Howdy folks, please remain seated as we tell you about the wildest ride in the wilderness. After seven years of planning and two years of construction, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened at Disneyland on this day in 1979. The high-speed attraction replaced the more sedate Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, which would depart from the little town of Rainbow Ridge. Today, Rainbow Ridge remains near the Big Thunder attraction’s loading area, and if you listen closely, you’ll hear the sweet harmonic sounds of the barbershop quartet from the barbershop (performed by the then current Dapper Dans of Disneyland), the tickling of the ivories from the dance hall and conversational residents from throughout the various buildings saying things like, “Why, Mr. Jones, I didn’t know you wear a toupee.” “Not many people do. I keep it under my hat.”
