LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Big Thunder Mountain may be Walt Disney World’s best-themed attractions.
Anyone can build a roller coaster that goes fast, has lots of turns and maybe a loop or two. But Big Thunder Mountain is different.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s a great roller coaster. But it’s a great roller coaster with a great theme.
Beyond the twists and turns, Big Thunder Mountain has an interesting story, and for anyone who can stand it, there’s plenty to see while on the ride, mainly old mining equipment to remind riders this is in fact supposed to be a runaway mine train through the “tiny town of Tumbleweed.”
At Walt Disney World, the E Ticket attraction opened on November 15, 1980. It’s such an integral part of the Magic Kingdom today that it’s hard to believe Big Thunder Mountain wasn’t an opening day attraction.