40 Years of the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness

Howdy partners!

It's time to give a big happy birthday to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad! This iconic attraction has had train whistles blowing since September 2, 1979. It is the biggest attraction in Frontierland and if you ask me, a huge crowd favorite. From exploring the mines to visiting our favorite daring goat, this train has been serving us thrills and laughs for years. Hold onto your hats and glasses, this here is the wildest blog post in the wilderness.

There are many ways this post could go, but I decided to share some of my favorite facts about this iconic ride and a bit about the history behind it.

- Walt Disney's love for trains is clear in Disneyland with both Big Thunder and the Disneyland Railroad. Growing up, Walt worked as a news butcher on trains and sold concessions. This occupation fueled his already growing love until it grew so much he decided to build a model train right in his yard. The train was built on a one-eighth scale with boxcars just big enough for someone to straddle and flatcars wide enough to fit two. The train was a big hit to friends and family of the Disney's for years.

- If you haven't, check out the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad model displayed at the Disneyland Hotel in the Frontierland Tower. The model is a quarter scale and was created to help imagineers during the designing of the ride.

- One of the coolest things about this ride is the different stories and designs seen throughout the Disney parks across the globe. My personal favorite is seen in Disney Paris. Phantom Manor, the park's version of the Haunted Mansion, overlooks Big Thunder Mountain on a hill and both attractions work together to tell the story of those who lived at the Manor, the Ravenswoods, and the earthquake that destroyed the town. A ghostly version of Thunder Mesa, the town that inspires Frontierland, is seen at the end of Phantom Manor. Check it out in this video.

What is your favorite part about the attraction?