Magic Kingdom Park’s Frontierland is in the midst of a widespread transformation, including the year-long refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Here’s the latest update on one of the biggest current construction projects at Walt Disney World Resort.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which has been thrilling guests at Magic Kingdom since 1980, officially closed on January 6, 2025, for its major overhaul. Disney has not shared many specific details about what’s being done during the renovation, but the company has promised that the ride will reopen in early 2026 with some exciting new features. Over the past few months, Disney Park guests have spotted steel tracks arriving at the construction site, confirming that the entire track system for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is being replaced.
The latest update from WDWNT reveals that the renovations have expanded beyond just the coaster’s track replacement. Crews have begun working on repainting the attraction’s queue, which has been blocked off by construction walls and scrims. In addition to these updates, an even more dramatic change is happening within the ride’s old western town, Tumbleweed.
Scaffolding now surrounds Tumbleweed, specifically the Gold Dust Saloon, which is currently being repainted. While other buildings in the town are still covered with scaffolding, they have not yet been repainted, leading to speculation that they too will undergo some transformation as part of the refurbishment.
A new building is also under construction behind the roller coaster, near the exit of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. It’s unclear whether this structure will be backstage or accessible to guests, but it’s another sign of the expansion and reimagination happening in this part of the park.
These changes come alongside a larger transformation of Magic Kingdom Park’s Frontierland. The recently opened Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaced the original Splash Mountain, the Country Bear Musical Jamboree replaced the Country Bear Jamboree, and Disney replaced the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade with a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) lounge.
Disney is also planning new attractions, including two Cars (2006) rides and a Disney Villains land “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.” Walt Disney Imagineering has already filed permits to demolish Tom Sawyer Island and portions of the Rivers of America to make room for the Cars attractions.
Although no official closing dates have been announced for Tom Sawyer Island or the Liberty Square Riverboat, these attractions are expected to remain operational until the reopening of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The extended refurbishment is expected to prepare the ride for increased guest traffic as Disney continues to develop the area with new and exciting experiences.
Do you agree with Disney’s decision to replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island with two Cars attractions? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments!
No I don’t agree doing away with Tom. Sawyer’s island and the river stuff in there, which I didn’t agree with doing away with splash mountain and put the Tiana ride in there. Because it is nothing like original splash mountain. It was like, and I don’t care what you say, it was not racist. At least it gave those people a job. You know, in the movie? And if y’all would have left snow quite alone and got real dwarfs, our small people, y’all are gave them jobs instead of doing the cig stuff, but that’s just what happens, and I can thank Disney, because i’, I’m not coming back. And I’m not paying for my grandkids to come to Disney. I give them money and if that’s what they decide to do I explained my side of it, and it’s just running for me. But I was there when they opened the magic Kingdom. I was there when the monorail used to go through the contemporary and then back up And when you went through it, the person says, see all that out there, which is looking at swamp, and it said, Walt’s playing is 2, make a great place. You know, but now all it is it’s not family to me. It’s woke and trans and some family, but it’s not really all family that parts of the state family. And y’all could have woke the other ones, but thank you, Disney, cause you’re saving me money. I’m not even buying no Disney merchandise. Anymore, we was in the movie club up until y’all closed it down, and we got Disney plus I’m gonna watch Iron Man a couple more times and then I’m doing away with Disney plus I’m just getting out of Disney. You know, because you hear about the time I want to take Walt out of there and that’s just something other. It’s terrible to think about Bob iger when he first started working there. So I may have some good decisions, but now he is woke and trans. Um, I would say, you know, even though he is Jewish, I still think he’s a neo-nazi.
That’s just my opinion. But once again, Thank You Disney for making the change, they’re tearing out all of them. Uh, frontier land so we’ll have to worry about me coming back. Maybe when I’m 70 Which is 10 more years? You know, if I have a great-grandchild, I might go to get my picture as long as Walt’s statue, is it in front of the castle? I doubt I’ll go to any other park you know. I’d rather go to kissing me and go to the Old Town. So thanks Walt Disney for the great times and no thanks for the new times I did like the 7 divorce rollercoaster thing y’all put in, but that went with the part of the park, the Tiana ride. Y’all should have picked a total, another place and left splash mountain and let them sing zippy dooda all day. I mean, I just don’t understand how few people can mess it all up for everybody else. They enjoyed it. I have that movie and uh, when my kids was growing up, they had kids of color come over. He watched that movie and they loved it and some of them have even come back and ask me. Where could they get it? So I ordered it for him, but it came from Europe.
But that’s it boycott disney, then fire bob iger it’s gonna save you money because if you’re a family of 4 to 6, you gotta put so much on your credit cards. Now, unless you got some big, high paying job, which we do not and uh, we bought original t and a ticket package that didn’t expire. And you could jump from park to park And I misplaced mine, and I got 3 days left on it. I called up and they tell me, oh, they wouldn’t be able to accommodate me if I did find my ticket. So Master for Disney, it’s been gone for 5 years now. We took my granddaughter, our first granddaughter there when she was 2 Well, not quite too because we went twice. Before she turned tea, so she could get him free. And uh, it was great. We had fun. Everything was still up. My favorite ride is just a small world. And then after that, I think it’s gonna be. If it’s hot, I’m going to country by airs which they probably will do away with it, and I used to love the shooting gallery. Let’s y’all, gotta put It Up for the people who are paying the Big books for Disney vacationers. Like my oldest son, they bawled into that, you know, and the motels are just too high. The best motel thing I think they got there, there’s the one that has all the pools? And I forgot what they called it, but we stayed and the one that had the music stuff at harmonica, and not on the building, but the mighty ducks is around there too. There are a couple other things from the movies, but that’s the most affordable place. Especially if you got kids You know, you can stay out there and play in the pools. You don’t even have to worry about going to the park and then when they cut out the Magic band that she would get for you know the one and then you had to start doing everything on your phone to try to get stuff to do, to get to a ride or Reschedule or find out if they got openings and that’s great, because new people say by, but I’m not so thanks again. Disney for saving me money, but I am going to universal and still back over to Old Town. This small, but it’s fun.
These are parr of the magic Kibgdom origibal charming attractions. They should stay.
They should find a way to keep Tom Sawyer Island around. It has been and remains one of my favorite places in MK. I was just there last month and while exploring the Island again, I noticed there were many visitors exploring the caves and fort or just enjoying a respite in the shaded areas. A true break from the craziness of the crowds in the rest of the park.
I love Tom Sawyer island. It was the perfect place to eat your lunch mid day and get out of the heat. But on the other hand i am excited to have the new Cars attractions come to WDW.
It should stay the same !!!! Tomorrow Sawyer’s Island is WONDERFUL! It’s perfect for families with small kids. It’s great to get out the hustle and bustle of the busy parts of the parks. They are taking away the MAGIC little by little ! It’s really sad !
There’s so much land there. Leave those attractions and push behind those to do the new rides. They just don’t get the fact they need to expand the parks not replace rides. They need to be able to spread people out. To me it’s common sense.
I agree. Use the land that was purchased use the new land for these attractions. Please leave some history. For all the children. Old and Young can enjoy. You know we pay your salary and we also pay the CEO. Why don’t you make some decisions that will reflect on Wall? What would he say you doing all this destroy parts of his life? Next thing you know carousel progress will be gone and then then you’ll move onto. It’s a small world oh let’s see what’s some more things oh yeah, you took pleasure Island out that was the big mistake. Cause now you’re putting in something for adults at the quest Disney quest you know how’s that going for you? You don’t you don’t take a look at the average customer that you have coming there that wants to see these original things that Wall imagined just upgrade them don’t replace them.