Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Overhaul Preparations Continue as Another Permit is Filed

7 hours ago in "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad"

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad overview
Posted: Wednesday December 4, 2024 1:47pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has filed a new permit for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom as preparations continue for the extensive refurbishment project starting in early 2025.

The permit, filed today, is assigned to long-time Disney Imagineering partner Elite AV Systems Inc. and expires on December 3, 2025.

Elite AV Systems Inc. has a history of working on recent Disney projects, focusing on technical and electrical components.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is scheduled to close on January 6, 2025, for what Disney has described as its most extensive refurbishment to date. Previous permits for the project included work with Coastal Steel Inc. for general construction and DPR Construction for complex structural updates. The DPR Construction permit is valid through March 13, 2026.

Disney has previously said it plans to reopen Big Thunder Mountain in 2026, promising the ride will return with "a little bit of new magic."

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danlb_2000Oct 30, 2024

They do a lot of steel work for Disney. http://coastalsteel.com/

BirdbyBirdOct 30, 2024

interesting. I'll research the company

JayspencyOct 30, 2024

nothing at WDW is a sacred cow so I get why you would be worried. But if a ride is popular it won't be changed... except for splash

JoeCamelOct 30, 2024

Not sure on that I just saw lots of night welding

TrainsOfDisneyOct 30, 2024

Ah! That’s what I’m remembering! I also think right when it reopened they didn’t have the railroad ties back in place? Or maybe I saw that from the train before it reopened.

JoeCamelOct 30, 2024

Back in ~2012 or so they took it down for what was supposed to be replacement but they only did sections and welded for weeks. At night it was lit up like Pandora in the dark with different welders

Disgruntled WaltOct 30, 2024

I WILL!

danlb_2000Oct 29, 2024

The permit it from Coastal Steel, so they are probably doing the install.

BirdbyBirdOct 29, 2024

Who does Disney source to work on this? are there specialists?

ToTBellHopOct 29, 2024

The parks are dead all summer and it closes for lightning so not many will notice regardless.

TrainsOfDisneyOct 29, 2024

I thought they replaced the track before - did they not? Maybe it was just a section they replaced?

HauntedPirateOct 29, 2024

That scrim has me so activated I can't stand it. Where's Josh and Jeff so I can do this?!?!!

Disgruntled WaltOct 29, 2024

Would they close it in the middle of the summer? Or would this be post-August? (asking since I'm going to be there in July most likely)