A small fire broke out during the reopening day of Walt Disney World’s highly anticipated ride, Big Thunder Mountain.
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A Walt Disney World guest was able to capture a video of a cast member using a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze on the tracks within the ride’s loading area.
No injuries were reported.
Big Thunder Mountain was closed for more than a year as it underwent refurbishment. It officially reopened on May 3.
“A key part of the refurbishment was installing a new track and refreshed passenger trains,” Disney Parks revealed last month. “These updates were carefully planned to preserve the attraction’s classic storytelling and trademark hootin’ an’ hollerin’ energy, while adding new life, movement, and detail to the experience guests know so well.”
The updated ride will now have natural caverns full of “phosphorescent pools, shimmering and illuminating iridescent stalagmites (the ones on the floor) and stalactites (the ones on the ceiling).”
“The Rainbow Caverns certainly are beautiful… but they ain’t as friendly as they first appear,” Disney Parks pointed out. “In fact, that menacing rumble from deep within the mountain may be a sign that we ain’t welcome.”
Along with the enhancements, Walt Disney World lowered the height requirement from 40″ to 38″.
New POV video below.
Disney Parks Gives Iconic Backstory to Big Thunder Mountain
Right before the reopening, Disney Parks shared the backstory to Big Thunder Mountain.
“Meet Barnabas T. Bullion, the eldest son of a wealthy and powerful mining family,” the story begins. “Years ago, Bullion received a land grant from the United States government, giving him ironclad land rights to the Western River Valley (including Thunder Mesa and Big Thunder Mountain) in the Great American Southwest.”
It was noted that upon receiving the land, Bullion was determined to extract all the gold hidden deep within the mountain. “Alas, the Big Thunder Mining Company was officially founded in 1850, sparking Bullion’s never-ending quest for gold and launching an ambitious operation driven by his unrelenting belief that future fortunes lay buried beneath the red rock.”
However, miners were eventually forced to dig deeper into the mountainside, leading to strange, unexplainable things happening.
“Despite Bullion’s efforts to continue to push forward at full speed, machines and equipment began to fail,” the story continued. “Cave-ins shut miners out of rich strikes, and rumbles of thunder came from deep inside the angry mountain.”
Unfortunately, gold hasn’t been found in the mines for months, and very few miners remain in the area.
It was noted that Bullion is also a key member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.). This is a group established in the early 1500s to conduct research to advance navigation and exploration. Others who were part of the organization include Lord Henry Mystic, Harrison Hightower III, and Dr. Albert Falls.