We’ve got an exciting update from the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently closed
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom closed in January for a year-long refurbishment (at least). We’ve been keeping an eye on all the construction we can see — including the removal and replacement of the ride’s track and some testing — but we recently spotted something else we’re excited about!
On a recent trip to Magic Kingdom on June 16th, we happened to notice some pretty exciting changes over at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad! The ride has been closed since January, with an expected refurbishment timeline of at least one year. Luckily, progress seems to be moving right along based on the latest construction updates we’ve seen!
Big Thunder Mountain construction June 16th, 2025
Do you see those big tarps covering something up through the fence? If you ask us, those tarps look pretty train-car shaped! We took a ride on the Walt Disney World Railroad to get a glimpse, but it’s clear Disney is keeping these new trains under wraps — er, tarps. There were even construction workers hammering away when we passed by.
Is that a new train car?!
We also spotted what looks like some fresh paint on part of the attraction — we’re pretty sure this green sign was repainted recently! Hopefully, these are steps in the right direction so we can finally ride this rollercoaster again.
New paint job!
Our last update revealed that Disney was using ride envelope testing vehicles to check ride safety and clearance. These testing vehicles have one job: they have these extenders that reach out from their frame and act as the maximum reach of riders. This makes sure that nothing on the ride extends into that maximum reach area.
See the ride vehicle?
Disney has said that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen “with a little bit of new magic,” so it could be getting more updates than just the new track. We’re not sure what this means, but we’re hoping for those cool projection effects you get on the ride in Disneyland.
Progress!
We’ll be on the lookout for even more updates on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. In the meantime, stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!
Why Is It Taking Disney World a Full Year to Refurbish Big Thunder Mountain?
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It looks like Muir, the steam engine working for Piston Peak Railway!