In this post we give an overview of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a roller coaster at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park in Walt Disney World. We cover the basics of the ride, how to ride it, and our thoughts on the experience before closing with an FAQ. Read on to learn more!
Related Posts
This post is a quick guide to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but we have related content that dives deeper into topics. Our Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane post covers Lightning Lane strategy in depth. The Magic Kingdom Rides and Entertainment Guide gives brief introductions to all the park’s offerings. For putting together your day at the park, we have a One Day Plan for Magic Kingdom.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Basics
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a roller coaster at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The ride
offers rider switch
is a tier 1 ride on Lightning Lane Multi Pass
does not have a single rider line
is a NOT part of Early Entry at Magic Kingdom
is about 3 minutes long
Disney warns that expectant mothers and people not in good health should not ride.
If you’re visiting Magic Kingdom with small children, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad unfortunately has a height requirement, so you’ll probably use rider switch for the taller members of your party to ride.
Where is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad located?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is located in the far back of the park in Frontierland.
Entering the park you’ll go to the hub and take a left. You can take the first left, through Adventureland, or the second left, through Liberty Square.
In either case you’ll head all the way in that direction before turning right toward Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The only other ride over there, former Splash Mountain, is now closed.
Since Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is on the west side of the park it is not a part of Early Entry and its rope drop occurs at the scheduled time for the park to open.
If you’re riding it first at rope drop, you’ll typically queue with the guests heading into Liberty Square. You can queue in Adventureland, but that area tends to be more crowded and you’ll have to depart from the pack to catch the main Frontierland crowd.
Once that side of the park opens, you’ll pass Haunted Mansion and arrive at a line of Cast Members that stops guests from heading all the way into Frontierland for a minute. They’ll explain that you’re heading into Frontierland before walking you to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. There’s no advantage to using the boardwalk or any alternative path, all guests are held by the line of Cast Members.
How to Ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Note: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently under refurbishment until 2026. This isn’t a huge reimagining, so we don’t expect it to have outsized demand when it reopens, except for maybe the first few days.
Like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a Tier 1 on Multi Pass that you probably won’t use your initial pick for. You can usually plan to grab it once you’ve started using your Lightning Lanes in the park.
Without Multi Pass, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was historically the cornerstone of our “west side” rope drop. We’d start with Big Thunder, then Splash (now Tiana’s), then Jungle Cruise. Unfortunately, this side of the park has not been “normal” in years.
My guess is that once Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens, we’ll see a situation where the best strategy is to start with either Jungle Cruise or Tiana’s, then go to Big Thunder, and then Pirates, Magic Carpets, and Haunted Mansion.
Otherwise, the big thing to remember about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is that, with Tiana’s, it’s alllll the way in one corner of the park. You probably won’t want to walk back here more than once if you can avoid it.
The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an outdoor roller coaster. It doesn’t go upside down or do anything too thrilling, but it is a fast and fun coaster with western theming. We rank it in the middle of the roller coasters at Walt Disney World, but it is a personal favorite of mine.
For starters, I love that it isn’t too short. It maybe even feels longer than the three minutes it takes because of the multiple lift hills. I also adore the views, which include maybe my favorite single view in Disney World as you approach the top of the mountain.
Despite its age and relative simplicity, Big Thunder doesn’t skimp on thrills. It keeps things exciting without making you worry you’re going to lose your lunch. Not many coasters strike this balance so well.
Overall, one of the things I love about Magic Kingdom getting newer and “better” rides these years is that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is more accessible than ever. It’s a standout coaster that doesn’t always have standout waits, and it’s a must-do for every time I visit Magic Kingdom.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad FAQ
How fast is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad goes 35 miles per hour.
What movie is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from?
None! Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a wholly original story not tied to any movie.
Does Big Thunder Mountain Railroad help kidney stones pass?
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