This article covers the details on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Construction at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. An overview on the construction of the ride is covered first. Next we cover the fact that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom has frequently gone under construction for improvements. In addition, you will learn if the ride is closed for construction and some of the past construction events for the attraction.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Construction History
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was first opened to the public on November 15th, 1980. The ride was designed by Disney Legends Tony Baxter and Claude Coats and Bill Watkins. Arrow Development was the company that manufactured the ride itself. Imagineering Disney has some pictures of the initial construction of the attraction back in the 1980s. You can see the photos on their site here.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Construction Ride Closures
Throughout Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s history there has been times where the ride was closed down for construction, refurbishment, or maintenance. The most recent construction / Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment occurred at the end of 2016. The ride was closed from August 8th to November 19th. BlogMickey.com reports that paint and lighting was updated and path lights for the line area, smoke stacks with smoke, and lighting effects for the cave were added to the ride. According to wdwmagic.com, the last major refurbishment was in 2012. It is noted, however, that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad had a number of short closures for construction from 2012 to 2016.
Above Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Construction originally by Theme Park Tourist on Flickr and Wikimedia Commons. Photo cropped and modified by NavFile. The photo is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has a history of being closed down. Our team members have reported that there were many times where they went to the park only to find out that the ride was closed for construction or maintenance. This something to keep in mind when planning a trip to the park. The ride has been more reliable recently and guests will likely be able to experience the ride when they arrive at the park.
You can check if Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has planned refurbishment, when it will be closed, and if it is currently closed by using the My Disney Experience apps. The app is one the best places to look to see if the attraction is currently open or closed for construction.
