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Thunder Mountain to close this September and will remain closed through most of 2013
- Thread starter Californian Elitist
- Start date
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
Oh wow. It's really getting some TLC then, huh? I heard that Matterhorn looks great after its refurbishment (can't wait to see it!) so I'm sure BTM will be better than ever when done.
The gigantic crane is now gone and the track is now complete. The paint job should be next and Rainbow Ridge is coming along.
Photo source: http://mintcrocodile.blogspot.com/
Photo source: http://mintcrocodile.blogspot.com/
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Nice photos Raven ...thanks for sharing.
007mickey - i know how you feel. I will be visiting DL from the East Coast in mid-September and i too will miss not being able to ride 'Tony's Mountain'..as i call it.
It is okay...it is important that BTMR gets this done. I have had the pleasure of riding it on previous visits, but it is a fave and i will miss it this time.
Something you might enjoy showing your son since he is such a big fan of the attraction-
Not sure if it is still there, but if you walk over to the Disneyland Hotel and enter the 'Frontierland' themed building out beyond the larger pool area, inside the ground level floor is a scale model of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction on display.
Looks really neat and i read about it recently while researching some currant interests.
Again, not sure if it is still there...perhaps one of our local friends can post a confirmation?
Also, i would like to learn more about this model.
Is it just a copy, or is this a actual model from the WDI Model Shop that was used to build the attraction?
Did Tony Baxter have a hand in this particular model, or again, is this just a copy from the original he owns?
It is on my 'must do' list when in town later this year.
Would love to get a look at this up close.
007mickey - i know how you feel. I will be visiting DL from the East Coast in mid-September and i too will miss not being able to ride 'Tony's Mountain'..as i call it.
It is okay...it is important that BTMR gets this done. I have had the pleasure of riding it on previous visits, but it is a fave and i will miss it this time.
Something you might enjoy showing your son since he is such a big fan of the attraction-
Not sure if it is still there, but if you walk over to the Disneyland Hotel and enter the 'Frontierland' themed building out beyond the larger pool area, inside the ground level floor is a scale model of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction on display.
Looks really neat and i read about it recently while researching some currant interests.
Again, not sure if it is still there...perhaps one of our local friends can post a confirmation?
Also, i would like to learn more about this model.
Is it just a copy, or is this a actual model from the WDI Model Shop that was used to build the attraction?
Did Tony Baxter have a hand in this particular model, or again, is this just a copy from the original he owns?
It is on my 'must do' list when in town later this year.
Would love to get a look at this up close.
Travel Junkie
Well-Known Member
Yes it is still there. It looks great
From the Disney Parks Blog:
As part of the ongoing updates at the Disneyland Hotel, Walt Disney Imagineering brought a special piece of Disney history to the lobby of the newly refurbished Frontier tower. A replica of the original model used in the design of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been installed in the lobby to be viewed and enjoyed by guests.
Of the nine plaster copies that were made of the original model, one of the few remaining copies was used by Imagineers to create the model seen in the Disneyland Hotel – so this one-quarter scale model is an exact copy of the original.
As the plaque accompanying the model reads, “This is a recreation of the original ‘Concept Model’ for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, created by the talented artists of Walt Disney Imagineering. Imagineers use scale models such as this as a tool as they define and refine designs for projects.”
Guests can now view the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad model in the lobby of the Frontier tower of the Disneyland Hotel.
From the Disney Parks Blog:
As part of the ongoing updates at the Disneyland Hotel, Walt Disney Imagineering brought a special piece of Disney history to the lobby of the newly refurbished Frontier tower. A replica of the original model used in the design of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been installed in the lobby to be viewed and enjoyed by guests.
Of the nine plaster copies that were made of the original model, one of the few remaining copies was used by Imagineers to create the model seen in the Disneyland Hotel – so this one-quarter scale model is an exact copy of the original.
As the plaque accompanying the model reads, “This is a recreation of the original ‘Concept Model’ for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, created by the talented artists of Walt Disney Imagineering. Imagineers use scale models such as this as a tool as they define and refine designs for projects.”
Guests can now view the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad model in the lobby of the Frontier tower of the Disneyland Hotel.
007mickey
Well-Known Member
Awesome, we are staying at the DL Hotel!! Thanks for the info, we will check it out.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
My pleasure...i
Definately wander over to the *Frontierland* building anyway and have a look!
Definately wander over to the *Frontierland* building anyway and have a look!
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Yes it is still there. It looks great
From the Disney Parks Blog:
As part of the ongoing updates at the Disneyland Hotel, Walt Disney Imagineering brought a special piece of Disney history to the lobby of the newly refurbished Frontier tower. A replica of the original model used in the design of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been installed in the lobby to be viewed and enjoyed by guests.
Of the nine plaster copies that were made of the original model, one of the few remaining copies was used by Imagineers to create the model seen in the Disneyland Hotel – so this one-quarter scale model is an exact copy of the original.
As the plaque accompanying the model reads, “This is a recreation of the original ‘Concept Model’ for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, created by the talented artists of Walt Disney Imagineering. Imagineers use scale models such as this as a tool as they define and refine designs for projects.”
Guests can now view the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad model in the lobby of the Frontier tower of the Disneyland Hotel.
Awesome....many thanks for the confirmation, and for some background info related to the questions i had about this particular model on display.
As suspected, it is a replica...but still something i will make an effort to see later this year.
Another photo i found recently :
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I think this is where it gets interesting and impactful. This is the first time Thunder Mountain has been repainted since 1979, isn't it?
I'm pretty sure you're right, this is its first paint job. If not the first ever, the first in a long time.
rle4lunch
Well-Known Member
Oh wow. It's really getting some TLC then, huh? I heard that Matterhorn looks great after its refurbishment (can't wait to see it!) so I'm sure BTM will be better than ever when done.
Matterhorn is better and worse than it was before the upgrade. The trains, I feel, are slower than the previous models, yet better on your butt and tailbone. Plus you don't have to have someone sitting in your crotch with a 1950's era seatbelt haphazardly put around both of you. The ride is more safe and comfortable now, but much of the speed is lost, and along with it, that exciting, uneasy feeling that you got knowing that the ride is a little more out of control then it should be (which equals less fun).
lego606
MagicBandit
TP2000
Well-Known Member
To be nit-picky, those were 1970's seat belts not 1950's. The seat belts were added with the 1978 rehab that brought the tandem bobsleds. The single bobsleds from 1959 to 1977 had no seatbelts.
And... seat belts were simply not available on most American cars in the 1950's. Seat belts didn't even appear on Ford and Chrysler vehicles until 1956, and even then they were an extra-cost option that many people didn't bother paying for, and they didn't become standard equipment until 1963. And for most of the 1960's and 70's many people never bothered buckling them for fear of wrinkling dresses and mussing up shirts and ties. Trust me, I was one of them.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Yep....nice overview there TP.
I for one am happy to hear about the improvements to the Matterhorn.
I will be taking for first ride in September...after foolishly shying away from it on two previous visits to DL.
My excuse was being somewhat unsure of the coaster elements ( not a coaster fan, but i LOVE BTMR...go figure!) when i first visited, and last year it was closed for the refurb and new bobsleds.
THIS visit however, it is a must ride...as i am telling myself the excuse this time will be that since BTMR will still be closed, i will have to ride the Matterhorn instead.
BTMR is looking good by the way...i noticed in some of the photos posted previously that it looked like the mountain was getting a good covering of fresh color. Awesome. It will look stunning come October/November!
Man...wish i could be there for the re-opening! I timed my visit a little off.....du*oh....!
I for one am happy to hear about the improvements to the Matterhorn.
I will be taking for first ride in September...after foolishly shying away from it on two previous visits to DL.
My excuse was being somewhat unsure of the coaster elements ( not a coaster fan, but i LOVE BTMR...go figure!) when i first visited, and last year it was closed for the refurb and new bobsleds.
THIS visit however, it is a must ride...as i am telling myself the excuse this time will be that since BTMR will still be closed, i will have to ride the Matterhorn instead.
BTMR is looking good by the way...i noticed in some of the photos posted previously that it looked like the mountain was getting a good covering of fresh color. Awesome. It will look stunning come October/November!
Man...wish i could be there for the re-opening! I timed my visit a little off.....du*oh....!
rle4lunch
Well-Known Member
Just got back from a 2 day trip to DL. Both days were at 85-90% capacity, and the Matterhorn wait was about 50 minutes all day, both days. I guess that's just summer tho... Didn't ride it this time, 50 minutes isn't worth it.
RSR fastpasses were tapped out at 9:45 in the morning for the entire day. FP wait times, 45 minutes, Single rider, 60 minutes, standby line 95 min. I suggest RUNNING to RSR as soon as you get in the gate when you visit. I'm sure it's the first exercise many of the fat parents have had in a while, and it was really funny watching them huff and puff trying to stay up with their kids as they ran to Carsland.
Tried to peek thru the fences at BTMR, saw a lot of welding going on and track replacements still happening.
As for new stuff, my wife loves the live shows, so we sat in the newly refurbished theatre for Mickey's Magical Map, which was pretty good. The female singer was off key in many of her parts, and the computerized part of the show was kinda hurky jerky in a few sections, but overall a good show. The new fantasy fair show was a pleasant surprise, offering two shows, Tangled and Beauty and the Beast. We caught the latter one before we took off back to San Diego yesterday. Very entertaining for adults as well as the kids, with a slapstick kinda take on the story. There's a new mobile junk food cart there as well, that has chocolate twists, strawberry twists, and garlic and cheese pretzel twists, along with a new frozen drink called Boysen Apple (get it??. We had a strwberry one, kinda tastes like a turnover. The frozen drink is suspiciously similar to LeFou's Brew (with frozen apple juice, mango whipped creme and a shot of mixed berry goo inside it). We didn't try it because we were tapped out on all the crap we ate yesterday. Looked interesting though.
Anyway, anyone heading there this weekend, it's supposed to be hot.
RSR fastpasses were tapped out at 9:45 in the morning for the entire day. FP wait times, 45 minutes, Single rider, 60 minutes, standby line 95 min. I suggest RUNNING to RSR as soon as you get in the gate when you visit. I'm sure it's the first exercise many of the fat parents have had in a while, and it was really funny watching them huff and puff trying to stay up with their kids as they ran to Carsland.
Tried to peek thru the fences at BTMR, saw a lot of welding going on and track replacements still happening.
As for new stuff, my wife loves the live shows, so we sat in the newly refurbished theatre for Mickey's Magical Map, which was pretty good. The female singer was off key in many of her parts, and the computerized part of the show was kinda hurky jerky in a few sections, but overall a good show. The new fantasy fair show was a pleasant surprise, offering two shows, Tangled and Beauty and the Beast. We caught the latter one before we took off back to San Diego yesterday. Very entertaining for adults as well as the kids, with a slapstick kinda take on the story. There's a new mobile junk food cart there as well, that has chocolate twists, strawberry twists, and garlic and cheese pretzel twists, along with a new frozen drink called Boysen Apple (get it??. We had a strwberry one, kinda tastes like a turnover. The frozen drink is suspiciously similar to LeFou's Brew (with frozen apple juice, mango whipped creme and a shot of mixed berry goo inside it). We didn't try it because we were tapped out on all the crap we ate yesterday. Looked interesting though.
Anyway, anyone heading there this weekend, it's supposed to be hot.
rle4lunch
Well-Known Member
To be nit-picky, those were 1970's seat belts not 1950's. The seat belts were added with the 1978 rehab that brought the tandem bobsleds. The single bobsleds from 1959 to 1977 had no seatbelts.
And... seat belts were simply not available on most American cars in the 1950's. Seat belts didn't even appear on Ford and Chrysler vehicles until 1956, and even then they were an extra-cost option that many people didn't bother paying for, and they didn't become standard equipment until 1963. And for most of the 1960's and 70's many people never bothered buckling them for fear of wrinkling dresses and mussing up shirts and ties. Trust me, I was one of them.
Thanks for the history lesson. Yes, I knew that seatbelts weren't around in the 50's, I was saying it for effect. lol.
