MK Big Thunder Mountain to receive full retrack

[Raineman]

BTMRR becoming a trackless coaster -- confirmed!!!!

BTMRR has to resemble it's new Cars land little brother that will be going in beside it. Can't have those old fashioned tracks messing up the amazing new thematic cohesiveness of Frontierland, can we?

 

[JohnD]

If they can take down BTMRR, completely replace the tracks, and add some "new elements", can they do the same thing to, oh I don't know, Everest? Disco Yeti anyone?

 

[peter11435]

If they can take down BTMRR, completely replace the tracks, and add some "new elements", can they do the same thing to, oh I don't know, Everest? Disco Yeti anyone?

EE is many years from needing a track replacement

 

[lazyboy97o]

If they can take down BTMRR, completely replace the tracks, and add some "new elements", can they do the same thing to, oh I don't know, Everest? Disco Yeti anyone?

They don’t need to close Expedition Everest to do anything with the yeti.

 

[lewisc]

Or Disney just isn't going to maintain this ride anymore.

I am not sure what they would gain by moving it, not that there are many options if the did move it. Maybe it's just a old building so are taking this opportunity to re-build it

View attachment 843580

The updated ride will be maintenance free.

 

[JohnD]

They don’t need to close Expedition Everest to do anything with the yeti.

Just making the point that if they did, they have a precedent to go by.

 

[rle4lunch]

That new track looks significantly different than the old one. But it may be because I've never really looked at the underside of the old one so I could be wrong.

 

[tparris]

I’m just praying that they’ll keep the rickety wooden railroad theming over the track…

 

[ToTBellHop]

I’m just praying that they’ll keep the rickety wooden railroad theming over the track…

The wood will be replaced.

 

[RSoxNo1]

From the site we don't say - the maintenance building has been entirely demolished...
View attachment 843479

Where is the barn? is it on the other side of the WDW Railroad tracks?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Where is the barn? is it on the other side of the WDW Railroad tracks?
View attachment 843707

Yep. You can see tracks going into it. Maybe they’ll replace it with the DVC that stores trains. Disney Train Storage Lodge & Spa.

 

[dmc493]

I am not sure what they would gain by moving it, not that there are many options if the did move it. Maybe it's just a old building so are taking this opportunity to re-build it

That's where my head started going - with new tracks and new trains, probably need some substantial upgrades to the barn that houses and maintains them all

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yep. You can see tracks going into it. Maybe they’ll replace it with the DVC that stores trains. Disney Train Storage Lodge & Spa.

I'm not sure why they demolished it then. It doesn't seem like it was in the way of anything they would be doing as part of MK expansion. Perhaps the thought process is now is as good a time as any to upgrade the maintenance barn?

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'm not sure why they demolished it then. It doesn't seem like it was in the way of anything they would be doing as part of MK expansion. Perhaps the thought process is now is as good a time as any to upgrade the maintenance barn?

Likely. It’s basically a new roller coaster with new trains. Maybe they’ll need new equipment in that barn for the new trains, anyway, and it was easier to just remove the old one than to remodel.

 

[James Alucobond]

They also presumably no longer need the Liberty Belle maintenance area, so it's possible they'll reconfigure that entire backstage area.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm not sure why they demolished it then. It doesn't seem like it was in the way of anything they would be doing as part of MK expansion. Perhaps the thought process is now is as good a time as any to upgrade the maintenance barn?

It’s a cheap metal building from 40+ years ago. Probably more hassle to work around it than just get a new one.

They also presumably no longer need the Liberty Belle maintenance area, so it's possible they'll reconfigure that entire backstage area.

That’s over on Bay Lake north of the Contemporary.

 

[James Alucobond]

That’s over on Bay Lake north of the Contemporary.

Oh, what's the smaller dock back there for then?

 

[Delta-7]

This makes me sad because it reminds me of how I hoped they could connect to the big area behind BTM (now being used for laydown yards) that was supposedly for the expansion. I thought they could've relocated the coaster barn further to the right (presumably where that big crane is now) to make room for a guest area that would repurpose the immediate backstage area, with a bridge over the canal for guests to get to the new land. Then again, assuming Rivers of America would be staying in this scenario, the dock in there would have to be dealt with. But that's just my armchair imagineering.