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Disney Releases More Details On Its New Cars-Themed Land
Say hello to Piston Peak National Park.
Last year, Disney announced an entire land dedicated to Pixar’s Cars at its Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando. Aside from a few illustrations that, actually, looked pretty awesome, the details were otherwise scarce. But today, the company has revealed new information on its next big expansion—including a name.
Say goodbye to Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America (RIP), and say hello to Piston Peak National Park (which, you probably don’t remember, was a real place in Disney’s Planes: Fire & Rescue movie). The new Cars area will be ripe with thick pine forests and snowy mountain peaks, and include a river that runs through the entire land. It will be the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom.
Disney Imagineers drew inspiration from America’s national parks for this new land, with the Piston Peak mountain range inspired by Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The faux national park will also include a visitor’s lodge, a Ranger headquarters, and walking trails alongside two designated Cars attractions.
The first attraction, an off-road rally-style ride, will allow guests to weave through the forests and over Piston Peak on a trackless ride vehicle with new characters from the Cars franchise. Disney promises it will be “just like a real race.” A second, yet-to-be-named attraction will be geared toward smaller children and families.
Piston Peak National Park will extend from Liberty Square all the way to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and toward the updated Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster, which is set to re-open sometime in 2026. Guests who want to experience Tom Sawyer Island and the Riverboat before work begins on the new land have until July 7.
Disney hasn’t said exactly when the new land will open. But for such a massive expansion, don’t expect to see anything until at least 2027 or 2028.
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‘More Than Just A Work Vehicle:’ Kia Has Big Plans For Its Commercial Vans
Kia’s PBV program aims to go beyond traditional electric vans, building a modular, EV-first platform designed for professional mobility, logistics, and passenger transport.
Kia’s PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) initiative is designed to redefine what an electric commercial vehicle can be. It’s not just about building a new van, but about creating a modular platform that can adapt to the needs of professional transport, urban logistics, and passenger mobility. At the heart of the program is the PV5, the first model in a new lineup that will later expand to include the PV7 and PV9.
Explaining the brand’s strategy, Alfonso Tallarico, Director of Ownership Experience | Aftersales, PBV, describes the project as a paradigm shift for Kia. It is built around dedicated EV platforms, integrated digital services, enhanced customer support, and a specialized network focused on business users.
The aim is to provide professionals with more than just a work vehicle, but a complete ecosystem designed to reduce operating costs, minimize downtime, and simplify day-to-day fleet management.
This story originally appeared on Motor1 Italy
Kia PV5 Cargo Van
A: It’s a very strong move from Kia. We’re not simply returning to the commercial-vehicle market with a new product, but with something much broader.
Kia doesn’t want to build just another electric van. We want to offer customers something that didn’t exist before: a platform designed from the ground up to meet the needs of professional mobility and private use alike, whether transporting people or goods.
It matters a lot. A vehicle engineered as an EV from day one allows you to use space in a completely different way than a combustion vehicle later converted to electric.
That means more cargo capacity, better cabin space, and very real dynamic advantages as well. The PBV has a turning radius of just 18.0 feet, among the best in the class, and delivers genuinely unique maneuverability.
Absolutely. The platform was developed with different sizes, lengths, and configurations already in mind. It can suit customers looking for maximum range, but also those working in congested urban environments who need compact dimensions and agility.
The entire project was engineered to be modular from the steel structure onward, with the aim of reducing costs and improving the total cost of ownership for the customer.
It’s central. The entire infotainment system is connected and enables over-the-air software updates, remote diagnostics, and, in the future, even preventive-assistance systems. We’re working so the vehicle can anticipate potential issues before they turn into real downtime for the customer.
Capabilities are essential. With EVs, we’ve already invested heavily in dealer training, but the commercial-vehicle world brings completely different requirements.
Anyone relying on a work vehicle can’t afford long service interruptions. That’s why we’ve selected part of our network that already has experience with business customers and can deliver more advanced services.
We’re talking about dealers with extended hours, greater flexibility, and specific tools. For example, we’ve developed self-check-in and check-out systems via kiosk, usable even outside normal business hours.
In addition, from our technical center, we can remotely support dealer diagnostics, including AI-based tools that help speed up problem identification.
Yes, and it’s a critical piece. For a small business or independent professional, there’s already the Kia app, which lets you monitor a vehicle or a small fleet.
For larger companies, we also offer a dedicated B2B portal and a multi-brand fleet-management platform. That means a fleet manager can monitor vehicles from other brands within the same ecosystem.
The Kia PV5 is only the first step. The PV7 is scheduled to launch in 2027, while the PV9 will arrive in 2029.
The parent company has already announced more than 40 product variants, with additional configurations developed locally with our partners to meet the specific needs of the Italian market.
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