Previously, I reviewed The Haunted Mansion from MARVEL, and being that’s my favorite ride, I’m a little biased towards any book that highlights it. That being said, I’m very happy to tell you that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an exquisite addition to this series.

The comic strips lining the pages are bright and colorful, and, like The Haunted Mansion, it’s a page turner. There’s a very unique storyline where Big Thunder, the mountain, comes to life and the further the miners dig for gold, the madder she gets. There’s two heroes in this story, one being a billionaire’s daughter, who is an unlikely hero. Her father is the one making the miners dig deeper and deeper, furthering the upset Big Thunder feels. Or so we think. Someone may have been forcing his hand all along.

It’s a charming book and it’s always nice when thorough backstories are given to rides we love. After the story ends, we’re gifted with concept art and renderings of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disneyland and Walt Disney World. There’s also  poster art with the old-timer logos for both parks, along with an early sketch of the train cars used on the attractions. Flipping further back, you see early characters sketches of the characters in the book and how they were developed. Perhaps the neatest thing is in the very beginning of the story, there’s two letters. One is by Tony Baxter, Imagineer and Disney Legend. He details how Big Thunder Mountain Railroad came to fruition and how it was first pitched for Florida, but it was decided to put it in Disneyland first. The second letter is by Skip Lange, who gives a very detailed account of the sculpting of the beloved attraction and how many details were changed along the way.

Full of bandits and mischief in the wild west, this book will have you longing for a ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If you’d like to own this great book for your own collection, click below to purchase!

Whitney