Why Disney World's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Is Closing In 2025 For A Year

The iconic Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the coaster-style ride through a haunted gold mine at the Walt Disney Resort in Florida is set to close "at least for a year", starting in 2025. However, in a respite for the fans of the ride, there could still be ample time to go on the haunted journey before the closure. As per a notification published on the website of Walt Disney World, all the rides in the Magic Kingdom Park, comprising also the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, will be temporarily closed for refurbishment starting in January 2025. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Walt Disney World told ABC that the last day to ride the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be January 5, 2025. After that, the railroad will "reopen with a little bit of new magic in 2026," a statement on the website of Walt Disney World read. However, the rest of the Walt Disney world will be accessible to guests, as usual, as most of the refurbished work will be behind the scenes.Also read: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was first introduced at Disneyland, California, on September 2, 1979. It later opened at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in 1980, Tokyo Disneyland in 1987, and Disneyland Paris in 1992. The ride is themed around a cursed gold mining town, with the curse manifesting as earthquakes, tsunamis, or flash floods depending on the park.