The wildest ride in the wilderness is going to be taking a brief break in January 2023 as Disney announced today the iconic theme park attraction Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom will be closing for a short refurbishment early next year.
No changes to the ride are expected during the maintenance work. We can only imagine it’s some type of routine maintenance. However, this is an unfortunate break for those looking to visit Magic Kingdom in the early new year.
The ride will be closed January 9 through January 13, with a planned reopening to guests on January 14, 2023. Upon looking on the official Walt Disney World website, in the hours of operation for the attraction it lists the message “No times available” throughout these select dates.
Per the attraction’s official Wikipedia page, it was designed by Imagineer Tony Baxter and ride design engineer Bill Watkins. The concept came from Baxter’s work on fellow Imagineer Marc Davis’s concept for the Western River Expedition, a western-themed pavilion at the Magic Kingdom, which was designed to look like an enormous plateau and contain many rides, including a runaway mine train roller coaster.
If you’re not familiar, here is the official synopsis of this beloved gold mine adventure:
Legend has it that soon after gold was first discovered here in the 1850s, eerie things began to happen. Trains would take off and race through tunnels—by themselves.
After you arrive at the legendary Big Thunder Mining Company, descend into an abandoned mine shaft and board your train. As you enter the cursed cavern, the engine speeds up along the rickety track. Dodge exploding dynamite and falling boulders as you swoop around turns, drop into canyons and dart through the mysterious ghost town of Tumbleweed.
Your rip-roaring adventure proves that some legends are true. You’re sure to have a real blast!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a fast roller coaster-type attraction designed for kids and adults. However, some parts of this attraction are bumpy and, in some instances, take place in the dark.
Will you be visiting Walt Disney World during Big Thunder Mountain’s refurbishment next month? Let us know in the comments!
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