Don't Go to Disney World in January If You Want to Ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

If you are a MASSIVE Big Thunder Mountain Railroad fan, January is NOT the month for you…

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

There are tons of reasons to visit Magic Kingdom in January 2026. From experiencing Extended Evening Hours to tons of world-class rides, there’s a lot drawing us to “The Most Magical Place On Earth”. With that said, if the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad thrill ride is your raison d’être, January is going to be ROUGH.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a fan-favorite, but has been closed for a lengthy refurbishment that started on January 6th, 2025. With a year’s worth of work already completed, we’re gearing up for the return of this Magic Kingdom icon…but the wait is going to continue well into 2026.

Big Thunder Mountain construction

In early December, Disney confirmed the ride (alongside a revamped Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin) will reopen in Spring 2026.

The changes being installed in this latest version of the ride are far from insignificant. Along with a new, more updated track, the ride will feature a tinkered plot. Per Disney, “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.” Conflict quickly arises, however, as “Bullion quickly found himself in a battle with the forces of nature,” and train passengers should expect some fun chaos.

©Disney

The refurbishment will also include “spectacular natural caverns full of phosphorescent pools, shimmering and illuminating iridescent stalagmites (the ones on the floor) and stalactites (the ones on the ceiling)” among other changes like new sound and water effects that tie into the new Piston Peak Cars-themed area of Frontierland.

©Disney

Work on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has also overlapped with Villains Land, and we’re expecting this revamped ride to tie in more with Piston Peak, Villains Land, and Liberty Square when it’s all said and done. As a notable Magic Kingdom landmark, it appears as though Disney is using this long refurbishment to unite the park even more.

Of course, that doesn’t help Big Thunder Mountain fans looking at a July visit. If you can’t fathom a 2026 without riding “the wildest ride in the wilderness,” we recommend waiting for the official spring reopening date announcement or scheduling a summer/beyond vacation to ensure that the ride has (at the very least) reopened to guests.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

We’ll be checking up on the ride’s progress every visit, and keeping a lookout for the big reopening announcement. Keep it posted right here at DFB for that big update and news on all things Disney World!

5 Major Changes Coming to Disney World in January

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How does the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closure affect your Disney World plans? Let us know in the comments!