Okay, we get it — it’s no fun when your favorite Disney ride closes for refurbishment, especially if that closure happens during your planned trip.
It happens all the time, though. Rides have to close for much-needed maintenance, although sometimes rides get big updates during their closure (or entire re-themes). One classic Disneyland ride is scheduled to close soon for what’s probably a basic refurbishment, but now we know when that ride will reopen.
We know A LOT of attention has been given to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disney World because it’s got a yearlong closure coming up starting in 2025 — and fans have a LOT of questions about that big project. However, ANOTHER version of that ride will be closing SOON for what’s expected to be some basic maintenance and updates. Yep, that’s right, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in DISNEYLAND is scheduled to close on November 18th.
The good news is that this closure seems to be short. When we looked at the calendar for the ride on the Disneyland website, it showed that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad would reopen on December 13th. So, the closure will only be around a month (and as we know, Disney often reopens rides a little ahead of schedule, so it could be a little earlier).
So, what’s the difference between the ride in Disneyland and Disney World? Well, the story is a bit different: you’ve got a flood that happened to destroy the town in Disney World, but appropriately enough, it was an earthquake in the Disneyland ride. Also, many will tell you that the ride in Disneyland is smoother, and there are some cool special effects during the ride that Disney World doesn’t have (but we hope those effects get added during that yearlong closure).

If you’re looking to grab a ride on the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness on the West Coast, you need to keep those dates in mind. Stay tuned to DFB for more.
What a YEARLONG CLOSURE Means for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World
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Disney Genie and How to Use it in Disneyland
What You Need to Know About the Theme Park Reservation System for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure
Closures and Construction at Disneyland
Learn All About Disneyland Park
See What Marvelous Stuff You’ll Find at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure
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Which is your favorite Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? Let us know in the comments!




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