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 Review of Big Thunder Mountain @ Magic Kingdom
0 Rating Posted by: Canobie Coaster on 7/27/2005 10:59:00 AM
Big Thunder Mountain is the self-proclaimed “wildest ride in the wilderness.” Well, I hate to burst Disney’s bubble, but it is far from it; however, what it lacks in thrills, it makes up in fun and theming, and boy does it ever. Towering over Frontierland, the colossal, man-made mountain looks absolutely incredible, especially when the sun is shimmering midday on it. It’s really hard to believe that it’s manmade with all the detail put into this mountain and its sheer mass of rocks, caves, and crevices scattered about it. Oh and the locomotives. While they aren’t nearly as nostalgic as the ones used on the real railroad, these ones look great and really capture the Western feel Disney aimed for with the attraction both with their striking color scheme and their looks.

Well due to the ride’s popularity, lines are inevitable. But it certainly isn’t Disney’s fault, as this is arguably their most capacity-efficient coaster. Utilizing a dual loading station and multiple trains which each seating 30 riders, lines move incredibly fast for this coaster and even when the park is busy, the longest wait I’ve ever encountered for this has been 40 minutes, but usually lines are around 20 minutes. Don’t worry though because even if lines are abnormally long, Fastpasses are available and they generally last all day long.

Of all the seats, I either prefer the front car or the back car, but really each seat gives almost an identical ride. Once dispatched, the journey begins with a wild rampage through a wonderfully executed cavern teeming with bats that soar by riders. Following that are three moderate sized lift hills spaced throughout the attraction with zippy turns and sudden drops scattered throughout the attraction. While the attraction lacks any real height or speed, there are some surprisingly strong laterals on the turns, especially in the back, and many of the drops provide a nice, little burst of air-time.

But what really deserves praise is the layout, which is excellent thanks to the wonderfully twisted layout complete with perfectly placed caves that maintain the excitement for the entire duration of the experience, which is very long. One other thing I especially love are the surprise elements featured on the attraction like the trick track and the final lift hill, which without giving anything away, is simply one of Disney’s most ingenious design elements ever, and no matter how many times I ride this it always amuses me.

Big Thunder Mountain certainly isn’t the “wildest ride in the wilderness” like it boasts in the station, but it’s an enjoyable experience from beginning to end that proves that bigger isn’t always better. What it lacks in size and thrills, it makes up in with incredible theming and a great layout packed with sudden dips and twists. Of the two mine train coasters I’ve been on (Hershey’s Trailblazer being the other), this one is far and away an all-around better attraction and even though I haven’t been on many, I doubt there are many mine trains out there that triumph this Disney classic. No visit to the Magic Kingdom is complete with this runaway train since despite its age and size, it still remains one of Disney’s best coasters!
 
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