Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is reopening at Disney World. The Magic Kingdom coaster’s date has been pushed back but is now less than a month away. The wildest ride in the wilderness will reopen on May 3rd after being closed for more than a year. In this post, we’ll share the reopening details, some backstory on the refurbished ride, and a little conjecture on previews and Lightning Lanes.

Before we get to the lore, let’s get into the date. While Disney World is hitting their original Big Thunder opening season in spring, it seems like this is later than they wanted. Having the iconic attraction open for the spring break crowds and Easter rush made sense. Now, the time has passed and early May is the date.

On the plus side, this gives Big Thunder a soft landing before the summer. Not that we expect this summer to be overly busy at Disney World. But there will be ample time for the ride to shake off any operational issues. With the opening date less than a month away, any previews will have to be done quickly. I could see them getting in a week of previews and/or soft openings but I don’t think there will be much beyond that.

Most rides at Magic Kingdom have Lightning Lane in some way or another. Big Thunder will be no exception. Before closing, the ride took part in Lightning Lane Multi Pass (although that’s changed names so many times by now that it might have been called something different then).

With Buzz back, and added to tier 2 at Magic Kingdom, I expect Big Thunder to join tier 1. I could see this knocking Jungle Cruise back to tier 2 or maybe they’ll just keep 5 rides in tier 1. Either way, Magic Kingdom’s Lightning Lane Multi Pass is becoming a much better deal now that it has brought back 2 popular attractions.

Big Thunder’s refurbishment included installing a new track and refreshed passenger trains. These updates were carefully planned to preserve the attraction’s classic storytelling and trademark hootin’ an’ hollerin’ energy, while adding new life, movement, and detail to the experience guests know so well.

With all the improvements made to the attraction, along with a comprehensive review from the safety teams, Big Thunder Mountain will reopen with a lowered height requirement of 38”. That’s great to see, as the fewer height restrictions at Disney World, the better!

Here’s what else you can expect the next time you take to the tracks in search of adventure.

There’s Gold in That There Mountain

The story of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad dates back to Olden Times, or rather, Golden Times, during the early days of America’s first major gold rush. When Barnabas T. Bullion struck gold in the Big Thunder region, he saw a future full of riches and hustled to start the Big Thunder Mountain Company.

However, shiny dreams rarely come without a cost, and Bullion quickly found himself in a battle with the forces of nature and in a whole heap of trouble. One day, strange and unexplainable things started happening. Machines failed. Cave-ins shut mines down.

No matter how deep the miners dug into the heart of the mountain, the forces of Big Thunder fought back. When Big Thunder reopens, the unsuspectin’ passengers who board the runaway trains will learn just how wild the wilderness can get.

Shine and Polish on a Magic Kingdom Classic

The mountain attractions at Disney Parks around the globe are iconic for a reason – they are beloved by fans old and new for the stories they tell, the thrills they give, and the memories they make.

The rumblin’, rollin’ fun of Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World recently completed a mountain-top to cavern-deep refurbishment meant to keep the classic attraction in tip-top shape, ready to delight guests who want to ride the rails for years to come.

New Magic Thunderin’ In

In addition to the action and adventure we know and love, Big Thunder Mountain will reopen with new magic for fans to discover.

One such moment comes when the trains rattle their way underground to spectacular natural caverns full of phosphorescent pools, shimmering and illuminating iridescent stalagmites (the ones on the floor) and stalactites (the ones on the ceiling).

The Rainbow Caverns certainly are beautiful… but they ain’t as friendly as they first appear. In fact, that menacing rumble from deep within the mountain may be a sign that we ain’t welcome.

I’m curious to see if there will be any enhancements done beyond this. Yes, new trains and track probably took the bulk of this refurbishment’s time but Disney World has hyped this up enough for me to wonder if there’s enhancements beyond Rainbow Cavern and a tweak to the backstory. We’ll find out soon enough!

Are you excited for the reopening of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? Let us know your thoughts or any questions you might have in the comments below. Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide to help you out. Looking for discount tickets? Check out this site! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!