Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently undergoing a lengthy refurbishment in Disney World.
The ride closed on January 6th, 2025, and Disney gave us the vague answer that the attraction would open sometime in 2026, meaning this refurbishment would last at least a year. We recently did some digging and saw that a permit for the construction of the attraction expires on March 13th, 2026, so could this be a hidden clue about when the ride could reopen? Well, when it finally does reopen, it will be totally different—here’s why!
It did not take long for construction crews to get to work on the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness,” as we have been keeping an eye on progress from the Walt Disney World Railroad, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat. All three of these attractions give us a look “behind the scrim.” Plus, we noticed scrim go up even before the attraction closed; it seems like Disney is working hard to make sure this fan-favorite ride opens as soon as it can.
OH NO. Does This Mean the Railroad Is Closing AGAIN in Magic Kingdom?!
According to Disney World’s website, when it reopens, it will have “a little bit of new magic in 2026.” Other than knowing it will reopen in 2026 and this very brief statement from Disney, we do not know much about the attraction’s refurbishment, but here is what we do know.
Beyond Big Thunder
At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, it was revealed that Villains Land would lie “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain.” This land has been heavily rumored, and fans have been begging for more villain representation in the parks. Since the new land will be behind Big Thunder, we figure that some adjustments need to be made to the attraction to allow for construction to progress on Villains Land.
The Rivers of America will be drained
In case you missed the news, a brand new Cars expansion will be coming to Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom. It will replace the current area of Tom Sawyer Island along with the Rivers of America (and take the Liberty Square Riverboat and the Tom Sawyer Island rafts along with it!).
Big Thunder sits on the edge of the Rivers of America, and once the water is drained and filled in with concrete, it will drastically change the attraction’s look. While no closure date has been announced for Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, construction permits have been approved, and we would not be surprised if there is a closure announcement coming soon.
The track is being replaced
While we have stolen glances at Big Thunder while it is under construction, we noticed that the track is being removed and replaced. We are not sure if this is just to update the track with a new track or if the layout of the ride will be changed, but it seems that this refurbishment is thorough.
We hope that Disney announces more details about the future of this beloved attraction, and we can’t wait to take a spin on it when it reopens next year. To stay up to date on all the latest Disney news, make sure to continue to follow along with us here at AllEars!
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Holding out hope for dynamite goat! 🙏