Big Thunder Mountain Railroad | Disneyland | Walt Disney World | Disneyland Paris

Imagination Skyway

Matthew Krul

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel, Kids & Family

5 • 830 Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2025

⏱️ 81 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, "The Wildest Ride In The Wilderness", has been delighting Disney fans at Disneyland since 1979, with other versions created for Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. Imagineer Tony Baxter, carrying forward an idea from Imagineer Marc Davis called Thunder Mesa and Western River Expedition, led a team to create this pivot storytelling roller coaster, setting a new standard for Disney mountain attractions (previous ones included Space Mountain and Matterhorn Bobsleds) that have resulted in such iconic attractions as Expedition Everest and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars. In this episode, we discuss the history, story, mythology, lore, and Imagineering details for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris. Be sure to follow Kelly Washington on Instagram. Get bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more at patreon.com/imaginationskyway. To plan a trip, be sure to work with KMV Travel. Tag me and join the conversation below. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationskyway Instagram: www.instagram.com/imaginationskyway Facebook Group (ImagiNation): https://www.facebook.com/groups/imaginationskyway Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginationskyway TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@imaginationskyway Threads: https://www.threads.net/@imaginationskyway Twitter: www.twitter.com/skywaypodcast Email: [email protected] How to Support the Show Share the podcast with your friends Rate and review on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-imagineerpodcasts-podcast/id1244558092 Join our Patreon Group - https://www.patreon.com/imaginationskyway Purchase merchandise - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/imagineer-podcast?ref_id=8929 Enjoy the show!

Transcript

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0:00.0	There's a new way to enjoy Imagination Skyway. You can now listen for free with or without a Patreon account by heading to patreon.com slash Imagination Skyway. Here you can enjoy the show free from programmatic ads and read through listener comments on specific episodes. Plus, sign up for a free member account to engage with other listeners on specific episodes and enjoy bonus content.
0:23.0	Or sign up for a free seven-day trial of one of our paid subscription options for even more content.
0:29.0	Learn more at patreon.com slash imagination Skyway.
0:32.8	Thank you. Welcome aboard Imagination Skyway, your grand podcast tour of the magic.
0:54.2	I'm your host, Matthew Krull, and in today's episode, we're going to discuss a topic that,
0:59.1	quite surprisingly, it took me nearly eight years to finally discuss, one of the most popular
1:04.3	attractions at Disney and the wildest ride in the wilderness, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
1:10.6	Opening at Disneyland Park in 1979 and Magic Kingdom Park in 1980, Big Thunder
1:16.6	Mountain Railroad is a Disney classic, now found at so many Disney parks around the world,
1:21.6	and still one of the most popular attractions at the park.
1:25.6	As the Walt Disney World version enters a lengthy refurbishment,
1:28.8	I thought this would be the perfect time to discuss the history of this attraction,
1:33.3	the story and legends told through the ride, and some fun facts and details you might have
1:37.8	missed about this Magic Kingdom Mountain. At the end of the show, we'll return to
1:42.1	Imagination Central, where I'll share ways in which you can stay connected with Imagination Skyway,
1:47.5	how you can discuss this topic with others, and how you can help support and inspire the future of this show.
1:53.5	Hang on to your hats and glasses, because this here's the wildest podcast in the wilderness.
2:33.2	Thank you. The Eldest Podcast in the Wilderness. As we talk about different attractions at Disney, there's one that now that I've been podcasting for seven and a half years, it's amazing.
2:36.7	I have not discussed this attraction yet,
2:42.8	and it's a big one. It is, of course, the wildest ride in the wilderness, which is big Thunder Mountain Railroad. And because this is such a major attraction, this is the second time
2:49.0	I am ever having an attraction-based episode with
2:53.1	somebody else. But it is someone who has been on the show before. So I want to welcome back
	...

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