On January 6, Walt Disney World Resort closed one of its most iconic Magic Kingdom attractions — Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The ride is expected to be closed for more than a year as it undergoes a major refurbishment, including a completely new track and some changes to the town of Tumbleweed.
Big Thunder’s refurbishment is also part of Frontierland’s huge expansion. Preparations have already begun for the Cars (2006)- themed expansion, which was announced in 2024. To make way for the two new Cars attractions, Disney will be knocking down Tom Sawyer Island and filling in the Rivers Of America—a move many fans are disappointed about.
Related: Disney Fans Watch as Frontierland Slowly Disappears From the Magic Kingdom
As if those weren’t enough significant changes, a brand-new villain-themed land is also being constructed right behind Frontierland, which will also affect how the classic area operates. Construction has already begun on the new villain’s area, but the highly anticipated land is not expected to open until sometime in 2029 or 2030.
It’s been just over four months since Big Thunder Mountain closed, and guests have been watching as construction crews worked diligently to remove the old track and place new track, which will make for an incredibly smooth ride.
And now, the attraction just took a big leap forward.
Related: Disney Issues New Notice for Big Thunder Mountain Redesign at Magic Kingdom
According to Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude), crews have begun testing the new track that has been laid down. A chassis will be run along the track to make sure that everything has been done properly, and the track is safe for the mine cars to go on in the future.
Drew shared a video of the chassis testing being conducted.
Track testing has started at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom! This chassis will be pulled through the newly installed track to ensure that it’s safe as the attraction’s refurbishment continues.
Track testing has started at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom! This chassis will be pulled through the newly installed track to ensure that it’s safe as the attraction’s refurbishment continues.
pic.twitter.com/mE0xcDJB9K
— Drew Smith (@DrewDisneyDude) May 17, 2025
We don’t know any specific details about the changes being made to the town of Tumbleweed, but if Disney’s past actions are anything to go by, we might know what direction the refurbishment is taking.
Back in 2013, Big Thunder Mountain closed at Disneyland Park to undergo a similar refurbishment to the one currently happening at the Magic Kingdom. Not only was new track laid down, but the ride’s entire story was changed.
In Disneyland, the town is not called Tumbleweed, but Rainbow Ridge. Before the refurbishment, Rainbow Ridge was simply a town abandoned after the gold rush. However, after the refurbishment, the story was changed to make it appear that the town was actually haunted. Guests loved the changes to the story, and the spooky retelling made it even better.
Inside the Magic will keep readers updated as we learn more about the changes coming to Big Thunder Mountain at Walt Disney World Resort.
Are you looking forward to the changes coming to Big Thunder Mountain? Is it one of your favorite rides in the Magic Kingdom? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
The post Big Thunder Mountain Takes HUGE Step During Refurbishment! appeared first on Inside the Magic.
