
Starting January 7, 2013, the exciting Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will receive refurbishment attention. Come back mid-fall 2013 and climb aboard the train for a twisting thrill ride through the untamed landscape of the legendary Old West.
Thunder aboard a runaway mine train on a fast-paced thrill ride through the barren landscape of the Old West. Get ready for the time of your life, because Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is "the wildest ride in the wilderness"!
The Adventure
Twist through desert canyons, dash under creaking mine shafts and venture deep into pitch-black caverns overrun with screeching bats. Rumble past falling boulders, gushing waterfalls, playful wildlife and abandoned mining settlements, as you weave through burnt orange rock spires, arches, canyons and windswept gorges. Just when you think your adventure is at an end, an unseen force seems to push you forward up and over the next hill.
The Legend of Big Thunder Mountain
While you wait to board your train, your surroundings appear tranquil and picturesque, but you sense that something otherworldly is amiss.
Folklore tells of mysterious rumblings and strange noises emanating from the depths of the 104-foot-tall Big Thunder Mountain. Iridescent stalagmites and stalactites pulsate with eerie light deep below ground. Native American tales claim that supernatural forces will unleash the power of thunder upon those who dare to remove gold from the mountain
Undaunted, the Big Thunder Mountain Mining Company has begun to mine the site. Reports claim that mine trains sometimes mysteriously depart the station without an engineer at the throttle — driven by unseen forces.
The next train is departing now. Dare to test the legend?
Inspiration
Based on Bryce Canyon in Utah, the scenery captures the thrill, excitement and beauty of the rugged and untamed landscape of the American West.
Town of Big Thunder
The miniature town of Big Thunder that you roll past at the end of the attraction predates Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Originally named Rainbow Ridge, the town is one of several repurposed elements from the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train (later called Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland) that transported Guests around Frontierland from 1956 to 1977.
| 40" (102 cm) or Taller |
| Thrill Rides |
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Rider Switch The Rider Switch program allows multiple adults to experience an attraction while one adult waits with a child. You then "switch" to enable the other adult to enjoy the attraction. X |
| Transfer from Wheelchair or ECV to Ride Vehicle |
| Park Hours and Schedule |