Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park was largely inaccessible for much of the day on Monday, as two major attractions unexpectedly went down within hours of each other, just a day after a rumored fire affected one of the very same rides.
Two Rides Go Down on the Same Day
On September 28, both Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad experienced unplanned closures at Magic Kingdom Park. Walt Disney World Resort has not disclosed the reasoning behind either shutdown.
What Happened at Tiana's Bayou Adventure
According to WDWNT, Tiana's Bayou Adventure closed around 10:11 a.m. Disney cast members attributed the closure to “technical difficulties,” and roughly an hour later, Magic Kingdom Park guests noticed that nearly all the water had drained from the ride's visible channel.
Water began returning to the attraction in the early afternoon, with empty log vehicles spotted lined up near the start of the rethemed former Splash Mountain ride.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure is already scheduled to close for a separate refurbishment beginning November 2, though it remains unclear whether Monday's unplanned closure is related to the issues Disney plans to address during that upcoming maintenance window.
What Happened at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed roughly three hours later, shortly before 1:00 p.m. WDWNT shared a photo showing Disney cast members stationed at the ride's entrance during the closure.
Walt Disney World Resort did not explain why the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness temporarily shut down. The attraction had only reopened in May following more than a year of closure for its most extensive refurbishment to date, which included a full track replacement and an entirely new Rainbow Caverns opening scene.
This marks the second notable disruption at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in as many days. On Sunday, guests reported being evacuated from the ride and its queue after a fire was reported inside the attraction. The ride reopened after that incident and operated normally through Monday morning, though it's currently unclear whether Monday's closure is connected to Sunday's reported fire.
Current Status of Both Rides
As of publication, Tiana's Bayou Adventure had reopened, showing a posted wait time of 30 minutes on the My Disney Experience app. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, meanwhile, remains closed, and Walt Disney World Resort has not provided a timeline for its reopening.
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