Everyone, remain calm!!!!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Disney just dropped a TON of announcements about what’s coming to Disney World in 2026, and we’re on the edge of our seats just waiting for it all to happen. As part of the announcements, we finally know when Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will reopen at Magic Kingdom!
Disney has revealed that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will both reopen at Magic Kingdom in spring 2026!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Both rides have been closed for quite some time as Disney has been refurbishing them.
Closed for Refurbishment
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been closed since early January 2025 for a lengthy refurbishment, lasting over a full year.
Disney previously teased a revamped plot for this ride, saying, “The story of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad dates back to Olden Times, or rather, Golden Times, during the early days of America’s first major gold rush. When Barnabas T. Bullion struck gold in the Big Thunder region, he saw a future full of riches and hustled to start the Big Thunder Mountain Company.”
Big Thunder Ride testing
However, “Bullion quickly found himself in a battle with the forces of nature”, and “strange and unexplainable things started happening” in the mine, such as failed machines and cave-ins. When the attraction reopens in 2026, “the unsuspectin’ passengers who board the runaway trains will learn just how wild the wilderness can get.”
©Disney
Disney is calling the project “a mountain-top to cavern-deep refurbishment meant to keep the classic attraction in tip-top shape, ready to delight guests who want to ride the rails for years to come.” The company teased some pretty cool additions that will debut next year, including “spectacular natural caverns full of phosphorescent pools, shimmering and illuminating iridescent stalagmites (the ones on the floor) and stalactites (the ones on the ceiling)” reminiscent of the Rainbow Caverns from the original concept art.
©Disney
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will reopen with a ton of changes, including blasters that you can actually pick up and aim at targets with more precision! When it reopens, we’ll see a new show scene, updated ride vehicles, gameplay enhancements, and more!
©Disney
The new vehicles will have a new design inspired by the colors of Buzz Lightyear and Star Command, but it’s more than just a paint job being done. From what Disney has said, we’re getting ENTIRELY new ride vehicles, and that means testing them out time and time again to ensure they’re working to full capacity. That doesn’t just happen overnight, which is why the ride will be closed for more than a year!
©Disney
We can’t wait to check out these changes when they are finally complete, and we’ll be keeping an eye out for an official opening date for both rides. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!
FULL LIST of Everything Opening at Disney World in 2026
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I am praying that means when I am there at the beginning of May these will be running. They are both some of my favs and I wanted my husband and my grandkids tto experience them on our big family trip.
I’m going to be there in February. I was so hoping to ride it as it’s one of my favorites and am really sad I won’t be able to.
I’ll be there at the very end of April so hopefully Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be open. If not, I’ll be back again next fall. 😁