
Just when you thought the construction over in Frontierland was taking a bit of a break with the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the latest announcement from Disney is here to tell you otherwise. One of Magic Kingdom’s top attractions, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, is set to close starting on January 6, 2025.
Although rumors of ride’s closure due to refurbishment have been swirling for a while now, Disney has officially updated its website with a firm closing date and information on the refurbishment timeline. The announcement states:
“Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will temporarily close for refurbishment on January 6, 2025. The attraction will reopen with a little bit of new magic in 2026.“
The popular roller coaster is the latest ride at Walt Disney World to undergo a lengthy closure for refurbishment purposes. The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in Disney’s Hollywood Studios was closed from January 8, 2024 until July 1, 2024. In Epcot, Test Track closed for refurbishment on June 17, 2024 and is slated to reopen in 2025 — though an exact reopening date has not been given.
Nobody knows exactly what that “little bit of new magic” is, but there is speculation that the update to the ride will include upgrades to the coaster’s lift scenes, the sections right before bigger drops. These scenes have been updated in the Big Thunder version in Disneyland to include more special effects that look like explosions. But the length of the refurbishment is likely due to accomodate a full track replacement on Big Thunder.
These updates to one of Disney World’s classic rides will be happening in conjunction with other major changes in the Magic Kingdom. At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Parks announced that a Villians land would be coming to the area beyond Big Thunder Railroad. The land is expected to be home to two new major attractions and shopping and dining experiences. Plus, two new Cars-themed attractions are set to take over the space that currently holds Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat.
January 5, 2025 will be your last chance to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We will keep you updated when we know more about the ride’s reopening, but it looks like Disney World guests are going to have to live without one of the Magic Kingdom’s biggest thrill rides for all of next year.