There are several rides in the works currently at Disney World. Some are fan favorites that just needed a facelift, while others are brand-new creations. One of those rides is Disney's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. This ride has been closed for quite some time, with guests eagerly anticipating its return. Now, the long-anticipated Disney ride has begun testing, leaving guests hopeful that the soft launch could be just weeks away.
This Fan-Favorite Disney Ride Has Begun Testing
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Inside the Magic shared some of the ride's developments. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been closed for over a year now for some general maintenance. Typically, the iconic train can be seen blazing through the mountains of the wild, wild west in the distance. But for the past year, the red-rocked silhouette has been quiet. That was until recently, when some activity was spotted over in the wild wild west again.
The outlet confirmed that "recent sightings at the construction site confirm that the iconic train engines are back on the tracks." For the first time in over a year, guests caught a glimpse of the trains as they navigated the mountainous terrain. While the ride is not officially ready for human occupants, it is not operating empty either. Instead, Inside the Magic shared that "Disney is currently utilizing weighted dummies — water- filled humanoids designed to stimulate the weight and distribution of actual passengers — to test the physics and safety of the newly laid tracks."
This Means The Ride Opening Is Just Around The Corner
The fact that this Disney ride has begun testing is a great sign for park guests. According to the outlet, this is one of the final steps before a ride reopens to the public. Inside the Magic shared that Walt Disney Imagineering typically follows the following steps when reopening a ride.
- The "push-pull" test, where vehicles are moved manually
- Empty vehicles run the course
- High-stakes "weighted testing" phase
- Cast member testing
- Open to the public
The reason for this extensive testing is that this wasn't just a general paint and polish maintenance job. Instead, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad got some serious upgrades. First, all of the tracks were replaced on the ride to ensure safety and security. Second, the ride's exterior got a paint job so that it will now blend seamlessly with the new nearby Piston Peak, the highly anticipated new Cars land nearby. Finally, Disney added a brand new mystery scene to the ride that guests are dying to see.
With the progress in the testing phase, Inside the Magic shares that "all signs point to a May 2026 return — with soft openings potentially just a few weeks away." How exciting!
