Big Thunder Refurb - Will It Be Done On Time?

[Goes4FastPass]

Words is, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closed for an extensive refurbishment, January 9 through March 31, 2012.

So here’s my question, based on what we’ve seen of refurbs like this in the past – and what some of you might have heard about this particular upcoming refurb, do we predict Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen

• April 1
• a few or several days before April 1 (a early finish and reopen)
• Sometime after April 1 (refurb not completed and extended)

I don’t mean to wring my hands but our next trip starts days before the planned reopening and ends on April 2.

Many times I have explained to friends and coworkers that WDW is a 365 days a year operation and periodic refurbs are necessary and to be expected.

But Big Thunder Mountain Railroad really is my grandson’s top favorite.

The last time he and my son and I were at WDW we ended our trip by busting the gate at the MK on our departure morning and riding BTMRR 4 times in a row as fast as we could get off run around back to the entrance and ride again.

Yes, grandparents are happy fools.

[Strmchsr]

Well, there are two answers to your question.

First, I hate to disappoint you, but the refurb dates are Jan 9-April 30, 2012. If you do a Google search you'll see two options popping up everywhere - Jan 9-March 31 and Jan 9-May 28 - with equal regularity, but the official WDW website lists the refurb ending April 30. The March 31 day was the original date, then they extended it out to May, then cut it back to April 30. So, it's a moot point for your trip, unfortunately.

To specifically answer your question about the process, however, generally the date they set is it. Sometimes it goes long, but never early. What can happen early is "soft" openings where they'll have it open for an hour or two or to a limited number of guests, but they don't advertise those and you pretty much have to stumble on them.

[Figment!]

Historically, there's probably a ~20% chance it will open earlier than scheduled (soft opening) and a ~80% chance it will open when scheduled.

Operations will announce a new re-opening date and extend the schedule, if it appears they can not re-open when originally announced. So technically, they are not late.

[Jasper]

I would have to agree with the other posters in that it will most likely not be open in time for your trip. I would start laying the groundwork with your grandchild now so that he doesn't get his hopes up only to have them dashed when he gets there.

[Victor Kelly]

I have never seen an attration open early from a refurb. But I have seen them go longer.

It will all depend on what they are working on, and if more stuff needs fixing than they thought.

[Goes4FastPass]

1. Thanks to StrmChsr aka Chris for directing me back to the Disney site for the current official rehab dates.

2. So what’s a grandfather to do?

3. It turns out my 5YO grandson is off the week before Christmas, as am I, my wife and my son and his wife.

4. A phone call and a bit of scrambling by Wendy at Magical Journeys. (They don’t call it ‘magical’ for nothing.)

5. Check-click-cancel-rebook all dining.

6. Tickets to the last MVMCP of the year purchased online. (If it’s the last one it might sell out…?)

7. Shhh… it’s a secret. When we get the little guy up on the morning we leave it will be with the words, “Guess where you’re going today?"

[Strmchsr]

Awesome!! Glad to hear your little guy won't have to miss his favorite ride. Wendy really is the best.

And, even though the official Disney site is saying April 30, a couple of my Imagineering buddies think it will be extended out towards the end of May, so folks need to be expecting that.

[W24toISMdirect]

Actually a couple of wierd side effects of all this: My son STILL thinks we're going in March... to the point of we're even using code words such as "Mickey's March Party" but he comes to me every other day upset about the fact the BTMRR is going to be closed (which of course it isn't, but I can't tell him that).

Also, he ask me how long we where going to be at Nana and Papa's for Christmas and when i said 8 days we positively lit up like it was the best news he'd ever gotten... I'm also afraid to know how he's going to react when he learns 5 of those are WDW.

Seriously though you guys have NO idea how obsessed he is over BTMRR. We rode it more than a dozen times the last time we where there which was only a long weekend. No matter what we do in day, we have to detour all the way through Frontierland just to ride it 2 or 3 times.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

1. Thanks to StrmChsr aka Chris for directing me back to the Disney site for the current official rehab dates.

2. So what’s a grandfather to do?

3. It turns out my 5YO grandson is off the week before Christmas, as am I, my wife and my son and his wife.

4. A phone call and a bit of scrambling by Wendy at Magical Journeys. (They don’t call it ‘magical’ for nothing.)

5. Check-click-cancel-rebook all dining.

6. Tickets to the last MVMCP of the year purchased online. (If it’s the last one it might sell out…?)

7. Shhh… it’s a secret. When we get the little guy up on the morning we leave it will be with the words, “Guess where you’re going today?"

.

What a great grandfather. We will be there the same time as you will.