Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Live · 7:52pm
Today
Best time to ride15Min wait
| 9a | 12 min |
|---|---|
| 10a | 20 min |
| 11a | 26 min |
| 12p | 31 min |
| 1p | 34 min |
| 2p | 29 min |
| 3p | 33 min |
| 4p | 33 min |
| 5p | 35 min |
| 6p | 33 min |
| 7p | 28 min |
| 8p | 17 min |
| 9p | 15 min |
Field notes
- Height
- 38 in (97 cm) or taller
- Ride length
- 3 min 30 sec
- Top speed
- 36 mph (58 km/h)
- Access
- Transfer to wheelchair, then ride vehicle
- Opened
- 1980
- Lightning Lane
- Yes
- Single rider
- Not offered
- Rider Switch
- Available
The ride
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a runaway mine train coaster through a Western mining town: quick, rattling turns and dips, with no big drops and nothing upside down.
The story
In 1850 Barnabas T. Bullion struck gold here and founded the Big Thunder Mining Company. The mountain fought back with broken machines, cave-ins and thunder rumbling from inside. The town of Tumbleweed dried up until a rainmaker, Professor Cumulus Isobar, rolled in and a flash flood followed. Now the trains run with nobody at the controls, and you board one anyway.
History
Imagineer Tony Baxter built it out of Marc Davis's unbuilt Western River Expedition. Disneyland's opened September 2, 1979, and Magic Kingdom's on September 23, 1980, with rockwork modeled on Monument Valley and real mining equipment gathered from Western ghost towns. It closed in January 2025 for a full rebuild and reopened May 3, 2026, with new track, refreshed trains, a new Rainbow Caverns scene and gold glinting on the mountain.
Good to know
- The 2026 rebuild lowered the height requirement to 38 inches, so more young kids can ride.
- The standby queue runs through the mining company's offices, where most of the story is told.
Look for
- In the queue: a land grant signed by President James K. Polk, a blown-open safe, and a sign banning drinking, fighting, whistling and kidding.
- Each train has a name painted on the engine, like I.M. Fearless, U.R. Daring and U.B. Bold.
More at Magic Kingdom
All ridesQuestions
What is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a runaway mine train coaster through a Western mining town: quick, rattling turns and dips, with no big drops and nothing upside down.
What is the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad wait time right now?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is posting 15 minutes as of Nov 12, 7:52 PM EST. That compares with a typical 27 minutes across the day.
What is the best time to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Over the last four weeks, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has posted its shortest waits around 9a (about 12 minutes) and its longest around 5p (about 35 minutes). Posted waits are often a little longer than the real wait.
Can I get an alert when the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad wait drops?
Yes. In Parky you can set a wait-drop alert for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and get a notification when it falls to your number, or when it reopens after going down. One ride alert is free; Parky Gold makes them unlimited.
How long is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
The ride itself lasts about 3 min 30 sec, not counting the line or any preshow.
How fast does Big Thunder Mountain Railroad go?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reaches a top speed of 36 mph (58 km/h).
When did Big Thunder Mountain Railroad open?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened at Magic Kingdom in 1980.
Can you ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in a wheelchair?
Guests using an ECV transfer to a standard wheelchair, then from the wheelchair to the ride vehicle on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
What is the height requirement for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Riders must be at least 38 inches (97 cm) tall. Rider Switch is available, so a group can take turns without waiting twice.