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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a mine train roller coaster located at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park in Paris. In Tokyo and Paris, the attraction is named Big Thunder Mountain. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is also the name of the fictional rail line the roller coaster depicts.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad entrance at Walt Disney World
Disneyland
Park sectionFrontierland
Coordinates33°48′47″N 117°55′13″W / 33.8130°N 117.9204°W / 33.8130; -117.9204
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 2, 1979 (1979-09-02)
ReplacedMine Train Through Nature's Wonderland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland at RCDB
Magic Kingdom
Park sectionFrontierland
Coordinates28°25′14″N 81°35′05″W / 28.4205°N 81.5848°W / 28.4205; -81.5848
StatusOperating
Opening dateNovember 15, 1980; 42 years ago (November 15, 1980)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom at RCDB
Tokyo Disneyland
Park sectionWesternland
Coordinates35°37′57″N 139°53′02″E / 35.6326°N 139.8839°E / 35.6326; 139.8839
StatusOperating
Opening dateJuly 4, 1987 (1987-07-04)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Tokyo Disneyland at RCDB
Disneyland Park (Paris)
Park sectionFrontierland
Coordinates48°52′15″N 2°46′32″E / 48.8707°N 2.7756°E / 48.8707; 2.7756
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 12, 1992 (1992-04-12)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland Park (Paris) at RCDB
General statistics
TypeSteel – Mine train
DesignerWalt Disney Imagineering
ModelMine train
Track layoutCustom
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height104 ft (32 m)
Speed35 mph (56 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration~3:00
Height restriction40 in (102 cm)
ManufacturerArrow Development (California)
Dynamic Structures (2014 California rebuild)
Vekoma (Florida, Paris, Tokyo)
RestraintsSingle lap bar
SponsorDai-ichi Life (Tokyo)
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane available at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom
Disney Premier Access available at Disneyland Park Paris
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair

Theme Edit

 
Inspired by real-life Bryce Canyon, the Hoodoos of Big Thunder in Disneyland as seen from the Big Thunder Trail that passes behind the ride.

Although the details of the backstory vary from park to park, all follow the same general story arc. Sometime in the late 1800s, gold was discovered on Big Thunder Mountain in the American Southwest. Overnight, a small mining town became a thriving one (Rainbow Ridge in Disneyland; Tumbleweed in Florida; Thunder Mesa in Disneyland Paris) under the thumb of the greedy mining company owner (Barnabas T. Bullion in the American versions, Henry Ravenswood in Disneyland Paris). Mining was prosperous, and an extensive line of mine trains was set up to transport the ore. Unknown to the settlers, the mountain was a sacred spot to local Native Americans and was cursed.[1]

Before long, the settlers' desecration of the mountain caused a great tragedy, which, depending on the park, is usually depicted to be an earthquake (Disneyland and Disneyland Paris), a tsunami (Tokyo Disneyland), or a flash flood (Walt Disney World), which befell the mines and town, and the town was abandoned. Some time later, the locomotives were found to be racing around the mountain on their own, without engineers or a crew. The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was founded in the old mining camp to allow wanderers to take rides on the possessed trains.

The detailed backstory, while present in park literature and training materials, is not communicated to park guests directly. The station buildings on all four versions of the ride are themed to appearance of a mining company office from the mid to late 19th century. In the Disneyland park, there is music and laughing in one of the saloons of Rainbow Ridge, and a typewriter is heard from a newspaper office. The mountains themselves are themed to the red rock formations of the American Southwest. The rock work designs in the Disneyland version are based on the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. In the Florida, Tokyo and Paris versions of the ride, the rockwork designs are based on the rising buttes that are located in Arizona and at Monument Valley in Utah. Walt Disney Imagineering took special care to make it appear that the rocks were there originally, and the track was built around the rocks, unlike a number of earlier mine rides, which were built the other way around (by sculpting the rocks around the tracks). There is also a dinosaur skeleton that the train passes by in all versions of the ride except the Paris version. A cracked eggshell is nearby, and there is a pleasant lake with water that is shot up while the train passes on the warmer days.[2] Sound effects of a typical locomotive operation are piped into the surrounding scenery to add realism to guests viewing the ride from observation platforms, including the steam whistle sounding, even though there is no whistle displayed on the locomotives.

History Edit

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was designed by Imagineer Tony Baxter[3] and ride design engineer Bill Watkins. The concept came from Baxter's work on fellow Imagineer Marc Davis's concept for the Western River Expedition, a western-themed pavilion at the Magic Kingdom, designed to look like an enormous plateau and contain many rides, including a runaway mine train roller coaster. However, because the pavilion as a whole was deemed too expensive in light of the construction and 1973 opening of Pirates of the Caribbean, Baxter proposed severing the mine train and building it as a separate attraction.

The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad project was put on hold again in 1974 as resources and personnel were being diverted to work on constructing Space Mountain in Tomorrowland, but this delay may have ultimately produced a smoother ride as the use of computers in attraction design was just beginning when the project was resumed. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was one of the first Disney rides to utilize computer-aided design.[2] Four of Disney's parks feature the attraction. It first opened at Disneyland in 1979, and then a larger version debuted at Magic Kingdom in Florida in 1980. Tokyo Disneyland's version opened in 1987. Disneyland Paris opened with its version in 1992, of which its layout and structure is primarily based on the Florida version of the ride. The Disneyland Paris installation is also the only Big Thunder Mountain to have been an opening-day attraction at its park.

In August 2018, the Paris location would get a single rider line. Guests would take the normal line and a cast member would direct them either towards the single rider entrance or the normal pathway at the level of the panel located a little before the covered line.[4] Less than two years later, a single rider line was also added to the Tokyo location in January 2020.[5]

Timeline Edit

  • 1972-3: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was conceived by Imagineer Tony Baxter for Walt Disney World, but it was put on hold due to the construction of Pirates of the Caribbean in Florida.
  • 1974: The project is put on hold again due to the construction of Space Mountain.
  • 1977: Construction begins on the ride at Disneyland.
  • September 2, 1979: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially opens at Disneyland.
  • November 15, 1980: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially opens at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
  • July 4, 1987: Big Thunder Mountain officially opens at Tokyo Disneyland.
  • April 12, 1992: Big Thunder Mountain officially opens at Disneyland Paris along with the park.
  • March 17, 2014: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens at Disneyland following a 14-month refurbishment that included an entire replacement of new track (similar to the Space Mountain refurbishment) by Dynamic Attractions, new trains, new scenery, and new effects.[6]
  • November 2, 2015: Big Thunder Mountain closes at Disneyland Paris for a year-long refurbishment. Its reopening is scheduled for December 17, 2016.
  • August 8, 2016: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closes at the Magic Kingdom for a 4-month refurbishment. Its reopening is scheduled for November 19, 2016.
  • December 6, 2020: Since Walt Disney World reopened, after being temporarily closed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Magic Kingdom had announced that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be close temporarily at Magic Kingdom for the refurbishment. Its reopening is scheduled for 2021 in the time for Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary celebration.

Tributes to predecessor Edit

At Disneyland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was built on the land the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland used to occupy. Several tributes to the former attraction are present in the Disneyland version. A scaled-down Western town sits adjacent to the queuing lines and tracks near the station. A Western saloon, hotel, assayer's office and mercantile appear among the buildings. This is the village of Rainbow Ridge, which used to overlook the loading platform of the sedate Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland. Many of the animal animatronics throughout the attraction are animatronic animals from the previous attraction. Other allusions to the Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland include the Rainbow Caverns (glowing pools of water by the first lift hill) and precariously balanced rocks in the third lift hill tunnel. The name of the ride itself, "Big Thunder", was originally the name of a large waterfall the old mine train passed on its tour. "Little Thunder" was located nearby.

Name Edit

At the Magic Kingdom and at Disneyland, the ride is known by its full name of "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad". The Tokyo and Paris versions would drop the word "Railroad" in favor of the name "Big Thunder Mountain", though the full name is still present on the trains. Tokyo Disneyland's Big Thunder, which is almost identical to the Magic Kingdom's, opened in 1987, five years after the park opened. At Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, the name of the ride is sometimes shortened to "Big Thunder Mountain", "Big Thunder", "Thunder Mountain Railroad" or "Thunder Mountain".

Kidney stones Edit

In the October 2016 Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, a paper entitled "Validation of a Functional Pyelocalyceal Renal Model for the Evaluation of Renal Calculi Passage While Riding a Roller Coaster" was published.[7] The paper's author, Dr. Wartinger, found that patients of his had passed kidney stones after riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World on vacation, including one who passed three stones on three separate occasions. The doctor then tested this result, with the permission of Disney, with a 3D model of a kidney by riding the ride over 20 times. The study found nearly 70% of the time, the kidney stone was passed, with results varying depending on which row they were in.[7][8] The study also found that Space Mountain and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith failed to cause this result.[9]

Ride experience Edit

Disneyland version Edit

 
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland

While the design of the Walt Disney World version of this roller coaster was done first, Disneyland's version was the first one to open.[10] The track layout was mirrored, placing the attraction to the right of Rivers of America, if viewed from the central hub. (In Walt Disney World, the attraction is located to the left of Rivers of America.) To better fit with the adjacent Fantasyland areas of the theme park, the original Walt Disney World design had to be replaced with something more appropriate for Disneyland. The Florida, Tokyo and Paris versions of the ride use sharp-edged mountains and the vibrant colors of Monument Valley, Arizona, while Disneyland's version was developed with more rounded features and muted colors resembling the Bryce Canyon hoodoos in Utah.[11]

Upon entering the attraction, the queue winds through a narrow rock wall and passing by the tracks. The surrounding walls were originally created from 100 tons of gold ore from Rosamond.[12]

Leaving the outdoor station, trains enter a bat-infested tunnel, make a right hand turn, then a left hand turn before climbing the first lift hill, which takes trains through a cavern full of stalactites. Leaving the lift hill, the train drops away to the right, then levels out and makes a left hand turn. The track then crosses under the second lift hill drop before making a right hand turn. The sounds of coyotes can be heard howling at the train as it dives into a cave. At the end of the tunnel, the train hits a trim brake, exits the tunnel, and climbs the second lift hill. At the top of the lift, an animatronic goat bleats at passing guests as the train drops away to the right, crosses under the lift hill, and rises up into a downward spiraling clockwise helix. Leaving the helix, the train shoots through a small canyon, then drops down into a mining camp, where it hits another trim brake. The train then makes a left hand turn, enters another tunnel, and climbs the third lift hill. As the train climbs the lift, the tunnel is dynamited, and artificial smoke is blasted in guests' faces as the train crests the lift and exits the tunnel. The train then drops to the right, towards the river, then makes a right hand turn and passes through a short tunnel. After crossing over the drop, the trains make a left hand turn as they pass through the ribcage of a T-rex skeleton, hit a trim brake, then make a right hand turn into the final brakes. The train then travels by the buildings of Rainbow Ridge as it returns to the station.

California's version of the ride is the only version of the ride to feature an outdoor station. All of the other versions feature an indoor station.

On January 7, 2013, the ride was closed for an extensive refurbishment that included a new track, trains, scenery, and new effects on the third lift hill. The attraction reopened on March 17, 2014.[13] The new track was fabricated by Dynamic Structures, the company that had previously rehauled the coaster track in Space Mountain.[14]

Magic Kingdom version Edit

 
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic Kingdom

The track layout of the Magic Kingdom's version is a nearly identical mirrored layout of the Disneyland attraction.

Riders board the trains in an enclosed loading station on a hillside. Leaving the station, trains make a left hand turn into a bat-infested tunnel, make a slight right turn, and climb the first lift hill. At the top of the lift hill, trains pass under a waterfall and drop to the left. This is followed by a right hand turn, after which the track crosses under the second lift hill and drop. After crossing under the second lift hill drop, the track goes through a 270 degree clockwise spiral and passes through a short tunnel. Trains emerge from the tunnel and pass through the flooded town of Tumbleweed, running parallel to the Walt Disney World Railroad. The train passes over a decaying trestle (where the track is slightly banked from side to side), before entering Davy Jones Mine, where it hits a trim brake. Trains then make a left hand turn and climb the second lift hill.

At the top of the second lift hill, trains drop to the left and cross under the lift hill, before rising into a 540 degree downhill counterclockwise helix, passing over a broken trestle. Leaving the helix, trains shoot up across a small hill, make a slight right turn, then drop through another tunnel and hit a trim brake. The trains then make a right hand turn into a tunnel and climb the third lift hill. As the train climbs the lift, an earthquake hits and makes the train cars sway from side to side (the effect achieved by slightly banking the track). Leaving the lift, trains emerge from the tunnel, crest a small rise, and drop to the left towards the Rivers of America. After traveling along a short section of straight track, the ride then makes a left hand turn through a short tunnel and crosses a short bridge. The train then makes a right hand turn, and passes through the ribcage of a T-Rex skeleton as it hits the final trim brake, makes a left hand turn past some geysers and hot springs, and rises into the final brakes. The train then makes a left turn back into the station.

The Florida version was allocated more space in the park, and so the Monument Valley-inspired ride structure assumes 2.5 acres, 25 percent larger than the Disneyland version. Due to the ride being surrounded by the Rivers of America on the east and Walt Disney World Railroad on the west, the maintenance facility for the trains is on the opposite side of the Railroad's track from the ride, with a swing bridge being used where the transfer track crosses the Railroad, just past the Frontierland station.[15]

Tokyo Disneyland version Edit

 
Big Thunder Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland

Big Thunder Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland is similar to the Florida ride, but there are some differences in the ride layout. Instead of Tumbleweed, the track makes a left turn and dives into a cave, mirroring the California version of the ride. More significantly, the final segment of the ride is different. Instead of crossing back over the drop from the third lift hill, the track makes a 180 degree turn to the right before dropping out of a tunnel, through the Boneyard/geyser scene, into a short tunnel. The track then makes a right hand turn into the final brakes. The trains pass in front of the station building, and then turn back into the loading area.

Disneyland Paris version Edit

 
Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Paris

While primarily based on the Florida version, Paris's version is unique as it is situated on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, where Tom Sawyer's Island would normally sit. It is also the only version of the ride to be an opening day attraction and the largest installment at any Disney park. The Paris version underwent a year long refurbishment from November 2015 to December 2016. As part of the renovation, the brakes were overhauled, some of the scenery was repainted, and a few elements from the California version were added (rainbow pools of water on the first lift hill cave, new sound effects for the mine elevator on the second lift hill, new mapping effects for the blasting scene on the third lift hill). Interactive games were also installed in the queue.[16]

Guests board the trains at a station on the mainland. Unlike the other versions, the trains on this version are painted to look weathered and aged. Immediately upon leaving the station, trains dive into a tunnel that transports them under the Rivers of the Far West to the island where the ride is located. The train makes a right hand turn, and makes a quick steep rise before starting up the first lift hill. As trains climb out of the darkness of the underwater tunnel, stalactites and stalagmites can be seen growing next to the track, along with several rainbow colored pools of water. The sounds of bats swooping up above can also be heard. During warmer months, a waterfall parts around the track at the top of the hill. Trains pop out of the tunnel, leave the lift hill, and drop around a left hand turn, pass through a small cave, then make a swooping right turn. If the trains are being dispatched timely, when the train goes through this curve, it will appear to make a near miss with a train in the 540 degree helix.

After this turn, the trains pass under the second lift hill and its drop, making a slight hop, before making a left hand turn onto a trestle. The train runs along the Rivers of the Far West, across the water from Phantom Manor (the park's version of the Haunted Mansion), then makes a slight right hand turn, and suddenly falls through a washed out section of the trestle, hitting a magnetic trim brake. The trestle drop also contains an on-ride camera. After dropping down to the water level (with water jets on the sides of the track simulating a splashdown), the trains go around a left turn and hit the base of the second lift hill.

As trains start up the lift hill, two tied down donkeys can be seen to the right side of the track, braying at passing trains, with an empty watering pail in front of them. A goat can be seen pulling on a shirt hanging on a clothesline to the riders' left, as the trains pass a parked steamroller and mine elevator, and travel under a water tower.

At the top of the lift, it is possible for guests to catch a glimpse of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Walt Disney Studios Paris on the horizon before the trains drop around a left turn and cross back under the lift hill. Coming out of the drop, the track goes over another rise, hitting a magnetic trim brake, and passes a sign warning of a broken trestle mounted to the water tower post. Cresting the hill, trains cross over the broken trestle and spiral down through a 540-degree counter-clockwise helix.

Exiting the helix, the trains pass through a short cave and go over a quick airtime hill as they shoot down a canyon. As the trains drop through the tunnel and pass over a trim brake, a loud gust of wind is heard. Trains then make a right hand turn on another trestle, enter a tunnel with signs warning of blasting over the portal, and climb the third lift hill.

As the train starts up the third hill, the tunnel is dynamited, and artificial smoke is blasted in guests' faces as the train crests the lift and exits the tunnel. The train crests a small hill, then drops to the left onto a straightaway alongside the river, speeding up as it enters the return tunnel. The train encounters a swarm of bats in the tunnel as it makes another sharp counter-clockwise turnaround and goes down a steep drop to cross under the water. The trains continue to accelerate through the dark until it pops out of the exit portal on the mainland. An additional chain lift is located here to assist the train in leaving the tunnel. The train then coasts past the station, through the loading dock, and then makes a left turn to reenter the station.

In other media Edit

In film Edit

The sounds of Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad trains were recorded and used as sound effects for the mine cart chase sequence in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' 1984 film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.[17] Disneyland would later get its own Indiana Jones attraction in 1995, and the Walt Disney Company would go on to acquire the Indiana Jones franchise with its purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012.

In August 2022, it was announced that a film adaptation of the ride was in development. Amber Templemore-Finlayson and Katie Ellwood, collectively known as "Bert & Bertie", will serve as co-directors after the pair impressed studio executives with their pitched approach to the property. The script is being co-written by Michele and Kieran Mulroney. The project will be a joint-venture production between LuckyChap Entertainment, and Scott Free Productions.[18]

In television Edit

In January 2013, ABC ordered a pilot based on the ride titled Big Thunder Mountain, but the idea was scrapped sometime after.[19][20][21][22][23][24]

In the Modern Family episode "Disneyland", Phil (Ty Burrell) and his son Luke (Nolan Gould) ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad together during a family trip to Disneyland in Anaheim. Phil, who self-proclaims to be king of the roller coasters, begins to feel even more queasy when riding Big Thunder, after he and Luke had exited Indiana Jones Adventure prior.

Print media Edit

In October 2014, Marvel Comics announced a five-issue series based on the attraction, which eventually debuted in early 2015.[25] Part of Marvel's "Disney Kingdoms" line, the series elaborated on the story behind the attraction and featured input from Walt Disney Imagineering, including numerous nods to elements of the ride.[25] The story would focus around Abigail Bullion, the spirited daughter of Big Thunder Mining Company founder Barnabas T. Bullion. She falls in with a group of bandits seeking to undermine the authority of Barnabas and his corrupt foreman Willikers and put stolen wealth from the mountain to good use helping the townspeople of Rainbow Ridge.

Incidents Edit

  • March 10, 1998, Disneyland: A 5-year-old boy was seriously injured when his foot became wedged between the passenger car's running board and the edge of the exterior platform after the train temporarily paused before pulling into the unloading area. All of the toes on his left foot required amputation. This led to improvements to the ride, although the family maintains the park would not acknowledge this injury as the reason.[26]
  • September 5, 2003, Disneyland: A 22-year-old man died after suffering severe blunt trauma and extensive internal bleeding in a derailment that also injured 10 other riders.[27] The cause of the accident was determined to be improper maintenance.[28] Investigation reports and discovery by the victim's attorney confirmed the fatal injuries occurred when the first passenger car collided with the underside of the locomotive. The derailment was the result of a mechanical failure which occurred due to omissions during a maintenance procedure. Fasteners on the left side upstop/guide wheel on the floating axle of the locomotive were not tightened and safetied in accordance with specifications. As the train entered a tunnel the axle came loose and jammed against a brake section, causing the locomotive to become airborne and hit the ceiling of the tunnel. The locomotive then fell on top of the first passenger car, crushing the victim.[29] After the investigation to this incident was complete, the ride was reopened on March 11, 2004.[30]
  • April 25, 2011, Disneyland Paris: Five guests were injured when a piece of scenery fell onto a passing train. One guest, a 38-year-old man, was seriously injured and transported to a Paris hospital, while the other four were treated at the scene.[31]
  • October 27, 2011, Disneyland Paris: Two cars derailed as one of the ride's trains passed slowly over a flat section of track. Two guests were slightly injured, and the ride was subsequently closed for inspections.[32]
  • February 2017, a 54-year-old man died after riding Magic Kingdom's attraction at Walt Disney World. The cause of his death is believed to be from natural causes due to a pre-existing medical condition. A Disney spokesperson said the ride was operating as normal.[33][34]

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ Birnbaum's Disneyland Resort Official Guide 2003, pg. 65, (c) 2003 Disney Editions
  2. ^ a b . Archived from the original on February 6, 2012.
  3. ^ Strodder, Chris (2017). The Disneyland Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). Santa Monica Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-1595800909.
  4. ^ "File Single Rider en test sur Big Thunder Mountain". August 26, 2018. from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "Single Rider Coming Next Month to Big Thunder Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland". December 24, 2019. from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  6. ^ Tully, Sarah (March 18, 2014). "DISNEYLAND: Big Thunder roaring back after 14 months". The Press-Enterprise. from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Mitchell, Marc A.; Wartinger, David D. (October 1, 2016). "Validation of a Functional Pyelocalyceal Renal Model for the Evaluation of Renal Calculi Passage While Riding a Roller Coaster". The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. 116 (10): 647–52. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2016.128. ISSN 0098-6151. PMID 27669068. from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  8. ^ Willingham, AJ (September 28, 2016). "Little kidney stone? Ride a roller coaster, says study". CNN. from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  9. ^ Michigan State University. "Got kidney stones? Ride a roller coaster". MSUToday. Michigan State University. from the original on September 30, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  10. ^ Surrell, Jason. The Disney Mountains Imagineering at Its Peak, Disney Editions, New York, 2007. pp. 60-75.
  11. ^ Surrell, Jason. The Disney Mountains Imagineering at Its Peak, Disney Editions, New York, 2007. pp. 67-69.
  12. ^ Jim Fanning (2009). Disneyland Challenge. Disney Editions. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-4231-0675-3.
  13. ^ Glover, Erin (March 7, 2014). "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to Reopen March 17 at Disneyland Park". DisneyParks Blog. from the original on March 8, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  14. ^ . Dynamic Attractions. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  15. ^ Surrell, Jason. The Disney Mountains Imagineering at Its Peak, Disney Editions, New York, 2007. p. 72.
  16. ^ "Closures & Refurbishments". December 12, 2019. from the original on February 16, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  17. ^ Slater, Tyler. "Five Things You Might Have Missed Aboard Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland Park". Disney Parks Blog. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  18. ^ Kroll, Justin (August 16, 2022). "'Hawkeye' Directors Bert & Bertie To Direct Big Thunder Mountain Movie For Disney, LuckyChap and Scott Free". Deadline. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  19. ^ Nellie Andreeva (January 30, 2013). "UPDATE: Big Thunder Mountain Drama, Projects From Mark Gordon, Ryan Reynolds & Martin Campbell Get ABC Pilot Orders". Deadline. from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  20. ^ Nellie Andreeva (February 20, 2013). "Melissa Rosenberg To Run ABC's 'Big Thunder' Drama Pilot". Deadline. from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  21. ^ Nellie Andreeva (February 27, 2013). "Jay Hernandez Joins Fox's 'Gang Related', Ana De La Reguera In ABC's 'Big Thunder'". Deadline. from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  22. ^ Nellie Andreeva (March 2, 2013). "ABC Pilot Castings: Andrea Savage Boards John Leguizamo Comedy, Matt Oberg Joins 'Pulling', Zahn McClarnon In 'Big Thunder'". Deadline.
  23. ^ Nellie Andreeva (March 6, 2013). "Scott Bakula Joins TNT's Bounty Hunter Pilot, ABC's 'Big Thunder' Casts A Lead". Deadline. from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  24. ^ Nellie Andreeva (March 9, 2013). "ABC Pilot 'Big Thunder' Finds Lead, CW's 'Oxygen' & ABC's 'Influence' Add To Casts". Deadline. from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Russ Burlingame (October 18, 2014). "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Comic Coming From Marvel's Disney Kingdoms Line". comicbook.com. from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  26. ^ Saffian, Sarah (May 2000). "The Hidden Danger of Amusement Parks". Redbook. from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  27. ^ . KABC-TV. September 7, 2003. Archived from the original on September 6, 2003.
  28. ^ "Big Thunder Railroad Death Brings Big Admission From Disney". Legal Examiner. December 4, 2005. from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  29. ^ . Archived from the original on March 15, 2009.
  30. ^ David Haldane; Kimi Yoshino (March 11, 2004). "Disneyland Rail Ride Is Reopened". Los Angeles Times. from the original on December 9, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  31. ^ "Five injured on Disneyland Paris ride". MyFoxOrlando.com. April 25, 2011. from the original on May 3, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  32. ^ "Second accident at Disney train ride". The Connexion. from the original on October 30, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  33. ^ "Man dies after riding Disney World's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad". Orlando Sentinel. April 21, 2017. from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  34. ^ "Man dies after riding Thunder Mountain in Disney World". KRON4. April 22, 2017. from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.

External links Edit

Official links Edit

  • Disneyland - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Magic Kingdom - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Tokyo Disneyland - Big Thunder Mountain
  • Disneyland Park (Paris) - Big Thunder Mountain

Additional links Edit

    thunder, mountain, railroad, mine, train, roller, coaster, located, disneyland, magic, kingdom, tokyo, disneyland, disneyland, park, paris, tokyo, paris, attraction, named, thunder, mountain, also, name, fictional, rail, line, roller, coaster, depicts, entranc. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a mine train roller coaster located at Disneyland Magic Kingdom Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park in Paris In Tokyo and Paris the attraction is named Big Thunder Mountain Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is also the name of the fictional rail line the roller coaster depicts Big Thunder Mountain RailroadBig Thunder Mountain Railroad entrance at Walt Disney WorldDisneylandPark sectionFrontierlandCoordinates33 48 47 N 117 55 13 W 33 8130 N 117 9204 W 33 8130 117 9204StatusOperatingOpening dateSeptember 2 1979 1979 09 02 ReplacedMine Train Through Nature s WonderlandBig Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland at RCDBMagic KingdomPark sectionFrontierlandCoordinates28 25 14 N 81 35 05 W 28 4205 N 81 5848 W 28 4205 81 5848StatusOperatingOpening dateNovember 15 1980 42 years ago November 15 1980 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom at RCDBTokyo DisneylandPark sectionWesternlandCoordinates35 37 57 N 139 53 02 E 35 6326 N 139 8839 E 35 6326 139 8839StatusOperatingOpening dateJuly 4 1987 1987 07 04 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Tokyo Disneyland at RCDBDisneyland Park Paris Park sectionFrontierlandCoordinates48 52 15 N 2 46 32 E 48 8707 N 2 7756 E 48 8707 2 7756StatusOperatingOpening dateApril 12 1992 1992 04 12 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland Park Paris at RCDBGeneral statisticsTypeSteel Mine trainDesignerWalt Disney ImagineeringModelMine trainTrack layoutCustomLift launch systemChain lift hillHeight104 ft 32 m Speed35 mph 56 km h Inversions0Duration 3 00Height restriction40 in 102 cm ManufacturerArrow Development California Dynamic Structures 2014 California rebuild Vekoma Florida Paris Tokyo RestraintsSingle lap barSponsorDai ichi Life Tokyo Disney Genie Lightning Lane available at Disneyland and Magic KingdomDisney Premier Access available at Disneyland Park ParisSingle rider line availableMust transfer from wheelchair Contents 1 Theme 2 History 2 1 Timeline 2 2 Tributes to predecessor 2 3 Name 2 4 Kidney stones 3 Ride experience 3 1 Disneyland version 3 2 Magic Kingdom version 3 3 Tokyo Disneyland version 3 4 Disneyland Paris version 4 In other media 4 1 In film 4 2 In television 4 3 Print media 5 Incidents 6 See also 7 References 8 External links 8 1 Official links 8 2 Additional linksTheme Edit nbsp Inspired by real life Bryce Canyon the Hoodoos of Big Thunder in Disneyland as seen from the Big Thunder Trail that passes behind the ride Although the details of the backstory vary from park to park all follow the same general story arc Sometime in the late 1800s gold was discovered on Big Thunder Mountain in the American Southwest Overnight a small mining town became a thriving one Rainbow Ridge in Disneyland Tumbleweed in Florida Thunder Mesa in Disneyland Paris under the thumb of the greedy mining company owner Barnabas T Bullion in the American versions Henry Ravenswood in Disneyland Paris Mining was prosperous and an extensive line of mine trains was set up to transport the ore Unknown to the settlers the mountain was a sacred spot to local Native Americans and was cursed 1 Before long the settlers desecration of the mountain caused a great tragedy which depending on the park is usually depicted to be an earthquake Disneyland and Disneyland Paris a tsunami Tokyo Disneyland or a flash flood Walt Disney World which befell the mines and town and the town was abandoned Some time later the locomotives were found to be racing around the mountain on their own without engineers or a crew The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was founded in the old mining camp to allow wanderers to take rides on the possessed trains The detailed backstory while present in park literature and training materials is not communicated to park guests directly The station buildings on all four versions of the ride are themed to appearance of a mining company office from the mid to late 19th century In the Disneyland park there is music and laughing in one of the saloons of Rainbow Ridge and a typewriter is heard from a newspaper office The mountains themselves are themed to the red rock formations of the American Southwest The rock work designs in the Disneyland version are based on the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah In the Florida Tokyo and Paris versions of the ride the rockwork designs are based on the rising buttes that are located in Arizona and at Monument Valley in Utah Walt Disney Imagineering took special care to make it appear that the rocks were there originally and the track was built around the rocks unlike a number of earlier mine rides which were built the other way around by sculpting the rocks around the tracks There is also a dinosaur skeleton that the train passes by in all versions of the ride except the Paris version A cracked eggshell is nearby and there is a pleasant lake with water that is shot up while the train passes on the warmer days 2 Sound effects of a typical locomotive operation are piped into the surrounding scenery to add realism to guests viewing the ride from observation platforms including the steam whistle sounding even though there is no whistle displayed on the locomotives History EditBig Thunder Mountain Railroad was designed by Imagineer Tony Baxter 3 and ride design engineer Bill Watkins The concept came from Baxter s work on fellow Imagineer Marc Davis s concept for the Western River Expedition a western themed pavilion at the Magic Kingdom designed to look like an enormous plateau and contain many rides including a runaway mine train roller coaster However because the pavilion as a whole was deemed too expensive in light of the construction and 1973 opening of Pirates of the Caribbean Baxter proposed severing the mine train and building it as a separate attraction The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad project was put on hold again in 1974 as resources and personnel were being diverted to work on constructing Space Mountain in Tomorrowland but this delay may have ultimately produced a smoother ride as the use of computers in attraction design was just beginning when the project was resumed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was one of the first Disney rides to utilize computer aided design 2 Four of Disney s parks feature the attraction It first opened at Disneyland in 1979 and then a larger version debuted at Magic Kingdom in Florida in 1980 Tokyo Disneyland s version opened in 1987 Disneyland Paris opened with its version in 1992 of which its layout and structure is primarily based on the Florida version of the ride The Disneyland Paris installation is also the only Big Thunder Mountain to have been an opening day attraction at its park In August 2018 the Paris location would get a single rider line Guests would take the normal line and a cast member would direct them either towards the single rider entrance or the normal pathway at the level of the panel located a little before the covered line 4 Less than two years later a single rider line was also added to the Tokyo location in January 2020 5 Timeline Edit 1972 3 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was conceived by Imagineer Tony Baxter for Walt Disney World but it was put on hold due to the construction of Pirates of the Caribbean in Florida 1974 The project is put on hold again due to the construction of Space Mountain 1977 Construction begins on the ride at Disneyland September 2 1979 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially opens at Disneyland November 15 1980 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially opens at Walt Disney World s Magic Kingdom July 4 1987 Big Thunder Mountain officially opens at Tokyo Disneyland April 12 1992 Big Thunder Mountain officially opens at Disneyland Paris along with the park March 17 2014 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens at Disneyland following a 14 month refurbishment that included an entire replacement of new track similar to the Space Mountain refurbishment by Dynamic Attractions new trains new scenery and new effects 6 November 2 2015 Big Thunder Mountain closes at Disneyland Paris for a year long refurbishment Its reopening is scheduled for December 17 2016 August 8 2016 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closes at the Magic Kingdom for a 4 month refurbishment Its reopening is scheduled for November 19 2016 December 6 2020 Since Walt Disney World reopened after being temporarily closed during the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic Magic Kingdom had announced that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be close temporarily at Magic Kingdom for the refurbishment Its reopening is scheduled for 2021 in the time for Walt Disney World s 50th Anniversary celebration Tributes to predecessor Edit At Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was built on the land the Mine Train Through Nature s Wonderland used to occupy Several tributes to the former attraction are present in the Disneyland version A scaled down Western town sits adjacent to the queuing lines and tracks near the station A Western saloon hotel assayer s office and mercantile appear among the buildings This is the village of Rainbow Ridge which used to overlook the loading platform of the sedate Mine Train through Nature s Wonderland Many of the animal animatronics throughout the attraction are animatronic animals from the previous attraction Other allusions to the Mine Train through Nature s Wonderland include the Rainbow Caverns glowing pools of water by the first lift hill and precariously balanced rocks in the third lift hill tunnel The name of the ride itself Big Thunder was originally the name of a large waterfall the old mine train passed on its tour Little Thunder was located nearby Name Edit At the Magic Kingdom and at Disneyland the ride is known by its full name of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad The Tokyo and Paris versions would drop the word Railroad in favor of the name Big Thunder Mountain though the full name is still present on the trains Tokyo Disneyland s Big Thunder which is almost identical to the Magic Kingdom s opened in 1987 five years after the park opened At Magic Kingdom and Disneyland the name of the ride is sometimes shortened to Big Thunder Mountain Big Thunder Thunder Mountain Railroad or Thunder Mountain Kidney stones Edit In the October 2016 Journal of the American Osteopathic Association a paper entitled Validation of a Functional Pyelocalyceal Renal Model for the Evaluation of Renal Calculi Passage While Riding a Roller Coaster was published 7 The paper s author Dr Wartinger found that patients of his had passed kidney stones after riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World on vacation including one who passed three stones on three separate occasions The doctor then tested this result with the permission of Disney with a 3D model of a kidney by riding the ride over 20 times The study found nearly 70 of the time the kidney stone was passed with results varying depending on which row they were in 7 8 The study also found that Space Mountain and Rock n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith failed to cause this result 9 Ride experience EditDisneyland version Edit nbsp Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at DisneylandWhile the design of the Walt Disney World version of this roller coaster was done first Disneyland s version was the first one to open 10 The track layout was mirrored placing the attraction to the right of Rivers of America if viewed from the central hub In Walt Disney World the attraction is located to the left of Rivers of America To better fit with the adjacent Fantasyland areas of the theme park the original Walt Disney World design had to be replaced with something more appropriate for Disneyland The Florida Tokyo and Paris versions of the ride use sharp edged mountains and the vibrant colors of Monument Valley Arizona while Disneyland s version was developed with more rounded features and muted colors resembling the Bryce Canyon hoodoos in Utah 11 Upon entering the attraction the queue winds through a narrow rock wall and passing by the tracks The surrounding walls were originally created from 100 tons of gold ore from Rosamond 12 Leaving the outdoor station trains enter a bat infested tunnel make a right hand turn then a left hand turn before climbing the first lift hill which takes trains through a cavern full of stalactites Leaving the lift hill the train drops away to the right then levels out and makes a left hand turn The track then crosses under the second lift hill drop before making a right hand turn The sounds of coyotes can be heard howling at the train as it dives into a cave At the end of the tunnel the train hits a trim brake exits the tunnel and climbs the second lift hill At the top of the lift an animatronic goat bleats at passing guests as the train drops away to the right crosses under the lift hill and rises up into a downward spiraling clockwise helix Leaving the helix the train shoots through a small canyon then drops down into a mining camp where it hits another trim brake The train then makes a left hand turn enters another tunnel and climbs the third lift hill As the train climbs the lift the tunnel is dynamited and artificial smoke is blasted in guests faces as the train crests the lift and exits the tunnel The train then drops to the right towards the river then makes a right hand turn and passes through a short tunnel After crossing over the drop the trains make a left hand turn as they pass through the ribcage of a T rex skeleton hit a trim brake then make a right hand turn into the final brakes The train then travels by the buildings of Rainbow Ridge as it returns to the station California s version of the ride is the only version of the ride to feature an outdoor station All of the other versions feature an indoor station On January 7 2013 the ride was closed for an extensive refurbishment that included a new track trains scenery and new effects on the third lift hill The attraction reopened on March 17 2014 13 The new track was fabricated by Dynamic Structures the company that had previously rehauled the coaster track in Space Mountain 14 Magic Kingdom version Edit nbsp Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic KingdomThe track layout of the Magic Kingdom s version is a nearly identical mirrored layout of the Disneyland attraction Riders board the trains in an enclosed loading station on a hillside Leaving the station trains make a left hand turn into a bat infested tunnel make a slight right turn and climb the first lift hill At the top of the lift hill trains pass under a waterfall and drop to the left This is followed by a right hand turn after which the track crosses under the second lift hill and drop After crossing under the second lift hill drop the track goes through a 270 degree clockwise spiral and passes through a short tunnel Trains emerge from the tunnel and pass through the flooded town of Tumbleweed running parallel to the Walt Disney World Railroad The train passes over a decaying trestle where the track is slightly banked from side to side before entering Davy Jones Mine where it hits a trim brake Trains then make a left hand turn and climb the second lift hill At the top of the second lift hill trains drop to the left and cross under the lift hill before rising into a 540 degree downhill counterclockwise helix passing over a broken trestle Leaving the helix trains shoot up across a small hill make a slight right turn then drop through another tunnel and hit a trim brake The trains then make a right hand turn into a tunnel and climb the third lift hill As the train climbs the lift an earthquake hits and makes the train cars sway from side to side the effect achieved by slightly banking the track Leaving the lift trains emerge from the tunnel crest a small rise and drop to the left towards the Rivers of America After traveling along a short section of straight track the ride then makes a left hand turn through a short tunnel and crosses a short bridge The train then makes a right hand turn and passes through the ribcage of a T Rex skeleton as it hits the final trim brake makes a left hand turn past some geysers and hot springs and rises into the final brakes The train then makes a left turn back into the station The Florida version was allocated more space in the park and so the Monument Valley inspired ride structure assumes 2 5 acres 25 percent larger than the Disneyland version Due to the ride being surrounded by the Rivers of America on the east and Walt Disney World Railroad on the west the maintenance facility for the trains is on the opposite side of the Railroad s track from the ride with a swing bridge being used where the transfer track crosses the Railroad just past the Frontierland station 15 Tokyo Disneyland version Edit nbsp Big Thunder Mountain at Tokyo DisneylandBig Thunder Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland is similar to the Florida ride but there are some differences in the ride layout Instead of Tumbleweed the track makes a left turn and dives into a cave mirroring the California version of the ride More significantly the final segment of the ride is different Instead of crossing back over the drop from the third lift hill the track makes a 180 degree turn to the right before dropping out of a tunnel through the Boneyard geyser scene into a short tunnel The track then makes a right hand turn into the final brakes The trains pass in front of the station building and then turn back into the loading area Disneyland Paris version Edit nbsp Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland ParisWhile primarily based on the Florida version Paris s version is unique as it is situated on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West where Tom Sawyer s Island would normally sit It is also the only version of the ride to be an opening day attraction and the largest installment at any Disney park The Paris version underwent a year long refurbishment from November 2015 to December 2016 As part of the renovation the brakes were overhauled some of the scenery was repainted and a few elements from the California version were added rainbow pools of water on the first lift hill cave new sound effects for the mine elevator on the second lift hill new mapping effects for the blasting scene on the third lift hill Interactive games were also installed in the queue 16 Guests board the trains at a station on the mainland Unlike the other versions the trains on this version are painted to look weathered and aged Immediately upon leaving the station trains dive into a tunnel that transports them under the Rivers of the Far West to the island where the ride is located The train makes a right hand turn and makes a quick steep rise before starting up the first lift hill As trains climb out of the darkness of the underwater tunnel stalactites and stalagmites can be seen growing next to the track along with several rainbow colored pools of water The sounds of bats swooping up above can also be heard During warmer months a waterfall parts around the track at the top of the hill Trains pop out of the tunnel leave the lift hill and drop around a left hand turn pass through a small cave then make a swooping right turn If the trains are being dispatched timely when the train goes through this curve it will appear to make a near miss with a train in the 540 degree helix After this turn the trains pass under the second lift hill and its drop making a slight hop before making a left hand turn onto a trestle The train runs along the Rivers of the Far West across the water from Phantom Manor the park s version of the Haunted Mansion then makes a slight right hand turn and suddenly falls through a washed out section of the trestle hitting a magnetic trim brake The trestle drop also contains an on ride camera After dropping down to the water level with water jets on the sides of the track simulating a splashdown the trains go around a left turn and hit the base of the second lift hill As trains start up the lift hill two tied down donkeys can be seen to the right side of the track braying at passing trains with an empty watering pail in front of them A goat can be seen pulling on a shirt hanging on a clothesline to the riders left as the trains pass a parked steamroller and mine elevator and travel under a water tower At the top of the lift it is possible for guests to catch a glimpse of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Walt Disney Studios Paris on the horizon before the trains drop around a left turn and cross back under the lift hill Coming out of the drop the track goes over another rise hitting a magnetic trim brake and passes a sign warning of a broken trestle mounted to the water tower post Cresting the hill trains cross over the broken trestle and spiral down through a 540 degree counter clockwise helix Exiting the helix the trains pass through a short cave and go over a quick airtime hill as they shoot down a canyon As the trains drop through the tunnel and pass over a trim brake a loud gust of wind is heard Trains then make a right hand turn on another trestle enter a tunnel with signs warning of blasting over the portal and climb the third lift hill As the train starts up the third hill the tunnel is dynamited and artificial smoke is blasted in guests faces as the train crests the lift and exits the tunnel The train crests a small hill then drops to the left onto a straightaway alongside the river speeding up as it enters the return tunnel The train encounters a swarm of bats in the tunnel as it makes another sharp counter clockwise turnaround and goes down a steep drop to cross under the water The trains continue to accelerate through the dark until it pops out of the exit portal on the mainland An additional chain lift is located here to assist the train in leaving the tunnel The train then coasts past the station through the loading dock and then makes a left turn to reenter the station In other media EditIn film Edit The sounds of Disneyland s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad trains were recorded and used as sound effects for the mine cart chase sequence in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 17 Disneyland would later get its own Indiana Jones attraction in 1995 and the Walt Disney Company would go on to acquire the Indiana Jones franchise with its purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012 In August 2022 it was announced that a film adaptation of the ride was in development Amber Templemore Finlayson and Katie Ellwood collectively known as Bert amp Bertie will serve as co directors after the pair impressed studio executives with their pitched approach to the property The script is being co written by Michele and Kieran Mulroney The project will be a joint venture production between LuckyChap Entertainment and Scott Free Productions 18 In television Edit In January 2013 ABC ordered a pilot based on the ride titled Big Thunder Mountain but the idea was scrapped sometime after 19 20 21 22 23 24 In the Modern Family episode Disneyland Phil Ty Burrell and his son Luke Nolan Gould ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad together during a family trip to Disneyland in Anaheim Phil who self proclaims to be king of the roller coasters begins to feel even more queasy when riding Big Thunder after he and Luke had exited Indiana Jones Adventure prior Print media Edit In October 2014 Marvel Comics announced a five issue series based on the attraction which eventually debuted in early 2015 25 Part of Marvel s Disney Kingdoms line the series elaborated on the story behind the attraction and featured input from Walt Disney Imagineering including numerous nods to elements of the ride 25 The story would focus around Abigail Bullion the spirited daughter of Big Thunder Mining Company founder Barnabas T Bullion She falls in with a group of bandits seeking to undermine the authority of Barnabas and his corrupt foreman Willikers and put stolen wealth from the mountain to good use helping the townspeople of Rainbow Ridge Incidents EditSee also Incidents at Disney parks and Incidents at Walt Disney World Resort March 10 1998 Disneyland A 5 year old boy was seriously injured when his foot became wedged between the passenger car s running board and the edge of the exterior platform after the train temporarily paused before pulling into the unloading area All of the toes on his left foot required amputation This led to improvements to the ride although the family maintains the park would not acknowledge this injury as the reason 26 September 5 2003 Disneyland A 22 year old man died after suffering severe blunt trauma and extensive internal bleeding in a derailment that also injured 10 other riders 27 The cause of the accident was determined to be improper maintenance 28 Investigation reports and discovery by the victim s attorney confirmed the fatal injuries occurred when the first passenger car collided with the underside of the locomotive The derailment was the result of a mechanical failure which occurred due to omissions during a maintenance procedure Fasteners on the left side upstop guide wheel on the floating axle of the locomotive were not tightened and safetied in accordance with specifications As the train entered a tunnel the axle came loose and jammed against a brake section causing the locomotive to become airborne and hit the ceiling of the tunnel The locomotive then fell on top of the first passenger car crushing the victim 29 After the investigation to this incident was complete the ride was reopened on March 11 2004 30 April 25 2011 Disneyland Paris Five guests were injured when a piece of scenery fell onto a passing train One guest a 38 year old man was seriously injured and transported to a Paris hospital while the other four were treated at the scene 31 October 27 2011 Disneyland Paris Two cars derailed as one of the ride s trains passed slowly over a flat section of track Two guests were slightly injured and the ride was subsequently closed for inspections 32 February 2017 a 54 year old man died after riding Magic Kingdom s attraction at Walt Disney World The cause of his death is believed to be from natural causes due to a pre existing medical condition A Disney spokesperson said the ride was operating as normal 33 34 See also EditList of Disneyland attractions List of Magic Kingdom attractions List of Tokyo Disneyland attractions Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine CarsReferences Edit Birnbaum s Disneyland Resort Official Guide 2003 pg 65 c 2003 Disney Editions a b Interview with Imagineer Tony Baxter Archived from the original on February 6 2012 Strodder Chris 2017 The Disneyland Encyclopedia 3rd ed Santa Monica Press p 81 ISBN 978 1595800909 File Single Rider en test sur Big Thunder Mountain August 26 2018 Archived from the original on June 24 2021 Retrieved June 20 2021 Single Rider Coming Next Month to Big Thunder Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland December 24 2019 Archived from the original on June 24 2021 Retrieved June 20 2021 Tully Sarah March 18 2014 DISNEYLAND Big Thunder roaring back after 14 months The Press Enterprise Archived from the original on August 1 2021 Retrieved May 26 2020 a b Mitchell Marc A Wartinger David D October 1 2016 Validation of a Functional Pyelocalyceal Renal Model for the Evaluation of Renal Calculi Passage While Riding a Roller Coaster The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 116 10 647 52 doi 10 7556 jaoa 2016 128 ISSN 0098 6151 PMID 27669068 Archived from the original on September 29 2016 Retrieved September 29 2016 Willingham AJ September 28 2016 Little kidney stone Ride a roller coaster says study CNN Archived from the original on September 29 2016 Retrieved September 29 2016 Michigan State University Got kidney stones Ride a roller coaster MSUToday Michigan State University Archived from the original on September 30 2016 Retrieved September 29 2016 Surrell Jason The Disney Mountains Imagineering at Its Peak Disney Editions New York 2007 pp 60 75 Surrell Jason The Disney Mountains Imagineering at Its Peak Disney Editions New York 2007 pp 67 69 Jim Fanning 2009 Disneyland Challenge Disney Editions p 23 ISBN 978 1 4231 0675 3 Glover Erin March 7 2014 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to Reopen March 17 at Disneyland Park DisneyParks Blog Archived from the original on March 8 2014 Retrieved March 7 2014 Products Dynamic Attractions Archived from the original on October 29 2013 Retrieved October 28 2013 Surrell Jason The Disney Mountains Imagineering at Its Peak Disney Editions New York 2007 p 72 Closures amp Refurbishments December 12 2019 Archived from the original on February 16 2020 Retrieved February 16 2020 Slater Tyler Five Things You Might Have Missed Aboard Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland Park Disney Parks Blog Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Archived from the original on November 6 2014 Retrieved December 8 2014 Kroll Justin August 16 2022 Hawkeye Directors Bert amp Bertie To Direct Big Thunder Mountain Movie For Disney LuckyChap and Scott Free Deadline Retrieved August 16 2022 Nellie Andreeva January 30 2013 UPDATE Big Thunder Mountain Drama Projects From Mark Gordon Ryan Reynolds amp Martin Campbell Get ABC Pilot Orders Deadline Archived from the original on July 13 2014 Retrieved April 17 2020 Nellie Andreeva February 20 2013 Melissa Rosenberg To Run ABC s Big Thunder Drama Pilot Deadline Archived from the original on June 6 2014 Retrieved April 17 2020 Nellie Andreeva February 27 2013 Jay Hernandez Joins Fox s Gang Related Ana De La Reguera In ABC s Big Thunder Deadline Archived from the original on July 3 2014 Retrieved April 17 2020 Nellie Andreeva March 2 2013 ABC Pilot Castings Andrea Savage Boards John Leguizamo Comedy Matt Oberg Joins Pulling Zahn McClarnon In Big Thunder Deadline Nellie Andreeva March 6 2013 Scott Bakula Joins TNT s Bounty Hunter Pilot ABC s Big Thunder Casts A Lead Deadline Archived from the original on June 6 2014 Retrieved April 17 2020 Nellie Andreeva March 9 2013 ABC Pilot Big Thunder Finds Lead CW s Oxygen amp ABC s Influence Add To Casts Deadline Archived from the original on October 29 2013 Retrieved April 17 2020 a b Russ Burlingame October 18 2014 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Comic Coming From Marvel s Disney Kingdoms Line comicbook com Archived from the original on December 9 2014 Retrieved December 11 2014 Saffian Sarah May 2000 The Hidden Danger of Amusement Parks Redbook Archived from the original on August 8 2014 Retrieved March 18 2014 Theme Park Accident 11 Injured KABC TV September 7 2003 Archived from the original on September 6 2003 Big Thunder Railroad Death Brings Big Admission From Disney Legal Examiner December 4 2005 Archived from the original on December 30 2015 Retrieved September 12 2015 Verdict settlement for BTMRR Archived from the original on March 15 2009 David Haldane Kimi Yoshino March 11 2004 Disneyland Rail Ride Is Reopened Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on December 9 2015 Retrieved April 17 2020 Five injured on Disneyland Paris ride MyFoxOrlando com April 25 2011 Archived from the original on May 3 2011 Retrieved April 25 2011 Second accident at Disney train ride The Connexion Archived from the original on October 30 2011 Retrieved October 28 2011 Man dies after riding Disney World s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Orlando Sentinel April 21 2017 Archived from the original on April 21 2017 Retrieved April 21 2017 Man dies after riding Thunder Mountain in Disney World KRON4 April 22 2017 Archived from the original on April 24 2017 Retrieved April 22 2017 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Official links Edit Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Magic Kingdom Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Tokyo Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain Disneyland Park Paris Big Thunder MountainAdditional links Edit Division Of Occupational Safety And Health Report courtesy of DLDHistory com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big Thunder Mountain Railroad amp oldid 1180394679, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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