Why Disney World Fans Have May 3rd Circled In Their Calendar

Are you ready to hop on the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness? It’s been over a year since Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed for a massive refurbishment. The ride has received numerous updates during that time and will be a little different when it reopens.

Now, we have been waiting for Disney to reveal the ride’s reopening date, and now, we know that it’s May 3rd. We expect that a lot of folks will be visiting Magic Kingdom on that date to get a chance to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for the first time in over a year.

That’s right, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens on May 3rd, and although Disney has not yet made any announcements about early previews yet, we’re pretty sure those will be held ahead of its official reopening. It may even soft open before May 3rd, much like how Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin soft opened before its official opening date.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride testing

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will also be a bit different when it reopens. The ride got a brand new track, as well as new ride vehicles. It seems like the ride itself might be a little smoother than before. The ride also got an additional scene, the Rainbow Caverns, which is a throwback to the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train ride in Disneyland, which closed in 1977 to make way for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad there.

Disney is also making changes to the ride’s exterior to help it blend in better with the upcoming Piston Peak Cars-themed expansion in Frontierland. Disney promised “soaring geysers” as part of the ride’s exterior makeover. Disney also said there would be additional magic added to the ride, so there might even be some surprises.

We won’t know for sure until we ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad again, but when we do, we’ll share all the details with you. So check back with AllEars again soon for more.