Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Magic Kingdom · Frontierland
Overview
The queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is dressed with genuine antique mining equipment Disney bought for the attraction, which is a strange amount of authenticity for a ride whose whole premise is a runaway mine train. That premise pays off outdoors: banked turns and speed bursts through a hollowed-out red-rock butte, past animated geysers and flooding caverns, with no significant drops but more lateral force than the 36 mph top speed suggests. It reads faster than it is, which is most of the trick.
ParksLog verdict
Ride it once in daylight and once after dark — the mine lighting changes the whole tone, and the back row genuinely does whip harder through the turns. This is the rare Magic Kingdom coaster with a height requirement low enough for most of the family and a ride quality high enough that nobody feels like they compromised. Worth a second lap if the Lightning Lane line is short.
About this experience
Race through a haunted gold mine aboard a speeding train on this thrilling coaster-style ride.
Best for
- Thrill seekers
- Families with older children meeting the height requirement
- Western and adventure theme fans
Tips
- Ride at night for a completely different atmosphere when mine lighting takes over the experience
- Request the back row for the most intense ride — cars whip harder through turns from the rear
- Lightning Lane wait times are usually short here; use it if standby exceeds 30 minutes
Details
History
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened at Magic Kingdom in 1980, a year after the Disneyland original, and Disney has long billed it as 'the wildest ride in the wilderness.' It closed in January 2025 for a complete retrack and reopened in May 2026, when the minimum height dropped from 40 to 38 inches.
Closure history
- Jan 6, 2025 - May 2, 2026
Fun facts
- The queue and scenery are dressed with genuine antique mining equipment that Disney bought for the ride
- The rockwork is modeled on the buttes of Monument Valley, while Disneyland's version takes after the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon
- Its 2025–2026 refurbishment replaced the entire track, and the reopened ride lowered its height requirement to 38 inches