New parts are being installed and Imagineers are gathering at the back of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad as the attraction’s lengthy refurbishment continues.
Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment
Our tour of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad begins with a view from the Walt Disney World Railroad. As we noticed during our last report, the attraction’s maintenance barn has been completely removed from backstage. All of the concrete that acted as the foundation for the building has now been removed, and the dirt has been smoothed in its place. Orange and white barriers have been erected around the whole area. The shorter barriers also provide a quick glimpse of the backstage dumpster and parking lot.
Moving forward to the actual mountain, tall metal scaffolds have been installed around the “rusty” windmill above the Gold Dust Saloon.
The scaffolds around the abandoned stagecoach and the construction walkway are still present. The large yellow and grey Atlas Copco Air Compressor unit is also still on the left. The air compressor is often used in construction for tasks like sandblasting.
Two construction crew members were working on one of the mountain’s tall peaks on this side. One crew member was holding a cable and wearing a welding helmet, so it appears they may be preparing to use some power tools.
Moving past the town of Tumbleweed, two crew members were slowly guiding a piece of metal that was being lowered by the tall crane. They both stopped to wave as we passed by.
Zooming in a little closer, this metal is not one of the track pieces we saw recently being installed. This looks like one of the support pieces that are often placed underneath sections of track.
Finally, a larger group of Imagineers were gathered together on one of the lower walkways. They were talking while looking up at the mountain, possibly discussing the construction progress.
Next, we move to the Liberty Square Riverboat for a view of the mountain’s opposite face. The tall yellow crane still looms over the entire area.
While it may not be related to the Thunder Mountain work, we did notice a new blue pipe laying on the ground next to the two totem poles facing the river.
The entire right curve of the railroad track is still wrapped in metal scaffolding and covered with construction walkways.
It appears the holes in the cave have still not been filled, so the spray-painted signs remain across the ground.
Two crew members were sitting for a short break near one of the mountain peaks. Orange cones still line the construction walkways scaling the rocks on the left side.
Closer to the water, we can see the gap where the track was removed and workers used a jackhammer to open up the base of the mountain. The hole is still largely empty, and more orange cones line the side to keep crew members from accidentally falling.
Next to the empty hole, the wagon holding prop barrels has still not been moved out of the way. Next to the wagon, more wooden planks and metal beams are staged.
Through the scaffolding, we can see where the ground surrounding one of the concrete support beams has been torn up. The plywood has been pushed to either side of the beam, implying we will likely be seeing more work in this area soon.
From a side angle, we can view the large trough that has been dug into the mountain where the track used to run. Another support beam in the distance has been partially removed, so it appears the crews are either moving them while the ground is altered or the beams are being repaired.
A wider view of this removed-track area shows the large scale of the construction work. The while left side is covered in metal scaffolding, and stairs have been added on the right.
Some of the nearby props and lights in this area have been covered in white plastic scrims to keep them from being damaged.
Finally, the tagged props are still sitting on their shelves and have not yet been removed.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed for refurbishment in early January 2025. The attraction is not expected to reopen until sometime in 2026, though no exact date has been announced yet. The refurbishment is part of ongoing construction in this area of Magic Kingdom to prepare for the transformation of the Rivers of America into a new “Cars” land and the addition of a new Villains land behind Big Thunder Mountain. Disney mentioned that when Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens, it will have “a little bit of new magic.”
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