Much-Loved Disney World Ride Reopens And Promptly Shuts Down After Mishap, Then Reopens
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom reopened on May 3 after approximately 1.5 years of closure for refurbishment and upgrades. The reopening was interrupted when cast members deployed a fire extinguisher on the ride to address an undisclosed issue on the tracks around 5:45 PM, forcing an evacuation of guests and temporary closure.
Social media posts documented the incident, with images showing a cast member using the fire extinguisher while white substance covered the affected track area. The exact nature of the problem—whether it involved an actual fire or another mechanical malfunction—remains unclear from available reports.
After addressing the issue, Disney reopened the attraction. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is among Walt Disney World’s most beloved and heavily-trafficked attractions, making both its extended downtime and incident-marred reopening noteworthy for park visitors and theme park enthusiasts.