An opening day attraction, the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade debuted on October 1, 1971, offering guests a chance to test their marksmanship skills in a Wild West-themed setting. Designed to recreate the legendary 1850 shootout on Boot Hill in Tombstone, Arizona, the gallery featured a detailed frontier town with a jail, hotel, bank, and cemetery, each filled with animated targets that responded to well-aimed shots.
Originally, guests used lead pellet rifles, which required nightly repainting of the targets—a labor-intensive process that consumed thousands of gallons of paint annually. In summer 1982, the rifles were replaced with infrared light guns, ushering in a safer and more sustainable era of sharpshooting.
For decades, the arcade operated as a pay-to-play experience, but on September 30, 2021, it became free to all guests, allowing more visitors to enjoy its nostalgic charm.
On June 13, 2024, Walt Disney World Resort announced that the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade would permanently close on June 23, 2024, after more than 52 years of operation. The space will be transformed into a Disney Vacation Club Member lounge, themed around exploration and adventure, marking a new chapter in Frontierland’s evolution.
