Months Away From Scheduled Reopening, Disney Demolishes Part of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

There’s a spring reopening on the schedule, testing is already underway, and Walt Disney World Resort just tore part of it down anyway. Guests arriving at Magic Kingdom Park on March 5 found the exit queue area of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad demolished.

According to WDWNT, Disney cast members removed all railings and posts from the queue and cleared out most of the props from the space. The wooden structure covering part of the exit queue is still standing. The outlet shared a photo of the demolition on Facebook:

It’s a surprising sight given where the refurbishment stands, but it fits the pattern of a project that’s clearly entering its final stretch.

Over a Year Behind Construction Walls

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad went dark in January 2025. Since then, Walt Disney Imagineers have replaced the entire steel ride track, repainted building sets, and carried out wide-ranging maintenance on the 46-year-old Frontierland coaster. In recent months, freshly-painted trains have been spotted running tests on the new track.

The ride isn’t just getting fixed up; it’s coming back with “new magic.” Disney has promised updated Audio-Animatronics, gold props, and a reworked Rainbow Caverns scene to kick off the attraction. The refreshed sequence will feature phosphorescent pools, shimmering stalactites, and hundreds of tiny bats, while the mountain itself begins to “grumble” in protest of the miners working the area.

Walt Disney World Resort has confirmed a spring reopening for the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness,” but hasn’t locked in a specific date.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Entrance Getting Attention Too

The exit queue isn’t the only area seeing changes. Construction walls near the ride entrance were recently pulled back, revealing brand-new concrete at the entry point. Stanchions are protecting sections that are still drying. Disney may be planning to pour fresh concrete in the exit queue area as well — the demolition work would support that theory, though the Central Florida Disney Resort hasn’t confirmed it.

Scaffolding also remains up around part of the building at the front of the entrance queue. With the coaster hardware largely buttoned up and testing continuing, the remaining work seems to be concentrated on the guest-facing spaces on either end of the attraction.

When do you think Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen at Magic Kingdom Park? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!