Magic Kingdom is continuing its year-long Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment, and the Frontierland ride is starting to look a bit different. Fans of the original Old West-themed roller coaster will soon notice that Disney has begun changing a historic part of the ride: the fictional town of Tumbleweed.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a fixture at Magic Kingdom since 1980, closed for its year-long refurbishment on January 6, 2025. Though Disney has kept many details about the work under wraps, the resort has confirmed that the 44-year-old coaster will reopen in early 2026 with what Disney calls “new magic.” Over the past several months, guests have noticed steel tracks arriving at the construction site, which has fueled speculation about a complete track replacement for the ride.
But in the latest construction update, shared by WDWNT, it’s clear that the changes extend beyond just the roller coaster’s tracks. As work continues, crews have begun refurbishing the attraction’s queue, including repainting and other updates. Scrims and construction walls are currently blocking the area from guests.
One of the more noticeable updates involves Tumbleweed, the Old West town within Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Scaffolding has been placed around the town’s iconic buildings, including the Gold Dust Saloon, which has already been repainted. Although no other buildings in the town have been repainted yet, they are all covered with scaffolding, suggesting that further transformations are on the way.
Beyond the updates to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, there’s even more construction happening in Frontierland. A mysterious new structure is being built behind the coaster, near the exit of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. It remains unclear whether this building will be a backstage area or something that guests will be able to access when the ride reopens.
This renovation is just part of a broader reimagining of Frontierland. The recently debuted Splash Mountain retheme, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, kicked off the transformation in the area, alongside other updates like the refreshed Country Bear Musical Jamboree and the new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) lounge, which replaced the former Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade. As Frontierland continues to evolve, Disney has big plans for the area, with the addition of new attractions set to debut in the coming years.
Walt Disney Imagineering has already filed permits for demolishing Tom Sawyer Island and much of the Rivers of America, as part of the plans to add two Cars (2006) themed attractions to Frontierland. A Disney Villains land is set to expand Magic Kingdom Park, taking over empty space behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Although Walt Disney World Resort has not announced any specific closing dates for Tom Sawyer Island or the Liberty Square Riverboat, both attractions will likely remain operational until Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens in 2026. The extensive year-long refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is expected to help prepare the ride for the increased traffic resulting from the upcoming Cars rides and Disney Villains land.
Do any other Walt Disney World Resort attractions need a lengthy refurbishment? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
