Credit: DisneyOne of Disney’s most beloved rides just closed for months, days after a total evacuation.
Frustrating though it may be, closures are a regular and necessary occurrence at Disney. Every attraction needs to undergo maintenance at one point or another to keep things running as smoothly as possible.
This has never been more evident than looking at the state of one popular roller coaster last week.
Evacuation Heralds Yet Another Disney Park Closure
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a Disney classic, with versions at Magic Kingdom Park, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland. However, guests can currently only ride two of these attractions—those in Anaheim and Japan—as Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris have temporarily shuttered their versions of the ride.
Disneyland Paris closed its Thunder Mountain on January 6 for a multi-month refurbishment, currently slated to wrap up in early summer. In its final days of operation, the roller coaster seemed to be struggling somewhat as it underwent multiple closures and even an evacuation.
A TikTok shared by @hattyhaunts shows all guests being removed from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on January 4. The ride then reportedly remained closed for most of the day.
Big Thunder Mountain was evacuated today 4th Jan 2025 at Disneyland Paris. It was down for most of the day and is due to close on the 6th Jan for several months for repairs. Guests can be seen being helped over the tracks in order to get out safely. Props to the cast members who seemed to pull it off seamlessly!
@hattyhaunts Big Thunder Mountain was evacuated today 4th Jan 2025 at Disneyland Paris. It was down for most of the day and is due to close on the 6th Jan for several months for repairs. Guests can be seen being helped over the tracks in order to get out safely. Props to the cast members who seemed to pull it off seamlessly! #disney #disneylandparis #bigthundermountain #fyp #disneyland
As per other TikTok users in the comments, things didn’t improve much on the following day, when the ride also allegedly spent a significant chunk of its operating hours closed.
Having experienced every version of Thunder Mountain at Disney parks worldwide, we’d go as far as to say that Disneyland Paris currently offers the best take on the ride. Not only does it feature the added thrill of dipping underground, but the entire ride feels more thrilling than its counterparts across the globe.
Located in Frontierland, the ride also boasts a slightly different backstory to its sisters. “Legend has it that a supernatural force dwells within the mountain. When gold was first discovered in the 1850s, a mining company was established,” explains the Disneyland Paris website.
“But soon, eerie things began to occur. Miners heard ghostly sounds, cave-ins became frequent and equipment mysteriously failed. Trains would take off and race through the mine and around the mountain driverless! Word got out that the mine was haunted and Thunder Mesa became another ghost town.”
Magic Kingdom’s Thunder Mountain Also Closes
However, there’s no denying that the ride needs some TLC right now – as does Disney World’s Thunder Mountain.
Orlando’s roller coaster is now closed for a refurbishment that will stretch into 2026, with rumors suggesting that it will involve a total retrack. If true, this will be the most thorough refurbishment for “The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” since it first opened.
What’s your favorite version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?