It’s the wildest land in the wilderness!
At first glance, Frontierland may not look super exciting, but the land does have a lot to offer, especially three attractions that are all noteworthy.
You can even hop on a log raft and sail across the Rivers of America to explore a special island.
Frontierland has also gone through many changes. It’s no secret that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaced Splash Mountain. While many are upset about the transformation, we find that it adds a whole new dimension (and much-needed one) to Frontierland.
Here’s everything else Frontierland has to offer.
Frontierland Overview
- Location: Magic Kingdom
- Restaurants: 8 Quick Service (Westward Ho, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe, Golden Oak Outpost, 4 Snack and Drink Carts, Aunt Polly’s)
- Shops: Frontier Trading Post, Big Al’s Merch Cart
- Entertainment: Country Bear Jamboree, Frontierland Hoedown, Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade
- Attractions: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Walt Disney World Railroad, Tom Sawyer Island
- Characters: Country Bears
- Popular snacks and drinks: Churro, Corn Dog Nuggets, Mickey Pretzel, Popcorn
- Not-to-miss: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Walt Disney World Railroad
Frontierland Map
Dining
Frontierland doesn’t have any Table Service restaurants, but there are plenty of Quick Service options and snack carts to try.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Location type: Quick Service
Type of food: Mexican
Meals Served: Lunch and dinner
- On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 quick service credit
- Is Mobile Order available? Yes
- Pros: Chipotle-style Mexican offerings, there was a generous fixin’s bar but it has not been available since the shutdown, indoor seating, plenty of restrooms
- Cons: Can get very, very busy. Plan to eat at off-peak times to avoid crowds.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is the main Quick Service dining location in Frontierland. You can find it near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and close to the path that wraps around to Adventureland.
Pecos Bill’s resembles an Old West saloon and sells a range of Mexican-inspired food, like southwestern salads, fajita platters, rice bowls, pork and chicken nachos, and more.
Pecos Bill’s is also a great place to find seating both indoors and outdoors. There’s no shortage of tables.
Mobile Order is available, which we also recommend using since it’s a time saver and will prevent you from having to wait in a long line.
You can also find a portable phone charging station inside the restaurant, where you can swap and purchase FuelRods.
Golden Oak Outpost
Location type: Quick Service
Type of food: American
Meals Served: Lunch and dinner
- On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 snack credit
- Is Mobile Order available? No
- Pros: Good snack options, but menu changes all the time
- Cons: No indoor seating (can go to nearby Pecos Bill’s to sit if you’d like), snack credits only, only open seasonally, area can be busy during parades
Golden Oak Outpost is a small stand that is open seasonally and has shorter dining hours compared to other Quick Service restaurants in the park.
There is a small menu that serves items along the lines of chicken strips and fries.
There is also an outdoor seating area next to the Golden Oak Outpost. Unfortunately, the tables are in the direct sunlight and have zero coverage.
Westward Ho
Location type: Quick Service
Type of food: American
Meals Served: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 quick service credit
- Is Mobile Order available? No
- Pros: Snacks and refreshing beverages, including frozen lemonade slushes
- Cons: No seating and limited menu options
Westward Ho is a mall Quick Service stand that serves both breakfast and snack items, including a bear claw, jalapeño poppers, corn dog nuggets, candied bacon, and more.
You can also buy a range of beverages, like fountain beverages, frozen lemonade and Coca-Cola, and Joffrey’s cold brew.
Popcorn Cart
This cart next to Big Thunder Mountain sells popcorn, ice cream treats, and bottled beverages.
Snack and Drink Cart
You can order bottled drinks here, along with a variety of frozen goodies. Find this cart near Big Thunder Mountain on the corner of the path that sits along the river.
Popcorn Cart
You can order popcorn and bottled drinks here at this cart that sits across from Pecos Bill. It’s stationed at the corner of where the path along the river connects to the main path in Frontierland.
Churro Cart
Next to Westward Ho is a cutely themed cart that sells Mickey Pretzels and churros (even if they aren’t as good as Disneyland’s).
Aunt Polly’s
This is a Quick Service window on Tom Sawyer Island. But, it’s not always open. Aunt Polly’s operates seasonally, and usually only during the busiest of seasons.
Here is a menu from May 2019 and the food we ordered:
The seating here is pretty great.
You get up close and personal with the Liberty Belle and can see awesome views of Liberty Square and Frontierland.
Seating Areas
There are plenty of places to sit, eat, and/or relax in Frontierland, including:
Pecos Bill has many indoor and outdoor tables with chairs.
You can find tables, albeit uncovered, next to the Golden Oak Outpost.
Near Big Thunder Mountain, there is a small area with picnic tables and umbrellas.
If you find yourself on Tom Sawyer Island, you can sit by Aunt Polly’s and enjoy some pretty stellar views of Magic Kingdom.
Shops
Frontier Trading Post
In the heart of Frontierland is the Frontier Trading Post.
The shop has shelves stocked with a variety of Disney merchandise, like Minnie ears, hats, and, MagicBand+ designs.
You can also browse all kinds of Disney pins. There are so many!
Big Al’s Merch Cart
Across from the Frontier Trading Post is Big Al’s Merch Cart.
From bubble wands, to Minnie ears, to hats, to bottled beverages, Big Al’s has good variety of souvenirs for being a small outdoor cart.
Attractions
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
A great intro coaster for people who are working up the nerve to do bigger coasters. The theming is Old West style and there are lots of mountains and caverns to make your way through. There are no big drops like on scarier coasters but there are some fun dips that can lift you out of your seat.
It’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!
You can’t go wrong with Bid Thunder Mountain Railroad, which is one of the best roller coasters at not just Magic Kingdom, but across Disney World.
The ride can be quite jerky and fast, with sudden drops and turns, but it is so much fun!
Big Thunder should definitely be at the top of your list of Magic Kingdom attractions.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Coming 2024)
Taking over the former Splash Mountain attraction, this ride will follow Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance. There will also be music from the movie.
Replacing Splash Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a water ride that promises to not only be breathtaking in physical appearance, but captivating in storytelling.
The ride is dedicated to Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog and follows her story after the movie, meaning we’ll get to see her as a human and not a frog.
We can’t wait to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. We fully expect to love this ride just as much as we do Tiana!
WDW Railroad – Frontierland Station
A steam train that takes guests on a loop around all of Magic Kingdom. There are 3 stops – at the end of Main Street, in Fantasyland (back by Storybook Circus), and in Frontierland between Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The Walt Disney World Railroad has a station located in Frontierland next to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
We recommend everyone ride the train. It’s an iconic attraction, with great views of the park and is also a good transportation method if you want to get to one side of the park to the next.
Tom Sawyer Island
A giant island that is basically a playground to explore. You board a raft near Big Thunder Mountain which takes you over to where you can venture around the island. FYI: there used to be hidden paintbrushes placed here and people who found them could redeem them for FastPasses. That is no longer the case.
In order to get to Tom Sawyer Island, you have to board a log raft that will transport you over to the island that’s inspired by the stories of Mark Twain.
Not only does the island offer unique views of Magic Kingdom, especially Haunted Mansion, Liberty Square, and Frontierland, but this is a great place to explore.
Little ones, especially, will love all of the different spots to explore and play areas.
While we don’t recommend taking time out of your busy park day to visit Tom Sawyer Island, it does make a good time filler or a way to escape the crowds and long lines.
Characters
Frontierland doesn’t have any traditional character meet and greets, but you can wave to the Country Bears who like to hang on the balcony above their show, the Country Bear Jamboree.
They are super fun to interact with, so make sure you say hello.
Country Bears
Activities
Coin Press Machines
Frontierland has three coin press machines.
There is one across from the Frontier Trading Post, where you can get pressed pennies with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy in western outfits. You can buy one for $1.00 or all four for $4.00.
Inside the waiting area for Country Bear Jamboree is a pressed penny machine. Some of the pennies feature the Country Bears. The price is one penny for $1.00 or all 8 for $5.00.
The final coin press is underneath the Frontierland train station near the playground with Splash Mountain-themed pennies.
These cost $1.00 for one penny or $3.00 for all three. We expect these to change once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Playground
Underneath the Frontierland train station, there is a small playground that’s perfect for little ones.
It’s unclear if this will close or be re-themed once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens, but we will definitely keep you in the loop.
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
At the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade (next to the Frontier Trading Post), you can aim at nearly 100 targets using projectile-free infrared technology in an Old West-themed shooting gallery.
While this activity used to cost $1.00 for 35 shots, it is now completely free.
Checkers
Next to the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, there is a game of checkers for anyone to play.
PhotoPass
There aren’t any official PhotoPass locations posted in the My Disney Experience app, but sometimes you can find a photographer on the path along the river that leads to Big Thunder Mountain.
You may even find a photographer hanging around Big Thunder for photo-ops, specifically near the area where guests can watch the roller coaster fly by.
Restrooms
Frontierland has several restrooms, including:
These restrooms lead into Adventureland and also connect to Frontierland and Liberty Square.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café has its own set of indoor restrooms.
Near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the Walt Disney World Railroad (as you walk underneath the station), you’ll find this set of bathrooms.
There are also two restroom areas on Tom Sawyer Island.
Animal Relief Area
Across from Big Thunder Mountain, you’ll see an outdoor relief area for guests visiting with service animals.
Frontierland Checklist
- Splash Mountain Closing January 2023 at Disney World to Make Way for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- The Reimagined Splash Mountain ‘Princess & The Frog’ Attraction Opening In Late 2024
- Tiana’s Palace Replacing French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square at Disneyland
- Disney After Hours Returning to Disney World in 2023
- D23 Expo 2022 blue sky ideas for Disney World (Zootopia, Moana, Coco, Encanto, villains)