We have another update on the year-long Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment at Walt Disney World Resort, part of a larger transformation of Magic Kingdom Park’s original Frontierland area.
In a few years, Frontierland will be practically unrecognizable to Disney Park guests. Walt Disney World Resort has already demolished the original Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade and replaced it with a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) lounge. In 2024, Walt Disney Imagineers reimagined Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and replaced the original Country Bear Jamboree with the refreshed Country Bear Musical Jamboree. And more changes are coming.
Last year, Walt Disney World Resort revealed plans to replace Tom Sawyer Island and part of the Rivers of America with two all-new Cars (2006) attractions and build a Disney Villains land in the area “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.” Although opening dates for these areas haven’t been announced, permits have already been filed for construction.
As Walt Disney Imagineers prepare for the largest Magic Kingdom Park expansion yet, they’re also focusing on refreshing decades-old attractions in anticipation of increased foot traffic during construction. In January 2025, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed for a year-long refurbishment with the promise of “new magic” when it reopens sometime in 2026.
Although Walt Disney World Resort provided scarce information on the lengthy refurbishment, rumors swirled about a full track replacement. Those whispers were confirmed when Disney Park guests spotted steel roller coaster tracks arriving at Magic Kingdom Park on flatbeds. See this photo from @fantasylandnews on Instagram:
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Later, guests noticed a large crane lowering track pieces and other equipment into the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad construction site, including a dumpster painted to look like an American flag. Workers were also spotted throughout the attraction’s queue area.
On Monday, WDWNT provided the most recent update on the Frontierland roller coaster refurbishment. As guests were exploring Magic Kingdom Park, crews were visibly using cranes to lower new track pieces into exterior portions of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Scaffolding still surrounds much of the ride’s exterior area, and parts of the track are visibly unfinished. Crews also appear to have poured concrete into areas where the new track has not been installed.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will not reopen at Magic Kingdom Park until at least 2026. Disney hasn’t announced an exact opening date for the Frontierland roller coaster.
What “new magic” do you hope to see on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? Share your ideas with Disney Dining in the comments!
I don’t see why they had to do away with Rivers of America and Tom Sawyers Island. The shooting arcade maybe, because it really wasn’t being used. Gun lovers like me, would rather shoot the real thing, anyway. They already have a Cars themed ride at Disneyland. Should they really offer the same thing on the east coast? I though the name of the game was to offer different things at each park. That way people would have an incentive to visit each park. Thats just my two cents