A group interview with Imagineer Dan Flynn revealed new details about the reimagined scenes on Walt Disney World’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which will reopen on May 3 after being closed for over a year.

Disney invited media to a group interview with Dan Flynn, Executive Show Management at Walt Disney Imagineering, who oversaw the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reimagining project. Flynn shared that his wife was an operator and lead at the attraction in the late ’80s, so he personally really wanted to work on this project.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Backstory

According to Flynn, they approached the project from a story perspective, expanding upon the lore from the 2013 ride refurbishment. That introduced Barnabas T. Bullion as the head of the Big Thunder Mining Company, as well as the idea of the mountain being affected by supernatural entities. The story unfolds in correspondence found throughout the ride queue, including letters from the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

Here is the updated backstory of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (from Disney Parks Blog):

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, them 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. Unsuspectin’ passengers who board the runaway trains will learn just how wild the wilderness can get.

Mother Lode of Gold Climax

Flynn continued by elaborating that the climax of the attraction now centers on the mountain’s legendary mother lode of gold that Bullion seeks. As the runaway train crests the final lift hill, you’ll actually glimpse the famed claim — before you are then physically “pushed out” by the mountain as a warning that humanity will never take its riches. For this new scene, Flynn and his team of Imagineers conducted extensive research on period gold mines and the precious metal itself to ensure the scene looks and feels authentic.

The refurbished scene also removes the shaking rock effect that was permanently turned off in 2011, following a malfunction that led to injuries on the ride at Disneyland Paris. While Disneyland in Anaheim and Paris received updated scenes, Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s versions have maintained the original projections and lights (but with static rocks) for over a decade.

Flynn also emphasized that the Imagineers focused on “bringing back missing magic” to the whole ride, not just the climactic scene. To that end, effects and projections have been repaired and restored throughout the entire attraction.

Other Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Updates

The ride will have an updated opening scene with a transformation of the Rainbow Caverns. When guests enter the Rainbow Caverns, they will see a majestic, beautiful scene of bats, phosphorescent pools, and shimmering stalagmites and stalactites. Then thunder rumbles, and the scene shifts to a menacing atmosphere.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopening

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed in January 2025 for its extensive refurbishment and will reopen on May 3, 2026. The ride’s entire track was replaced, and it has new trains. Inoperable effects have been restored. We recently saw Disney testing a steam effect at the front of the attraction. A new sign was installed last month.

With the improvements and after a comprehensive review by safety teams, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will lower its height requirement to 38″. It was previously 40″.

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