On a recent Disneyland vacation, Guests riding Big Thunder Mountain came to a sudden stop due to a Guest jumping out of the ride vehicle in an attempt to retrieve his phone.
“Hang onto your hats and glasses, folks, cause this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!”
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an adrenaline filled coaster located in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort that takes Guests through the wild wild west. Known as the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness”, Disneyland describes this coaster as:
Hang Onto Yer Hats!
Legend has it that after gold was discovered in the 1850s, eerie incidents took place in the mine. Trains would take off and race through tunnels… by themselves.As you enter the cursed cavern, your train speeds up along the rickety track. Shoot under a booming waterfall and dodge a falling boulder from an unexpected landslide as you swoop around sharp turns and drop into desolate canyons.
On this rip-roaring adventure, you may learn that some legends turn out to be true…
Well, on a recent trip to Disneyland, Guests had to evacuate Big Thunder Mountain after a Guest decided to jump out of the moving ride vehicle in an attempt to retrieve his phone.
In a video posted to TikTok, as Guests went up the second hill on the ride, a Guest was caught jumping out of the ride vehicle and running down the hill in order to try and find his phone. In the screenshot above, you can see where the Guest got out of the vehicle.
On his way back up the hill, the ride vehicle came to a complete stop and Cast Members came over the loud speaker to inform the ride will be shutting down.
In the screenshot above, the Guest apologizes to the rest of the ride group as he runs back up the hill, saying “Sorry, y’all”.
Guests were then evacuated off of Big Thunder Mountain and brought to safety.
Jumping out of a moving ride vehicle after being told to stay seated at all times is extremely unsafe and a violation of the rules at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Depending on the scenario, a Guest can be removed from the park and even receive a lifetime ban for breaking the rules such as these.
The spirit of the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” can once again be purchased from your own home at shopDisney. These new Big Thunder Mountain Railroad themed Minnie Mouse merchandise items will bring your favorite character with a western twist to your next vacation.
Priced at $34.99, these ear headbands are the perfect blend of Minnie Mouse glam with a touch of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. These sparkly ears with the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad logo and landscape are a beautiful addition to any collection.
Who’s ready for “the wildest ride in the wilderness”?! We may not be able to physically be inside the parks to ride along, but we are excited for a virtual ride on this wild mine train coaster at Magic Kingdom. Check out the details and video below from DisneyParksBlog:
Howdy partners! Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an iconic Disney attraction that has brought thrills to adventurers of all ages for decades. I was 7 years old the first time I sat down in that clickety-clackety mine train, and I’ve loved it ever since. With versions of the attraction in Disney parks around the world, I’m sure many of you feel the same way.
In the latest installment of our #DisneyMagicMoments series, check out the video below for a virtual ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Descend into an abandoned mine shaft and board your train for an adventure evading boulders, dodging explosions and swooping through canyons in the mysterious town of Tumbleweed.
So are you ready? For your safety, remain seated on your couch, lounge chair, bed, kitchen stool … or wherever you may be viewing this special video. And be sure to watch your kids. If any of you folks are wearin’ hats or glasses, best remove ’em. ’Cause … say it with me now … THIS HERE’S THE WILDEST RIDE IN THE WILDERNESS!
Mountains attractions have been a staple at Walt Disney World since 1975 with the opening of Space Mountain.
Since then, others have been added and while there can be an argument for which attractions should be in this category, there is no denying that these rides are some of the best that WDW has to offer.
I will argue that there are 4 Walt Disney World mountain attractions; Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.
What is your favorite?
What other attractions do you consider to be Disney Mountains?
These attractions all give you something different and are some of the longest running and longest wait-time rides at WDW.
Space Mountain
The original mountain of Walt Disney World, Space Mountain has been thrilling riders for nearly 45 years. This classic ride, found in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom, blasts Guests into outer space. Passengers board a rocket-shaped vehicle, seating three single-file riders, climb the 180-foot mountain past Mission Control, and propel through the dark universe at a top speed of 28 mph (it feels faster, right?).
Space Mountain continues to be a fan-favorite at Magic Kingdom and due to its unique indoor, in-the-dark feel, it shows no signs of slowing down. The Tron roller coaster is currently being built right beside Space Mountain which should only boost attendance in Tomorrowland, but giving some needed wait-time relief to the original WDW mountain.
Splash Mountain
We have all seen log themed rides at various them parks, where they all end with a wet plunge down a giant hill. Splash Mountain is that and so much more.
This attraction in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom tells the story of Br’er Rabbit and his adventures is told with a flare and precision that only Disney can attain. This ride is full of animal animatronics that give the riders more than just a wet and thrilling ending. It com
The story told throughout this ride is just as important and exciting as the thrilling final plunge itself. By the way, chances are, you will get wet!
Big Thunder Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain joins Splash Mountain as the 2 main attractions in Frontierland. It is an old school train ride on a rickety railroad through a replica of the red stone of Arizona’s Monument Valley. This the roughest mountain in terms of how the ride feels. It is jerky and jumpy but a fun experience nonetheless.
Special care was taken by the Imagineers to make it appear that the rocks were there originally, and the track was built around the rocks, which gives a more genuine landscape feeling. There is also a dinosaur skeleton that the train passes by, built into the side of the mountain. A cracked eggshell is nearby, and there is a pleasant lake with water that is shot up while the train passes on the warmer days.
Sound effects of a typical locomotive operation are piped into the surrounding scenery to add realism to guests viewing the ride from observation platforms, including the steam whistle sounding, even though there is no whistle displayed on the locomotives.
This ride is meant to give an old west feel and delivers.
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Kingdom
Dare to climb the Forbidden Mountain, and you will find yourself facing down a beast so monstrous you’ll never question the legend again. Standing 18-feet tall, the Expedition Everest Yeti is the largest audio-animatronic figure ever created. He does his job well, though, twisting the tracks and rerouting coasters, hurling them through dark twists and turns before allowing their safe return to base camp.
This ride begins soaring through the mountain but then runs out of track and must go backward through a portion of the attraction only to find the Yeti and soar through the remainder of the course.
This ride, for me is the most thrilling of all of the mountains. The creativity that is used to increase the amount of thrills on this coaster is second to none. (Also, my daughter’s favorite ride)
Other Mountains???
There has been some controversy about whether Mount Gushmore is considered a Disney mountain, as well as, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
My opinion is “no” on both.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, while it looks like a mountain, has more of feel of entering a miners cave. This is a fantastically smooth ride and one of the favorites to do at Magic Kingdom, but I think we need to give it some time to see if it holds up over time the way the 4 main mountains have.
Mount Gushmore, located at Blizzard Beach water park has the look and feel of more like a staging area for multiple water slides than an actual attraction. Mount Gushmore is not the title of the ride itself. Again, I am not willing to put it up on the Disney Mountain Mount Rushmore yet.
No matter what type of ride you like, these mountains offer a variety of sights and thrills. There is a reason some rides have come and gone but these remain staples of the Parks.
