, the large white mountain will be blocking Cinderella Castle from view, so as not to break the illusion of being outside. If you do see it, though, it’s the only lighter colored part of the new land — likely to blend in better with the gray castle.

Looking at the land from the back

Based on this orientation, and Disney’s history of cleverly hiding existing buildings from view when you’re inside other lands, we’ve got a feeling the other large hill, part of one of the attractions coming to the land, will likely hide parts of Adventureland from view. However, the color scheme of the ride will blend in with the existing building colors of Adventureland, so even if you see parts of the land from Piston Peak, your eyes will be tricked into thinking it all blends together. We’ve also got a feeling this is why Haunted Mansion recently got the paint job it did — it still matches very well with the spookiness of the ride itself, but since you’ll be able to see it from Piston Peak and vice versa, it’s likely to blend better.

Can you see how it’ll blend well with Adventureland?

We’re really looking forward to seeing how this land continues to develop throughout construction. We’ll be at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event all weekend to bring you all the latest news, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB!

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How do you feel about this new land? Tell us in the comments!