Overview
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad resumed operations at Disneyland on November 2 after roughly two months of refurbishment, nearly three weeks earlier than the last posted November 23 date.
- Opening-day service was inconsistent, with the ride listed as “temporarily closed” in the app by late morning even as wait times and Lightning Lane reservations appeared throughout the day.
- Observers noted a visible change inside the first cave climb where the longtime waterfall has been replaced with misters.
- The return was not broadly announced in advance and was first confirmed via the Disneyland website and app, echoing multiple soft reopenings across Disney parks this year.
- At Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom version remains closed for a comprehensive overhaul with ride testing underway and a 2026 return window not yet tied to a firm date.