Jump to content

Disney World Is Doing Ride Envelope Testing at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – and Here’s Why It’s a Big Deal


Recommended Posts

Okay, a LOT is going on in Magic Kingdom right now.

2023-wdw-mk-big-thunder-mountain-ride-at

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Soon, Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will close to make way for a new Cars expansion in Frontierland. Then a Disney Villains-themed land is coming to the park. There’s a brand new nighttime parade on the way. PLUS, a classic ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, is getting a massive refurbishment…speaking of which, we saw some very important testing happening at the ride recently — and we’re going to tell you why it matters.

Click here to subscribe

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed in January for what will be at least a year-long refurbishment. During that time, we’ve seen some massive construction happening at the ride, including the removal and replacement of the ride’s track (does this mean it’s going to be smoother?). However, we recently saw some ride testing that is VERY important. Take a close look at this photo and you’ll see a special kind of ride vehicle.

2025-wdw-mk-big-thunder-mountain-railroa

See the ride vehicle?

Well, it turns out these vehicles have a very important job. They’re called ride envelope testing vehicles, and they’re meant to check ride safety and clearance. So, basically, these testing vehicles have one job: they have these sort of extenders that reach out from their frame and act as the maximum reach of riders. This makes sure that nothing on the ride extends into that maximum reach area. So these testing vehicles are there to keep you safe.

We also spotted some yellow testing units on the track. These are used to figure out things like weight loads, ride dynamics, track alignment, and more. So it looks like Disney is busy testing out the new parts of the track that have been laid down for the ride.

2025-wdw-mk-big-thunder-mountain-railroa

Chassis testing unit

So what does this all mean? Well, testing generally means we’re getting closer to the end of a refurbishment, although there’s probably still more to be done. Disney has said that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen “with a little bit of new magic,” so it could be getting more updates than just the new track. We’re not sure what this means, but we’re hoping for those cool projection effects you get on the ride in Disneyland.

2025-wdw-mk-big-thunder-mountain-railroa

Still more work to be done

We’ll be keeping an eye on construction progress on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

Why Is It Taking Disney World a Full Year to Refurbish Big Thunder Mountain?

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.


DFB-Guide-Covers-Fan-11-11-24-2.png

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

What do you think? What changes or additions would you like to see to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

The post Disney World Is Doing Ride Envelope Testing at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – and Here’s Why It’s a Big Deal first appeared on the disney food blog.

View the full article

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...