Five Things to Know About Frontierland

Frontierland is one of the six lands comprising the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It’s also where you’ll find the newest attraction at the Magic Kingdom and another most popular ride. Ready to explore the frontier? Here we go…

1. “Frontierland. It is here that we experience the story of our country’s past.”

That’s how Walt Disney described his vision for this land way back in 1955. He continued saying, “The color, romance, and drama of frontier America as it developed from wilderness trails to roads, riverboats, railroads, and civilization. A tribute to the faith, courage and ingenuity of our hearty pioneers who blaze the trails and made this progress possible.”

 

Of course he was thinking of Disneyland, not Walt Disney World – but he was envisioning a land that would foster a sense of pride in our American history. And just as he said, if you enter the land from Liberty Square, you’ll take on a journey through time, recalling the growth of our nation as it pushed west.

2. It’s a time-traveling adventure filled with fun.

The Imagineers took great pains to ensure that your journey through Frontierland was a smooth trip through time: from the early days of America’s colonial past in Liberty Square, through the St. Louis of 1840s, which served as a gateway to the west. Each building you pass represents a different era, from the Northwoods Union Hall, home to the reimagined Country Bear Jamboree, to the Frontier Trading Post owned by Texas James Slaughter, a real figure from the 1870s.

Meanwhile, on your right is the Rivers of America, home to the 1840’s Tom Sawyer’s Island. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure represents the south; it’s a little more modern-day than the antebellum south Splash Mountain, which it replaced. Your westward journey brings you to the abandoned ghost town at Big Thunder Mountain. Finally, The Walt Disney Railroad station on this end of Frontierland represents the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the end to America’s “great expansion.”

Every step on your journey is an opportunity to think about the story, not just a walkway leading to the next attraction on your touring plan. The details the Imagineers have built into this journey are so many, I hope you’ll read more about them here.

3. You can shop, eat and greet, frontier-style.

With the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Tiana merch has taken over the world of shopping at Frontierland. As you exit the attraction, you can visit Tiana’s Bayou General Store. Here you’ll find apparel, treats, toys and plush, housewares and merch inspired by the ride and by the animated feature The Princess and the Frog. Close by is the new Critter Co-op, ostensibly run by the critters in Tiana’s band. With many of the same items as the general store, you’ll also see art and collectibles plus flyers about events hosted by the critters including quilting, cooking and dancing lessons!

More traditional Frontierland items like Western and Native American wear are found at Frontier Trading Post along with lots of Disney pins. Lastly, Big Al’s Stand is the place for coonskin caps and cowboy hats. I only mention it because I remember Disney’s Davy Crocket TV show and wanted one of the coonskin caps. (I never did get one – yet.)

As for eats, Frontierland offers less than stellar dining opportunities in our opinion. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café, the main Quick Service option in Frontierland, is an Old West-style cantina with plenty of indoor seating – and air conditioning. It’s close to the path that heads toward Adventureland near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The menu consists primarily of Mexican and southwestern-inspired fare, plus mini churros with dipping chocolate.

The Golden Oak Outpost is a Quick Service kiosk currently serving Tiana-inspired fare like shrimp gumbo or hot honey chicken with sweet potato fries (and Tiana’s beignets, of course). You can grab a breakfast sandwich at Westward Ho, another Quick Service stand, that also offers candied bacon skewers and corn dogs as the day wears on. Plus, as is true throughout the Magic Kingdom, you’ll find a couple of popcorn carts and even a churro cart here.

Lastly, we include the Table Service Diamond Horseshoe here as a Frontierland option. It’s only open sporadically, the hours are odd, and, frankly, the not-cheap all-you-care-to-eat “Frontier Feast” isn’t all that good. We’re only putting it here because if we left it out it would look odd – we don’t recommend that you include it in your plans.

And if you have an appetite for characters, you can meet Chip and Dale along the Rivers of America and catch your favorites from Country Bear Jamboree wandering about from time to time.

4. Frontierland’s past leads to…

Frontierland opened on October 1, 1971, at the same time as the rest of the Magic Kingdom. There were only three attractions then: Country Bear Jamboree, the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, and the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. Country Bears was the last attraction that Walt personally had a hand in, and interestingly, it was original to Disney World. Although there was no counterpart in Disneyland at the time, a version was added to that park a year later – but it has since closed.

In 1972 the Frontierland train station opened; Tom Sawyer Island debuted in 1973. Then, seventeen years passed before another new attraction debuted.

Why the long delay? The Imagineers had planned to build a big deal attraction called Thunder Mesa which would offer guests the headliner ride Western River Expedition. Budget issues and the 1970s oil shortage were among the reasons it wasn’t completed, but perhaps the biggest factor was WDW guests demanding an East Coast version of Pirates of the Caribbean. Funds were diverted from Thunder Mesa to the Pirates ride; and then in 1980, Big Thunder Mountain – a version of a runaway train ride originally envisioned for Thunder Mesa – opened.

 

 

Over a decade went by until Splash Mountain was opened in October 1992. In order to prepare space for Splash Mountain, the original train station was demolished, along with practically the whole western end of Frontierland. In 1993, the new two-story Train Station opened; Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes closed in 1994. And then, most recently, Splash Mountain closed in 2023. Imagineers worked their magic to transform the attraction, keep the amazing water drop, and voila! – the brand new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in 2024.

5. …the future of Frontierland.

Walt Disney famously said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” And so, too, Frontierland at Disney World is growing and changing. It’s currently in a period of transformation.

On June 13, 2024, Disney announced that the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade would permanently close on June 23, 2024, making way for a new Disney Vacation Club Member lounge. In August 2024, Disney announced that a new area inspired by the Pixar film “Cars” will be coming to Frontierland. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro described it this way: “The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on the horizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and striving toward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from the country, a princess from the bayou … or a racecar from the big city.”

This new area will feature two different attractions: one will be a rally race through the mountains, and the other will be more “geared” to the littles, but still fun for everyone. But where is there room for this new attraction you ask? Well, it’s time to say goodbye to Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. Both will be replaced with the new Cars attractions, and work on this first new project in years is slated to begin in early 2025.

Further north, “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain”, Disney will introduce an entirely new land, dedicated to Disney Villains. It will offer two major attractions, plus dining and shopping. Together, these additions will constitute the largest Magic Kingdom expansion in history.

The Bottom Line.

We’re all in for Frontierland. While we mourn the loss of some of its nostalgic attractions, we agree with what Walt said so many years ago: things change. We’ll always fondly remember what peace we found on Tom Sawyer Island or taking a ride around the Rivers of America on the Liberty Belle, but at the same time, we’re excited to see what the new attractions will bring to the table for a new generation of Disney fans.

What’s your favorite attraction in Frontierland? What do you think of the changes coming? Let us know in the comments.