Credit: Renato Mitra, UnsplashFrontierland at Magic Kingdom has become a lonely place recently. With the closure of Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, some of the most picturesque views in the park have been blocked off by construction walls.
But what’s been missing the most from Frontierland is the roar of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Since early January, the ride has been closed for a lengthy refurbishment. However, some recent news suggests that Thunder Mountain may return before early next year.
According to @DrewDisneyDude on X (formerly Twitter), Big Thunder Mountain started ride testing yesterday. This is the most significant step forward in the ride’s reopening yet.
This potentially means that Disney could be unveiling the new ride prior to its announced 2026 opening timeframe. At the very least, Disney might consider offering a soft opening during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when crowds are at their peak.
If Disney prefers to wait, guests might expect the soft opening in early January with an official opening to follow. Even if that doesn’t happen, this is a significant step toward reopening the ride.
Ride Updates
This summer, Disney shared some concept art for the updated thrill ride, which includes the addition of new Rainbow Caverns. Disney warned that the “menacing rumble from deep within the mountain may be a sign that we ain’t welcome.” Disney also promised some “new Magic” for the updated ride.
Part of that new Magic is coming in the form of an updated backstory. Disney recently updated the description of Big Thunder Mountain to include a new backstory for the mine and the continuation of the story of Barnabas T. Bullion.
Bullion is the mine’s notorious owner, who bears a striking resemblance to former Imagineer Tony Baxter, who, along with Imagineering Legend Claude Coats, built the original Disneyland version of the ride. Bullion “struck gold” in the Big Thunder Mountain Region, but the “forces of Mother Nature struck back.”
The significant changes to the mine’s backstory are that it is no longer an abandoned mine, but it is now active, and the town of Tumbleweed is no longer a ghost town. It is still unclear how these changes will impact the ride or what other plans Disney has now that there’s an active town in the ride.
Disney fans can’t wait for the return of Big Thunder Mountain with the new updates and thrilling new backstory, and it may be back sooner than we think.
Are you excited for the return of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? Let us know in the comments.