News Big Thunder Mountain to receive full retrack

[trainplane3]

Better start building Moana, because Space Mtn. will need to follow, and then it will surely be time for another MK e-ticket. And on and on. They’ve deferred too many rides for too long.

All I ask is a proper rebuild of Space Mountain. Track, trains, audio, effects, but maintain the same layout.

 

[Splash4eva]

I had 2 sources come to me with this information within a short span of time. One, to protect their job, asked me not to share it, but the second said it was fine. It'll take nearly 3 years, and will result in a much smoother ride. It'll close likely in either July or early August with an announcement coming soon.

So much for that “added” capacity when Splash overlay reopens…

 

[ToTBellHop]

So much for that “added” capacity when Splash overlay reopens…

Well, there will be a beignet cart, too, so…

 

[Coaster Lover]

So, potentially Thunder Mountain, Test Track, and Indy all at the same time? There a DHS ride to throw in there to get the whole royal flush?

 

[The Leader of the Club]

So, potentially Thunder Mountain, Test Track, and Indy all at the same time? There a DHS ride to throw in there to get the whole royal flush?

We’ll see if Rockin reopens…

 

[ToTBellHop]

So, potentially Thunder Mountain, Test Track, and Indy all at the same time? There a DHS ride to throw in there to get the whole royal flush?

People’s heads will explode the first time Rise goes down.

Honestly, I’ll take a few closures when they are discounting hotels by 35%. I still can’t believe there are several deluxes well down into the $300s per night this summer.

 

[LSLS]

There must be ulterior motives for this…for all the crybabies on here that INSIST SM needs a retrack, and they’re doing BTMRR first?
I know what fanboys want and what Disney does are 2 different things, but it doesn’t make much sense to me…I guess SM isn’t as bad as everyone thinks…I love old wooden roller coasters, so the rougher the ride, the better…

I mean, my daughter who LOVES roller coasters has said she will never ride SM again cause it hurt her head so much. I know I don't ride it for the same reason. I don't think it's being "Crybabies" to say that track is REALLY rough. If you don't think so, congrats I guess? For most it's a ridiculously bad ride. And just because BTM might HAVE to be done first does not mean Space Mountain is in good shape or shouldn't have been done like 10 years ago.

 

[Bocabear]

Space Mountain doesn't bother me...When it debuted back in 1974 it was rougher...they added some trim breaks here and there which helped with the few times you would pop straight up out of your seat....and thankfully got rid of the open toboggan seating for the same reason..... I hope when they do retrack it the changes are minimal things to just smooth out some of the rougher moments and add back all the visual effects and speedramp and exit displays.... Return the storyline to "you are on a space stations taking a shuttle back to earth" ...

 

[cjkeating]

I really wish some people would try and think about the bigger picture of logistically how a theme park needs to be run and not how they want one to be. It's not even just theme park logic, it's business logic.

Unfortunately WDW has for the most part deferred any meaningful maintenance on most of their attractions for 10+ years which has conditioned guests to expect everything to be open all the time.

Look over at Tokyo (know for being the best maintained Disney Park) and Paris (who's been playing catch up for 20 years of maintenance they couldn't previously afford over the last 10 years) where there is nearly always a major attraction plus some mid/minor attractions closed as well.

I know Paris better but in the last 10 years Thunder, Phantom, Pirates, IASW have all had 1 year + refurbishments whilst literally every other attraction in the park has been closed for 3-9 months. This is in addition to periodic 1-3 month refurbs. And many of these overlap massively. The result is the rides are much more up to modern standards in Paris than WDW... LED lighting, new sound systems, modern safety systems, improved emergency egress, asbestos free, improved cast environment. WDW is so far behind.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

For all those asking about Space Mountain - my source says "it'll literally have to sink into the ground for them to re-track it" and "lmao that ain't happening"
Sorry

 

[ddisneyd]

This ride was just listed in the list of MNSSHP attractions, so let’s put this July/August closure rumour to bed.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I mean, my daughter who LOVES roller coasters has said she will never ride SM again cause it hurt her head so much. I know I don't ride it for the same reason. I don't think it's being "Crybabies" to say that track is REALLY rough. If you don't think so, congrats I guess? For most it's a ridiculously bad ride. And just because BTM might HAVE to be done first does not mean Space Mountain is in good shape or shouldn't have been done like 10 years ago.

FWIW, I get “beat up” much worse on RnRC than I do on SM…(and I’m 6’3”, so it’s tight in the car)…as a long time veteran of wooden roller coasters, and some VERY OLD, rickety ones too, I might add, I never found SM to be as “lethal” as some make it out to be. But (of course, YMMV)

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

As a reminder,

Entertainment offerings, available attractions and experiences are subject to change.

There is a strong chance they simply are putting it there just since they haven't announced it's renovation yet.
This is for the same reason Tiana's Bayou Adventure isn't listed, even though it will obviously be open, and Country Bear Musical Jamboree isn't listed, even though it will hopefully be open.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

This ride was just listed in the list of MNSSHP attractions, so let’s put this July/August closure rumour to bed.

See above

 

[dothebrdwalk]

As a reminder,

There is a strong chance they simply are putting it there just since they haven't announced it's renovation yet.
This is for the same reason Tiana's Bayou Adventure isn't listed, even though it will obviously be open, and Country Bear Musical Jamboree isn't listed, even though it will hopefully be open.

Tiana is listed.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Tiana is listed.

Not on the website its not

 

[Coaster Lover]

Space Mountain (to me) is more "janky" than rough because it was built at a time where computer aided design of coasters was either in its infancy or didn't exist so the transitions are just all over the place and not necessarily ideally designed around the rider's heartline (like most modern coasters are). I personally find a bit of "charm" in the wildness of Space Mountain and so long as there are no structural issues, I have no issues with Space Mountain continuing on just as it is. Matterhorn, on the other hand (in addition to having janky transitions) is rough.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Not on the website its not

It’s on the app.

However, I imagine they just update last year’s list, so while the addition of TBA should be taken to mean “it’ll be open,” I don’t think the failure to remove BTMRR should be taken to mean anything since they wouldn’t pull it until a closure is announced. Surely, the website coding is such that this would automatically happen whenever any ride is pulled from “inventory”?

 

[cjkeating]

This ride was just listed in the list of MNSSHP attractions, so let’s put this July/August closure rumour to bed.

This list has been wrong before. Not saying BTM will be closed. I have no info. But the people who market up charge parties aren't going to announce a closure by stealth even if they know themselves.

 

[pigglewiggle]

I'll throw my wish into the universe that maybe they will wait until after party season to close. Close on 1/3!

I'll expect a closing announcement tomorrow or later today since I just said this.