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A rumored re-track of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is upsetting beloved fans of the Walt Disney World Resort ride.
In May, leaked permits suggested that The Walt Disney Company planned to rip out Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s tracks and replace them. The bumpy Magic Kingdom Park roller coaster is said to undergo the major construction project as part of the “Beyond Big Thunder” expansion.
Credit: My Disney Experience App
“Beyond Big Thunder” would be Magic Kingdom Park’s most significant expansion yet, according to a blue-sky discussion at D23 Expo 2022. Plans include Coco (2017) and Disney Villains-themed areas.
Now that the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Country Bear Musical Jamboree rethemes are complete, Frontierland’s other iconic attraction could be ready for a makeover–especially if a shiny, new expansion is coming to upstage it. However, some Disney Parks fans aren’t happy about the proposed change.
Credit: Allen Castillo, Flickr
Redditor u/Cool-gamer1243 recently started a discussion among Disney Parks fans about the proposed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad re-tracking:
“Disney please don’t retrack thunder mountain. Could just be me but I love the roughness of the ride. It feels so unsafe, especially with the lap bars giving enough room to slide around. I don’t want it to become seven dwarfs mine train, as that ride is super tame. Also I don’t want it to close for like a year and a half cus it’s the second best ride in the park.”
Fans quipped that making Big Thunder Mountain Railroad smoother would impact hundreds of Disney Park guests who use the ride to help pass kidney stones. (No, really. It’s a studied medical phenomenon.)
“If they retrack BTM, how else am I supposed to get rid of my kidney stones?” u/larkspurrings wrote.
Credit: Joe Penniston, Flickr
Others weren’t opposed to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad maintenance but felt other attractions at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park needed more attention.
“All the rumors point to a thunder mountain retracking, and that surprises me,” said u/sighcantthinkofaname. “Space Mountain is older and bumper, and it has Tron right next door to fill the void of a roller coaster in its absence.”
Still, some Disney Parks fans argued that it was time to update Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Credit: u/cocolisito via Reddit
“I mean, every ride requires maintenance at some point if you want them to stay around and be safe to ride,” u/Humble_Chip commented. “Re-tracking a whole coaster can’t be cheap so I’m sure they’d only do it if they had to.”
“I went to Disneyland two years ago and BTM was such a dream over there,” u/Cicerothesage replied. “Like gliding on clouds.”
The discussion comes just months after a viral story of a found photo on Disneyland Resort’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. An unknown guest tossed a vintage image of a mother and child onto the roller coaster’s set, sparking questions about the picture’s origins.
Should Walt Disney World Resort re-track Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? In the comments, share your take on the potential construction project with us.
