We’re back in another of our blog series looking at Disneyland Paris attractions in depth. Previous blogs have taken us to Phantom Manor, Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World. This time we’re taking a look at the wildest ride of the wilderness itself, Big Thunder Mountain.

Making of the attraction

The original Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s were the brainchild of Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter. And I say ‘railroads’ deliberately because the versions at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida were worked upon at the same time!

Actually, Big Thunder Mountain was first designed for Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. A large portion of Frontierland here was originally set aside for an attraction called the Western River Expedition, worked upon by Imagineer Marc Davis and which was going to feature a number of different ride systems and a large number of animatronics. However the size and cost of this attraction, and the rush to open Pirates of the Caribbean here, meant that the Western River ride was shelved (some of the animatronics built for the ride actually later ended up in World of Motion at Epcot). One of the ride sections proposed for the Western River Expedition was a runaway mine train ride – and it was Imagineer Tony Baxter who proposed separating this off and just making a ride based on this portion.

While Big Thunder at Walt Disney World was starting to be looked at in the early 70s, plans were put on hold again to allow the building of Space Mountain here. The delay did two things though – it allowed for the design of a smoother track using computer aided design (the first Disney rollercoaster to do so), and it meant that the versions for here and Disneyland in California could be worked on at the same time, as in California they were looking for a replacement for the Mine Train Through Natures Wonderland attraction. Ultimately the Californian version opened first in 1979 (it had the advantage of scenery being in place from the previous Mine Train attraction here!), and then the version at Magic Kingdom opened a year later in 1980. (The two ride tracks are essentially mirror versions of each other, but the Florida version is in a larger footprint so has different scenery).

Both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World versions of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad were a hit, so it’s no surprise that Disney were keen to have versions of the ride in other Disney Parks. Tokyo Disney got its version of the ride in 1987, being very similar to the Magic Kingdom version. Then Disneyland Paris opened its version in 1992 with the park – and this was a plussed up version of the ride!

The attraction story

As with previous versions of Big Thunder Mountain, the Paris version of the ride ties in with the gold rush and greed – but the Paris version ties into the wider story of Frontierland itself!

Frontierland in Disneyland Paris is actually the small town of Thunder Mesa, where an enormous gold nugget was found during the gold rush (the town saloon ‘The Lucky Nugget’ is named for this). The urge to find more gold inspired Henry Ravenswood to set up the Big Thunder Mining company and establish a mine. However, the local Native American population warned that the land the mine was on was sacred, and by mining the land they risked angering the Thunderbird spirit. Henry Ravenswood took no notice and the result was a massive earthquake that killed a lot of people and devastated the mine, and led to it being abandoned. Among those killed were Henry Ravenswood and his wife Martha, leaving behind their elaborate Manor House and their only daughter Melanie, who hoped to be wed. To find out more about how that turned out, read our previous blog on Phantom Manor!

In theory Big Thunder Mountain was abandoned, and should be sitting still and quiet – but it’s said that Mine Trains still rattle around the mine, despite there being no one to drive them! Only the brave would dare ride…

Finding the attraction

As with other versions of Big Thunder Mountain, the ride at Disneyland Paris is found in Frontierland.

If you enter Frontierland through the main entrance from the park hub, you’ll quickly spot Big Thunder – it’s on an island in the rivers straight ahead of you! (You’ll probably hear the trains going and people screaming too!) To actually get to the main entrance you need to hang a right from the land entrance past the Frontierland Shooting Arcade. The main entrance to Big Thunder is then a little way along on the left hand side.

Note about accessing the ride – if you need the disabled entrance, it’s actually to the left of the main entrance (near the ride exit and the shooting arcade). The Premier Access entrance is to the right of the Main entrance, a bit further round on the path as it runs towards Cowboy Cookout and the Frontierland Theatre. Note that the Premier Access entrance and main queue line both involve quite a lot of steps! If you’re unsure where to head, a cast member on the door should be able to help you out.

Notes for the differently-abled

Big Thunder Mountain is a rollercoaster that’s dubbed as the ‘wildest ride in the wilderness’ – so this is not a smooth and gentle ride! It’s one of the rides in the park that has a height limit – 102cm (or around 41.5 inches).

It has to be said that Big Thunder actually is a lot of tamer than some of the other rollercoasters at Disneyland Paris. There’s no inversions or going upside down here, and the trains only get up to around 50km/h (around 31mph). It can feel a lot faster though! However, Big Thunder does have banked corners, sharp dips and drops, and climbs up hills. And with the mine train theming, this isn’t the smoothest coaster you’re ever going to be on! While we’d recommend Big Thunder over the likes of Indiana Jones, Hyperspace Mountain or Avengers Flight Force to those wary of rollercoasters, if you suffer with a lot of joint pain or don’t get on well with sharp turns or jarring, Big Thunder may not be for you! Do make sure you check out the ride warnings in advance.

From a sensory side it should be noted the Big Thunder plunges twice into pitch black tunnels (that’s it going under the water from the load station to the island where the bulk of the ride takes place, and then back again at the end) so for folks that don’t like sudden darkness this might be tricky. It’s also worth noting that Big Thunder is loud, with a loud rattling noise throughout (it’s all effects!), loud whistles, and of course other guests screaming. Those sensitive to sound may want to wear ear plugs or ear defenders here. Sights wise on the ride aside from the rock work and views of Frontierland you do get to go through a little bit of a mining town (with animatronic goat and donkeys), and there’s also a scene towards the end of the ride that simulates a dynamite blast (it’s all done through lighting and sound effects). If any of that sounds like it may be difficult for you or someone in your group, you may want to watch a ride through video online first to see if this is something you actually want to go on!

Getting into the ride vehicles involves a small step down, and then a small step up at the end. The seating in bench seating with back support, with a divider in the middle of the seats to separate them into two separate seats. Riders will need to wear a lap bar – it’s a reasonably snug fit but shouldn’t end up squeezing or pressing anyone uncomfortably!

On the queue, as noted above it is worth noting that both the main queue line and the Premier Access queue involve a number of stairs. The main queue also involves a lot of doubling back and forth in switchbacks, so it can feel a bit hemmed in by people here at busier times – if you’d like to avoid that (and aren’t eligible for the Priority Pass or Easy Access Card for the differently-abled) then you might want to grab Premier Access for this ride – it will substantially cut down your wait time and you won’t end up in tight switch backs. The disabled line is all level. Note if you use this though – Big Thunder is popular and there’s a lot of people waiting to ride in both the Disabled and main queue lines. When we went through the Disabled queue line one time we waited about 15-20 minutes (the main queue at the time was 90 minutes I think) – so while it’s a shorter wait it’s not immediate!

Hidden details and cool facts

Disneyland Paris’ Big Thunder Mountain is the only version with a story line that ties into Frontierland as a whole. But there are some other cool details worth noting!

• While the original versions of the ride were called Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, it’s worth noting that the Paris version is called Big Thunder Mountain – the railroad has been dropped! Having said that, people will add in ‘Railroad’ to the name pretty frequently, especially if they’re used to the USA version.
• The version is Paris is the only one where the trains are deliberately designed to look rusty and run down – this is to tie in better with the ‘ghost town’ story of Thunder Mesa, and to match the vibes of Phantom Manor across the water.
• If you want to get good views of Big Thunder before riding, the best way is probably to take a trip on the Molly Brown, which circles the Rivers of the Far West that surround the island the ride is on. For the best views of Big Thunder, stand on the left hand side of the boat (as you’re on it facing the front).
• In Boot Hill nearby you can find a memorial to the Miners of Mine 39 – who blasted their way too deep with dynamite. This helps tie into the land, and Big Thunder’s, story. The memorial is also pieced together with mining tools – a contrast to the smart graves of Henry and Martha Ravenswood nearby, whose greed caused the disaster in the first place!
• The Paris Big Thunder was built by ride manufacturers Vekoma, known for their rollercoasters. At Disneyland Paris they also built Casey Jr, Hyperspace Mountain and Avengers Assemble Flight Force. So if you like Disneyland Paris coasters you know who to thank!
• Be ready to smile, Big Thunder Mountain has an on ride photo! If you want to strike a pose, be ready when the track suddenly dips down to the same level as the waters around, with Phantom Manor just across the water. There’s also some swinging opossums above the track just before the dip! Photos can be purchased afterwards, or added on to your Photopass+ if you have that.
• The spot in the middle of the river in Frontierland is taken up by Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland or Magic Kingdom, a walkthrough attraction with forts to explore, caves and the like. (Although the Magic Kingdom version has now been demolished to make way for a new Cars area). At Disneyland Paris you still have similar (and in our opinion better!) walkthrough attractions – Fort Comstock at the entrance of Frontierland, and the huge Adventure Isle in Adventureland complete with bridges and pirate caves!
• If you want the wildest ride on Big Thunder, ask to be seated towards the back of the train (although if it’s very busy note that cast members may not be able to accommodate you). It’s also worth noting that guests in the Disabled queue are also loaded into the back of the trains – which is a good or bad thing depending on how you feel about rollercoasters I guess!
• Disneyland in California’s version has a well-known dynamite eating goat. While Paris doesn’t have that, it does have long-john eating goat! Look out for it on the left hand side of the track as you go up through the miners’ town on the ride.
• Even if you don’t want to ride Big Thunder, take some time to appreciate the theming around the area – Disney have gone to great lengths to recreate actual mining equipment from the time to make the area as authentic as possible.

When to visit

Big Thunder Mountain is popular – it often racks up the longest wait in Disneyland Park! So to experience this without waiting a long time, you might need some strategies.

Big Thunder Mountain is sometimes available during Extra Magic Hour – this is the extra hour before the park opens to the general public to allow guests of the Disney owned hotels to access some of the attractions with little to no wait. If it is open during this time (and it’s by no means guaranteed) and you have Extra Magic Hour, jumping on Big Thunder then can reduce your wait. If it’s not open for Extra Magic Hour, aim to ‘rope drop’ the ride, ie make it the first ride you go on once the park opens to everyone. Hotel guests can still have an advantage here as they’ll be able to wait directly outside the ride, whereas day guests are typically help in the park hub until opening time. Queues can and do build up quickly though!

Another tactic is visiting Big Thunder Mountain towards the end of the evening, say in the hour before closing. Queue times tend to drop off quite rapidly here because more people are heading to Main Street to get a spot for Tales of Magic (the nighttime spectacular). You can normally jump in line for Big Thunder right up until park close, so this can be a great time to ride. The only risk in this strategy though is if the ride goes down towards the end of the day for a technical issue there’s a chance it won’t reopen before park close, so you might miss out on it altogether.

For guests with the Priority Pass or Easy Access card for the differently-abled, you can gain access to expedited queuing here – check out our blogs on both to see how this works. If you’d rather not wait or use the strategies above then your final option is to pay for Premier Access, the paid for skip the line system. We did a recent blog on this you can check out, but essentially you have options to pay to access a much shorter wait. Big Thunder Mountain is included in the Premier Access Ultimate, where you pay one fee to access all the rides with Premier Access across the two parks in one day. There’s no time period to return here, just head to the Premier Access line when you want to ride and hop in line! (You’ll need to scan your pass first). You could also buy Premier Access One – a one off skip the line for just one attraction (in this case Big Thunder of course). This can be booked once you’re inside the park via the Disneyland Paris app. When buying you’ll be allocated the next available hour time slot to return and ride via the Premier Access line, so maybe don’t buy for a time when it’ll clash with a dining reservation or similar! Note that Premier Access can and does sell out, particularly for Big Thunder because it’s such a popular attraction. Also because it’s popular, Big Thunder is one of the most expensive attractions to buy Premier Access One for – €9-€18 depending on the day. Note that while Premier Access will give you a much shorter wait than the main queue, it won’t be instant – Big Thunder is popular and a relatively slow loading ride! Waits of around 15 minutes aren’t unusual here.

Final suggestion, while it will close in very bad weather, Big Thunder typically stays open in light to moderate rain, so this could be a time to ride with a shorter wait. If you don’t mind getting wet!

Final notes

Here’s some final things to consider before riding Big Thunder Mountain:

• The Disneyland Paris version of Big Thunder is held up to be the best by Disney Parks and coaster fans. While we’ve not ridden them all, it’s definitely the best version we’ve experienced!
• In the recent (at the time of writing) very hot weather, outside rides at Disneyland Paris closed in the middle of the day – Big Thunder included! If you’re in the parks on days predicted over to be 30 degrees celsius in temperature, aim to ride Big Thunder early on in the day or late on in the evening, as it might well close in the middle of the day.
• Keep your hands and arms inside the rollercoaster when riding – while nothing should be in reaching or grabbing distance, this rule is in place to stop people getting hurt.
• Keep a tight hold of any mobile phones or devices – if you feel inclined to film Big Thunder don’t be surprised if a) a cast member says no and b) you need to keep a very firm grip on your device to stop it flying out! It’s wild ride and easy to lose things. If you have something like a mobile in your pocket maybe pass it to someone else in your party if they have a bag to put it in. Also the ride does advise to remove hats and glasses and there’s a reason for that – they could get blown off! (Same with Minnie ears.) So best to remove before riding.
• The ride is about 4 minutes long – That’s quite long by coaster standards, but not very long by Disneyland Paris standards! It’s still worth heading to the toilet before hopping in line for this one though because even in the disabled or Premier Access queues there’s typically a bit of a wait. The nearest toilets will be the large set near Casa de Coco (pretty much opposite the Premier Access entrance), the set near Phantom Manor, or the little set inside Fort Comstock (take a sharp right after entering through the fort gate from the hub).
• If you want some really good footage or photos of the Big Thunder Mountain splashdown, the best views are going to be from the entrance of Phantom Manor and Boot Hill cemetery (and the Molly Brown Riverboat if you time it right). Also from Boot Hill you can often see birds roosting on Big Thunder’s rock work!

So that’s our look at Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Paris. Even if you’ve experienced Big Thunder at other Disney Parks, we urge you to ride the Paris version if you can – it’s unique! (And we agree, the best one). What attraction should we look at next? Let us know in the comments, and while there please subscribe to our blog! You’ll receive future blogs directly into your email inbox, and a free copy of our Magically Different Guide to Disneyland Paris Attraction Accessibility (otherwise £3). We’d love to see you over at our YouTube channel too! And if you’d like to support our work please consider leaving us a tip or shopping our Amazon storefront. Thank you!