Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Paris will be closing in January. Disneyland Paris has announced that it will remain closed until early summer. The refurbishment will see the attraction getting some renovations and some enhancements.
Disneyland Paris shared that Walt Disney Imagineering Paris and Design & Delivery teams have been prepping for this renovation for over a year. These teams will collaborate with the Maintenance and Central Workshop teams on this project. This is being done to make sure that the attraction is maintained properly and be able to remain open safely and efficiently year-round after it reopens.
There are several focal points the work will cover during this refurbishment. The first is the wood. Imagineers carried out an in-depth study of the wood found throughout the attraction. Some of this will be replaced with new elements that are more durable. It will then be repainted to retain the aged look of the gold-rush mine. There will also be refurbishments to certain emblematic elements of the mountain’s decor. This includes the Mill Camp tower and the queue. All of this will be done with great care to keep the immersive nature of the attraction and keeping it feeling like the Wild West.
The animals throughout the attraction will also be fully restored to their original glory. This will be done in the Central Workshops. This will also include the iconic Billy the goat and the mules. Plants will also be restored and cacti will be replanted. Great care will be taken to help continue to evoke the deserts of North America. Walt Disney Imagineering Paris teams referred to the Big Thunder Mountain archives that date back to the attraction’s opening in 1992 to be as accurate to the attraction’s history as possible.
The closure of Big Thunder Mountain in January at Disneyland Paris will give teams the time to invest efforts into renovating and polishing the attraction to set it up solidly for the future. What do you think about this attraction getting this refurbishment? Are you excited to see it get this level of tender loving care? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
