Construction continues behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, marked by the arrival of a new, large crane, possibly to be used in the replacement of the attraction’s track.
Large Crane at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Disney announced in October that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad would close in January 2025 and remain closed for at least a year. Construction permits indicated that the ride would close for a major refurbishment even before Disney officially announced any details for their Beyond Big Thunder project.
During D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, it was announced by Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro that a Disney Villains land would be coming to Magic Kingdom as part of the biggest expansion in the park’s history. Construction now continues near Big Thunder Mountain in an area that could be impacted by this expansion.
In our last construction update, we observed a scrim wall and yellow excavator in the area. The scrim wall and excavator have since been removed and a large yellow crane is now in place.
While in the attraction’s queue, we spotted the large yellow crane. It can be seen here just behind the trees in the distance.
In the photo above, the crane is again clearly visible behind the small geysers near the end of the ride.
From aboard Big Thunder Mountian, we were able to get a clearer view of the yellow crane. It appears there is a grey structure attached to it on the right, likely providing stability for the crane.
From higher up, the entirety of the crane can be seen along with a smaller white construction vehicle that looks to be a truck-mounted crane. A few trailers can be seen in the area as well.
The crane and supporting structure can also be seen from the Walt Disney World Railroad as shown above.
Check back with us as we continue to provide more Magic Kingdom construction updates.
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