Big Al’s will permanently close at Magic Kingdom on May 10, 2026, and Westward Ho will permanently close on June 21, 2026, as construction for the Piston Peak Cars-themed land in Frontierland expands into the riverwalk area. Construction walls will move forward into the riverwalk, a temporary pedestrian pathway will be installed along the promenade to maintain guest flow, and most displaced parade viewing will be accommodated to minimize guest impact.
Westward Ho has been a Frontierland fixture, serving frozen lemonade, cold-brew coffee, and hot drinks along the waterfront. It is one of the more casual, low-key snack stops in Magic Kingdom and the kind of place guests return to without thinking much about it until it is gone. June 21 is your last day to grab a donut hole or bacon on a stick on the riverwalk before the walls move in. Big Al’s, the Frontierland shop named after the beloved Country Bear Jamboree character, closes eleven days from now on May 10.
Both closures are part of the broader Magic Kingdom expansion that will bring Piston Peak, the Cars-themed land, to Frontierland. The riverwalk area is where construction activity is now moving, which explains why the closures and wall expansion are happening in sequence rather than all at once. Disney has confirmed a temporary pedestrian pathway along the promenade so guests can still move through the area, and parade viewing disruption is being addressed, though specific alternate parade viewing locations have not been detailed yet.
If you have a Magic Kingdom trip planned before June 21 and Westward Ho is part of your routine, this is the window to get there. After that date, the riverwalk will look substantially different until Piston Peak opens. We will have full coverage of the expansion timeline and every confirmed detail about the Cars-themed land as construction progresses. For everything happening at Magic Kingdom right now, visit our Magic Kingdom coverage and our Cool Kids’ Summer 2026 guide. Join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
The honest take: losing Westward Ho stings more than it probably should. It is not a destination dining spot, and nobody is booking a trip around frozen lemonade or Donut Holes. But it is the kind of low-key, atmosphere-soaked stop that makes Frontierland feel like Frontierland. Piston Peak is a significant addition to Magic Kingdom, and the long-term trade is worth it. That does not make the riverwalk losing its character any easier to watch in real time.
Big Al’s and Westward Ho Closing Dates Confirmed as Magic Kingdom Frontierland Construction Moves Forward
