Big Thunder closing thru 2013 (rumor)

[Disneylandfan1]

This editor's note by Al Lutz was on Miceage today:

EDITOR’S NOTE 8/6: Disneyland's Big Thunder Mt. will be closing for a major rehab this fall, and remain closed through most of 2013. The 33-year-old coaster will receive a similar treatment as the one Space Mt. got in '03-'05, (without the extensive foundation work that Space Mt. needed). New track will be installed, the load/unload area will be widened for 21st century riders, and a new ride control system tops it all off. The queue will be prepped for NextGen additions, and unlike the recent WDW Thunder rehab Tony Baxter has returned to his first E Ticket to plus up the show and the aesthetics. Take your last ride on Big Thunder 1.0 in September. - Al Lutz

This is very sad news for my family! My son said, "You mean I don't get to ride my favorite ride until I'm 11?" I'm sure the end results will be fantastic but for my family we wish they could have taken care of this 5 years ago instead of now.

(Disney has NOT made any official announcement regarding Big Thunder Mt. Railroad. This is still a rumor.)

 

[DisneytheKid]

Huh. Well here is an Al Lutz rumor that I hope isn't true! If it is, but hey, oh well. Just means I have to go back to ride it

This editor's note by Al Lutz was on Miceage today:

EDITOR’S NOTE 8/6: Disneyland's Big Thunder Mt. will be closing for a major rehab this fall, and remain closed through most of 2013. The 33-year-old coaster will receive a similar treatment as the one Space Mt. got in '03-'05, (without the extensive foundation work that Space Mt. needed). New track will be installed, the load/unload area will be widened for 21st century riders, and a new ride control system tops it all off. The queue will be prepped for NextGen additions, and unlike the recent WDW Thunder rehab Tony Baxter has returned to his first E Ticket to plus up the show and the aesthetics. Take your last ride on Big Thunder 1.0 in September. - Al Lutz

This is very sad news for my family! My son said, "You mean I don't get to ride my favorite ride until I'm 11?" I'm sure the end results will be fantastic but for my family we wish they could have taken care of this 5 years ago instead of now.

 

[ValpoCory]

Dang. I kind of expected one major ride to be down during my upcoming January stay. Outside of RSR, BTMRR is the next one I was hoping wasn't going to be down. It's my DD7's favorite WDW ride. We likely won't be back in DLR for 4 years or so, so I guess we'll have to settle for the WDW version in a couple years.

 

[lalasmama]

Well, to be fair, I'm 33, and need some major rehab work as well, so I can't blame BTMRR too much, I guess, but our family will definitely miss it for the year!

 

[cari12]

Disappointing!

 

[cari12]

Wow, disappointing! DS was 4 in 2009 when we were there last and was only 39 inches so we had to skip it. This year he is 7 and tall enough and it will be closed!

 

[sweethannah]

Would 'Fall' be considered September, October or November?

I'm there at the tail end of September, trickling into October and there isn't any word on the Disney site. I'm guessing it might be announced for later on in the Fall, perhaps November?

 

[DarthMole]

Glad I got a chance to ride it umpteen times during our trip. My youngest just turned 6 and it was a blast to watch his progression on these rides. He went from clinching the bar on Thunder (and Space) to just lifting his arms for a second or two to automatically just putting his hands in the air the moment he got on the ride. He's more fearless than his 10 year old brother. Thunder was by far my kids favorite ride and the short lines allowed them to ride it many, many times. Sadly a revamp will probably mean long lines for many years.

 

[starry_solo]

I'd better ride it this month!

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

Here's hoping it is open in March!

 

[ValpoCory]

Sadly a revamp will probably mean long lines for many years.

I'd take long lines over closed.

 

[coopersmom]

Going first week of October and hope we'll be able to ride. This is the first Disney trip my train-crazy five-year-old is tall enough to ride Big Thunder and he's been talking about it non-stop. Yikes! Don't know how I'll tell him it's not going to be running if that's how it pans out.

 

[ArchOwl]

Glad I got a chance to ride it umpteen times during our trip. My youngest just turned 6 and it was a blast to watch his progression on these rides. He went from clinching the bar on Thunder (and Space) to just lifting his arms for a second or two to automatically just putting his hands in the air the moment he got on the ride. He's more fearless than his 10 year old brother. Thunder was by far my kids favorite ride and the short lines allowed them to ride it many, many times. Sadly a revamp will probably mean long lines for many years.

If this rumor turns out to be true and BTMRR undergoes a refurb, I doubt the lines will be long for years. Remember the revamped Star Tours? Lines were long for months. You can now get FPs well into the evening and the standby line was very reasonable last week.

 

[DisneytheKid]

Very true

I'd take long lines over closed.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Is BTMRR in DL the same as in WDW? If so, the WDW went down for refurb this spring. It is pretty much the same ride after it reopened. Maybe a bit smoother.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Is BTMRR in DL the same as in WDW? If so, the WDW went down for refurb this spring. It is pretty much the same ride after it reopened. Maybe a bit smoother.

its similar but the ride itself is a little bit different...hard to say exactly how the difference is, you just have to ride it and you will know...one of the biggest differences is that theres a part on it at wdw where you shake from side to side and DL doesnt have that affect...it also felt longer..but then again a lot of the rides at wdw feel like they are longer than at DL

 

[rosie2283]

So here's my thought (I am keeping in mind that this is possibly just a rumor)...This is the second MAJOR attraction rumored to be closing for an extended period of time as Indy is also rumored to be closed for up to 3 months (again, so far a rumor). BUT if these rumors do turn out to be true, I am deeply disappointed in Disney. I understand that rides do need refurbishments, don't get me wrong, but with the increase in ticket prices that Disneyland has implemented this year I do feel that to have TWO major attractions down has not been thought out out very well. Again, I know these are just rumors, but when you are coming from a distance and need to book rather early its tough not to be disappointed. So let's spruce this up with a little pixie dust and hope for the best!!

 

[bakerudall]

Is BTMRR in DL the same as in WDW? If so, the WDW went down for refurb this spring. It is pretty much the same ride after it reopened. Maybe a bit smoother.

The trains circle in opposite directions. Also, I believe the landscape on the DL ride was modeled after Bryce Canyon (or some other canyon in Utah), and the WDW mountain range was modeled after Monument Valley.

 

[cp11]

This editor's note by Al Lutz was on Miceage today:

EDITOR’S NOTE 8/6: Disneyland's Big Thunder Mt. will be closing for a major rehab this fall, and remain closed through most of 2013. The 33-year-old coaster will receive a similar treatment as the one Space Mt. got in '03-'05, (without the extensive foundation work that Space Mt. needed). New track will be installed, the load/unload area will be widened for 21st century riders, and a new ride control system tops it all off. The queue will be prepped for NextGen additions, and unlike the recent WDW Thunder rehab Tony Baxter has returned to his first E Ticket to plus up the show and the aesthetics. Take your last ride on Big Thunder 1.0 in September. - Al Lutz

This is very sad news for my family! My son said, "You mean I don't get to ride my favorite ride until I'm 11?" I'm sure the end results will be fantastic but for my family we wish they could have taken care of this 5 years ago instead of now.

(Disney has NOT made any official announcement regarding Big Thunder Mt. Railroad. This is still a rumor.)

While I understand renovations, this would be a bummer as we have been planning our daughter's grad trip for the last year and a half and this is one of our favorite rides. Would be nice and lucky if it would open back up by mid June 2012.

 

[Jkpark]

Add me to the disappointed list. This is DD4's favorite and she was so excited to ride with her cousins in December - long overdue family trip. Oh well - it will give us a good reason to plan another one...