The summer season is heating up at Walt Disney World Resort, and May 21 marks a major moment—the full reopening of the resort. But beyond the date circled on every fan’s calendar, sweeping changes are underway across the parks, and some of them are already in motion.
Among the most closely watched is the refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. The fan-favorite attraction took its final passengers on January 5, with closure officially beginning the next day.
Disney’s site confirms: “Temporarily close for refurbishment on January 6, 2025” and reopen “with a little bit of new magic in 2026.”
Though Disney hasn’t released specifics, a major crane hoisting a large piece of track was spotted above Frontierland just days after closure—visible even from Liberty Square’s Haunted Mansion queue.
The work is advancing quickly. A Notice of Commencement filed in March detailed new developments. WDWMagic reported: “Another milestone in the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment has been reached, as Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) has filed a new Notice of Commencement for the Magic Kingdom attraction.”
This filing lists “Install set elements” as the work and names Icarus Exhibits, Inc. as the contractor. The company is known for immersive themed environments. And now, more changes are on the books. A new filing, also reported by WDWMagic, reads:
“Walt Disney Imagineering has filed another Notice of Commencement for the ongoing refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. The new filing lists Mecca Productions as the contractor, with the scope described as ‘Install set elements.’”
They added: “This is the second recent filing tied to set installation work for Big Thunder, following a similar Notice of Commencement assigned to Icarus Exhibits. The permit carries the standard one-year expiration and does not extend the potential timeline of the longest permit filed so far, which is with DPR Construction through April 15, 2026.”
Earlier filings had also named Elite AV Systems Inc. and DPR Construction, pointing to a large-scale reimagining effort—likely touching multiple parts of the ride experience.
The refurbishment plays a key role in Frontierland’s larger transformation. At D23 Expo 2024, Disney announced that a Cars-inspired area would join the land, tying in with both Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the updated Big Thunder. That means saying goodbye to Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, clearing the way for new lands and stories.
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, similar changes are taking shape. With the upcoming Tropical Americas-themed area, named Pueblo Esperanza, several DinoLand U.S.A. attractions are permanently closed. As of January 13, 2025, TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Fossil Fun Games are gone. The land has been partially erased from official park maps.
However, the time-traveling adventure DINOSAUR is staying put—at least for now. Disney has confirmed the attraction will remain open through 2025, though it’s unclear what the long-term future holds.
Speed appears to be part of Disney’s new strategy. Long known for its sometimes slow pacing, the company is now pushing projects forward with urgency—perhaps in response to Universal’s Epic Universe, which debuts this month.
At the INBOUND conference in Boston, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, addressed the company’s mindset. He said Disney doesn’t always get everything right, but it makes choices with future generations of Disney fans in mind.
What do you think of the changes to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and beyond? Let us know in the comments!
