The transformation of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland and Liberty Square keeps moving at a brisk pace. On a recent visit, new construction progress was visible across the Piston Peak National Park site, and a familiar building near the Haunted Mansion is quietly taking on new life.
A New Structure Behind The Walls
According to Blog Mickey, a new metal-framed structure is now under construction behind the Piston Peak walls in Liberty Square, built directly against the back of an existing facade. That facade was previously used for the Haunted Mansion’s extended queue, sitting in the same themed complex as Memento Mori and Columbia Harbour House. One wall already shows a hint of theming, with a small arched opening that resembles a window.
What makes the progress notable is the speed. The site sits where the Mike Fink Keel Boat landing stood unused for decades, until Walt Disney Imagineering filed a general construction permit in January 2026. Demolition began in May, taking down about half the structure and the old Rivers of America dock, and the site went from active demolition to new vertical construction in roughly two months. For now, it is unclear whether the building will continue serving as a Haunted Mansion queue extension or take on an entirely new purpose.
Piston Peak Takes Shape
The building work is one piece of the much larger Piston Peak National Park, the Cars-themed land replacing the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. Elsewhere on the site, utilities are being staged in the central dirt pile where Tom Sawyer Island once sat, concrete forms have appeared near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and large retaining walls now run from Big Thunder Mountain toward the Haunted Mansion. Big Thunder Mountain itself reopened on May 3, 2026 following its major refurbishment.
Piston Peak National Park will feature two new attractions, a family-friendly ride and a rally race thrill ride, while a separate Disney Villains land rises beyond Big Thunder Mountain. Disney has not announced opening dates for either project. It is all part of a busy stretch of change at the park, which recently saw the reopening of Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Storybook Circus. We will keep watching the walls for more.
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