Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is testing ride vehicles as its year-long refurbishment nears an end. The ride has been closed since January.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Testing Trains
Though we’ve seen carts and devices for envelope testing on site since the spring, actual testing of the refurbished trains has been rare. From Liberty Square, we spotted one of the trains cresting a hill.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad received all new track early during this refurbishment project so extensive testing of the track and trains is necessary before opening.
We haven’t been able to see much work on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad since Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat closed permanently in July. There has been ongoing work in the queue.
The Frontierland ride has been closed since January 6, 2025, and will reopen in 2026. A reopening date has not been announced. The Walt Disney World calendar is currently available through January 16 and Big Thunder is listed as closed through that date, but that could change.
Disney announced Big Thunder would get an updated opening scene with a transformation of the Rainbow Caverns.
Watch our full ride POV of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from before its closure below.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.