Disney Teases “New Magic” Coming to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in 2026
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been down for many months, and while that’s a huge bummer, the end is in sight. When it reopens in 2026, we’ll be treated to the “smoothest ride in the wilderness” thanks to a total track replacement. Even better, Disney promises us that there will be “new magic for fans to discover” while riding.
Before we get to that magic, let’s tell the story of Barnabas T. Bullion, a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Bullion struck gold during America’s first gold rush and subsequently started the Big Thunder Mountain Company. Mallory from the Disney Parks Blog can explain what happened next:
“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. And when the attraction reopens next year, the unsuspectin’ passengers who board the runaway trains will learn just how wild the wilderness can get.”
Disney gave us a sneak peek at what we’ll encounter during the first lift hill. We’ll encounter the Rainbow Caverns deep inside the mountain. Their phosphorescent pools may be beautiful, but something isn’t quite right: “That menacing rumble from deep within the mountain may be a sign that we ain’t welcome.”
We hope to learn more about Imagineering’s plans for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Destination D23 conference next week.
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