Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens at Magic Kingdom — First Ride Impressions

16 days ago in "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad"

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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens — First Look at the Refurbished Ride

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Posted: Sunday May 3, 2026 10:16am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Magic Kingdom's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopened today after nearly 16 months of refurbishment. First impressions suggest Disney used the downtime well.

Closed since January 2025, the most extensive refurbishment in the attarctions history covered a lot of ground:

New track and trains
Refreshed animatronics throughout
Restored effects dormant for years
A new Rainbow Caverns scene
An expanded bat cave with over 2,000 bats
A lowered height requirement of 38 inches

Smoother Than Ever

The most immediate thing you'll notice is how smooth the ride is. Big Thunder Mountain may now be the smoothest-riding coaster at Walt Disney World. The rough, rattling feel that had crept in over the years is completely gone.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens — First Look at the Refurbished Ride

Most riders we spoke to preferred the new smooth ride over the old rough one, but it won't be for everyone. If you loved the wild, rattling feel of the previous version, this will feel like a different ride. That's not a criticism, just worth knowing before you board.

It's also worth noting that no coaster stays perfectly smooth forever. As the track wears in over time, some of that roughness will inevitably return. Enjoy it while it's fresh.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens — First Look at the Refurbished Ride

Speed Hasn't Been Touched

Despite the extensive work done during the closure and the new lower height requirement, ndown from 40" to 38", the speed hasn't been dialed back. Big Thunder rides just as fast as it did before, possibly even slightly quicker. That sensation of extra speed is likely a result of how smooth the track now feels.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens — First Look at the Refurbished Ride

New Cave Scenes Add Real Show Value

New cave scenes have been added to the ride, and they look great. The lighting is well done, the bats look great, and adds show quality to sections that previously felt thin. It gives the attraction more depth and makes the experience feel more complete.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens — First Look at the Refurbished Ride

The Queue Is Back in Full Working Order

The queue has been well restored, with all the interactive effects up and running. If you've visited in recent years and noticed things not working, that's been addressed.

The Best Big Thunder Has Ever Been at Magic Kingdom

Put it all together — the smooth track, the speed, the new cave scenes, the restored queue — and this is the best this version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has ever ridden. If you haven't been on it in a while, or if your kids just hit that new 38-inch height requirement, today is a great day to make it a priority.

Discuss on the Forums

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Disone1 day ago

I actually agree with your wife. I saw chipping paint and bolts that in no way were new. I feel like the train cars are refurbished but not new.

Tom Morrow2 days ago

Question since I didn't follow this too closely - are the turns banked more than before? The train seemed to take them slightly faster than before, but with less lateral forces.

EricsBiscuit2 days ago

They are definitely not running all the trains they could be. Line moves very slow compared to before the refurb. Hopefully they get that fixed.

Tom Morrow5 days ago

Just rode it, did not watch any POVs beforehand. Definitely smoother, much appreciated that the lift hill anti-rollbacks are no longer ear piercing loud (though there is now loud audio on the first and third lift.) The double helix felt faster to me, the rest felt about the same speed. I actually didn't mind the slight roughness it had though and it feels less out of control now that its super smooth. The updated lift scenes and audio are nice, however I think the third lift could have used some sort of physical animation, it's all just sound and lighting changes. Overall it is an improvement and I'm glad it's back.

phillip96986 days ago

You are the only one confused on what was being referenced. It wasnt muddied for anyone else.

Delta-77 days ago

Has the ride done five train operations at all since reopening? All the POVs I've seen so far appear to show just four running at a time (also judging by the train returning to the same side of the station after a circuit).

gorillaball7 days ago

Please tell me this is tongue in cheek?

Nunu7 days ago

Just rode it. Definitely smoother and quieter, while still exciting. The new cushioning of the seats and sides are appreciated. Also the new rubbery material reduces sliding and banging against your ride companion. Didn't feel a speed reduction from how it was before. An overall improvement, imo.

MisterPenguin7 days ago

Applying the brake of a car is acceleration (negative). Hitting it harder because of a vehicle about to slam into you is jerk. The sudden front end collision causing a complete stop is jounce.

MisterPenguin7 days ago

You're getting close. Imagine the front of the train (we'll call it "A") cresting at the top of the hill. A is going at about 5 MPH. The last vehicle (we'll call "Z") is also going at 5 MPH being pulled halfway up the lift hill. As A goes over the crest, vehicles B and C also approach and start to go over the crest. Now, with A, B, and C over the crest, gravity pulls them down. They start accelerating. They get to 10 MPH, then 20 MPH. While that's happening, Z starts to crest at the same velocity of A, B, and C. First 10 MPH, then 20 MPH. When Z crests the hill, Z is going now as fast at A, B, and C, which are now going 40 MPH (gravity's acceleration makes things go faster and faster). So, now, Z starts the decline down the hill at 45 MPH. Z is not only subject to gravity, but is being pulled by the vehicles in the front. A, B, and C had gently crested the hill. Z, however, is being yoinked over it for some air time. Meanwhile, A, B, and C are no longer descending. The track has flattened out. They're on a straightaway at 45 MPH. Big deal. Cars go faster. But with Z being yanked over the crest and down the hill, Z has a different experience that *feels* faster because of the layout of the track (i.e., declining). Everything in motion stays in motion unless acted upon an outside force. But when things alter the course, it is felt as a force. When Z crests the hill, Z is going as fast as A, B, and C. But the change in direction of the tracks (in Z's case, going down) is such a force (or, sudden lack of force free-falling in zero G). While going at the same speed as A, B, and C; Z feels the forces differently because it's going down at 45 MPH, but A, B, and C are leveling out. Different forces. Same velocity. (BTW, physicists use "force" and "acceleration" interchangeably. So, when they say the Earth is accelerating us up, they mean the earth is applying a force upwards keeping us from sinking to the center of the Earth.)

osian7 days ago

There was an infamous Open University episode, called The Jerk and the Jounce, using various rides including Nemesis to illustrate velocity, the rate of change of ve!ocity (acceleration), the rate of change of acceleration (jerk) and the rate of change of jerk (jounce). I got my head around Jerk (which explains why something can be jerky - because it's a rapid change of acceleration) but I think I checked out on Jounce!

flynnibus7 days ago

Because 'acceleration' is generally misunderstood and poorly labeled by the lay. What gives you thrills on a coaster is the twisting, the turns, the air time, the dropping and climbing over hills. The lay talk about 'going fast' - but what the real thing is all that CHANGING direction is actually what is the thrill on coasters.. that's what gives you the G-forces, the air-time, the sensations. That's acceleration - a change in your direction and/or speed - not the speed itself. Speed on its own has no sensation besides wind resistance.. it's the sensation you get going past something at different speeds that gives you that rush. Like racing past a bolder that feels close to you.. it's because the bolder is basically not moving, and you are. And the lay use of the words are generally fine... except when someone is trying to quantify why the ride feels different and trying to use an inaccurate speed measurement to justify their belief. When a roller coaster gets significantly smoother, the amount of change you feel will decrease.. it will feel less intense because you're not being subjected to all those minor shifts. 10mph will feel really slow until someone slams on the brakes.. same thing, just exaggerated :)

osian7 days ago

Within the wheel bearings.

osian7 days ago

It's all the same thing, just a question of trying to describe it! We all know that the back doesn't travel faster than the front. Coasters are not faster at the back. This is impossible. But different people at the front and back will experience the same elements at different speeds, forces and times. But different elements and forces at the same times and speeds. What is impossible is different speeds or the same elements at the same times! When people say it feels faster at the back, that literally refers to speed only, so that's why I talked about speed. But they might be misidentifying more intense forces as increased speeds, or perhaps just lumping together all the feelings and labelling them as speed. 20mph around a tight corner, or an acceleration from 0 to 30mph in 2 seconds, will feel more intense than a constant 40mph along a straight section, but people may describe the former as feeling faster.