Howdy folks! On this day in 1980, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. With an elevation of 200 feet, Big Thunder Mountain forms a sculpture of redstone buttes, windswept canyons, and towering peaks. While the Disneyland version of Big Thunder takes place in the town of Rainbow Ridge, which already existed in the preceding Mine Train attraction, the east coast version settled in the town of Tumbleweed.
The legend goes that in Tumbleweed, gold hounds made a mad rush to Big Thunder, and all was well until a flash flood washed over the mountain and ruined any chances of mining more gold. The mine trains that transported the gold ore have developed a mind of their own and are running loose on the tracks.
Wildest ride in the wilderness!
While aboard one of those trains, you just might spot that old rainmaker himself, Professor Cumulus Isobar, or Cousin Ed, floating around in his bathtub which got caught up in the flood. One trip aboard Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and you’ll realize one thing is certain… it’s the “wildest ride in the wilderness!”
