Walt Disney World announced Wednesday that the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will resume service at Magic Kingdom theme park starting May 3.
According to the official Disney Parks blog, the roller coaster has been closed since January 2025 for renovations. The work includes replacing the rails and refreshing the vehicles.
The coaster’s return includes changes to height requirements. Riders must be at least 38 inches tall, down from the previous 40-inch requirement.
“Guests over 38 inches tall will also be able to ride, so even more families can enjoy this classic adventure together,” Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahr said in a social media post. He also A photo of myself on a ride with Magic Kingdom Vice President Sarah Lyles and Imagineer Wyatt Winter. other members of the project team.
The renovation includes new show elements, but Disney hasn’t detailed much beyond the addition of “a spectacular natural cave filled with phosphorescent pools,” according to the park’s blog.
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Disney did not announce any previews for passholders or the ride’s “soft opening” date.
This attraction debuted in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom in 1980. The site is surrounded by updated and under-construction elements of Magic Kingdom. It is adjacent to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a converted log flume ride formerly known as Splash Mountain. It also faces the Old American River and Tom Sawyer Island, which have been closed for two future “Cars”-related attractions, and is near the site of a planned villain-themed theme park.
It also became a touchpoint, as executives sometimes brought up the idea of “beyond Big Thunder.”
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There are also Big Thunder attractions at Disneyland in California, Disneyland in Tokyo, and Disneyland Park in Paris.
Magic Kingdom recently relaunched an updated version of Tomorrowland’s dark ride, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
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