Disneyland’s Historic Ride Will Shut Down Soon, With No Return Date originally appeared on Parade.
Disneyland’s iconic Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is preparing for a major pause — and this time, there’s no return date in sight.
The fan-favorite roller coaster, which has been thrilling guests since the late 1970s, will close for refurbishment on September 2 according to Disney’s website (per Insidethemagic.com). The announcement comes during Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebrations, leaving many parkgoers disappointed that the attraction won’t remain open through the milestone year.
Popular fan account @mpjtravelco shared the news as well, writing in the caption, “The wildest ride in the wilderness is taking a long pause… Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close at Disneyland on September 2nd — and this time, there’s no set reopening date.”
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A post shared by Megan | Disney Travel Expert (@mpjtravelco)
The news follows a similar shutdown on the East Coast. At Walt Disney World, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been closed since January, with Disney projecting its reopening for early 2026. While fans were able to rely on the Disneyland version to get their thrills in the meantime, that option is about to disappear as well.
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It’s safe to say fans were disappointed in the news, and let it known in the comments of the post.
“I don’t understand how they are closing so many big rides during Halloween season,” one person said.
Another noted, “Oh no!! We are hoping WDW big thunder is reopening in January. Will be 1 year for closing.”
“No way. We were JUST there!!!! First and last time I guess….,” said a third.
Other people remained hopeful that the famous attraction will open in the near future.
“‘Indefinitely’? That’s a little dramatic,” one noted.
“Indefinitely means ‘for an unlimited or undefined amount of time’ BTMR is NOT closing permanently- we just don’t know when it will be open again, hence the use of the word ‘indefinitely’.,” shared another.
Disneyland has not provided details about the scope of the upcoming refurbishment or how long it might take. For now, fans can only wait for further updates from Disney, hoping that the closure won’t extend too far into the park’s anniversary season — or beyond.
Disneyland’s Historic Ride Will Shut Down Soon, With No Return Date first appeared on Parade on Aug 16, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
