At a Glance
Duration: 3 minutes, 25 seconds
Look Out For: high speeds, twists, turns, drops, and some very loud bats
Opening on November 5th, 1980, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a playful Western-themed coaster known to many as the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!” In my opinion, it’s one of the milder coasters at Walt Disney World and markets itself as family friendly fun. So how scary is Thunder Mountain? Lets take a look at the ratings:
1. Ride Length
Thunder Mountain has a ride duration of only 3 minutes and 25 seconds.
2. Height Requirement and Warnings
Thunder Mountain has a height restriction of 40 inches. The kids who didn’t quite meet the 44 inch restriction at Space Mountain might want to give this one a try. If not, the switching off option is available for those who may need it. Like other coasters in the park, it’s also a no-go for pregnant riders or those with back or neck problems.
3. Ride Vehicles and Restraints
The Thunder Mountain ride vehicles consist of 5 cars, each seating 6 passengers. Riders are seated 2 to a seat, so if you’re looking to sit next to someone in your party, this layout could be a good fit for you. Also, there is one lap bar per seat so it feels secure but not too restricting.
4. How Does Thunder Mountain Work?
Thunder Mountain is a fairly standard roller coaster with lifts, turns, and drops.
5. Is Thunder Mountain Scary?
Thunder Mountain could be a bit scary for some riders. With a few seconds of darkness at the beginning and at the end of the ride, this attraction could be a bit scary to younger riders as the train finds itself in a dark cave with some very noisy bats squeaking around it. For the most part, though, the ride takes place outside and in broad daylight with no scary imagery whatsoever.
6. How High is Thunder Mountain?
Thunder Mountain does involve some mild heights. While there are technically three lifts, two of them take place in caves where you can’t see how high you are. Otherwise, the coaster stays pretty low to the ground.
7. How Fast is Thunder Mountain?
Thunder Mountain does go fast. However, this ride has a top speed of only 35 miles per hour and is pretty tame by roller coaster standards.
8. Does Thunder Mountain Have Drops?
Thunder Mountain does have drops. However, it has no loops or upside down portions at all.
9. Does Thunder Mountain Cause Motion Sickness?
Thunder Mountain should not cause motion sickness to most riders.
10. Is Thunder Mountain Claustrophobic?
Thunder Mountain should not be claustrophobic to most riders. While this is a track ride with a lap bar, I still recommend that those with claustrophobic tendencies give this one a try because of its open air queue, outdoor track, and short ride duration. If you are trying to work your way up to bigger coasters or other track rides, this might be a good one to start with.
11. Are There Animatronics on Thunder Mountain?
There are no animatronics on Thunder Mountain.
Thunder Mountain Queue Walkthrough
The queue entrance is located outside in the Frontierland area and takes you through a wide canyon-like path before winding its way into a large covered building. You’ll ascend some stairs as the queue makes its way through the covered section – so you’ll get a nice break from the sun without being closed into a proper building with walls. You’ll get a pretty good view of the coaster from the queue, for those who might like to see it before they ride.
From there you’ll go down some stairs and make your way onto the loading station, where you’ll get ready to board the ride vehicles.
Thunder Mountain Ride Walkthrough
Once you board the train, you’ll go directly from the loading station into a cave and up the first lift. This is the dark portion of the ride I mentioned earlier – and though it only lasts for 36 seconds, it does come with some very noisy bats and a small waterfall inside.
The train makes its first drop and winds through the canyon with a few twists, turns, and dips. It goes quickly through some very short tunnels and into a second lift that takes place outside – so be sure to check out the theming from up there. It’s really cool.
From there you’ll go through some more turns and small drops (similar to the first half of the ride), through a few short tunnels, and into its third and final lift inside another cave (lasting only about 24 seconds). This is the second dark portion of the ride and it could be just a little bit frightening to some due to its darkness and the noise from the train going up the lift. From there, you go through just a few more small drops and turns before pulling back into the loading station.
That’s it! Remember, everyone’s riding experience is a little bit different and only you can decide whether to hop on that ride vehicle or not – I just hope this guide helps you be prepared and enjoy every second of your Disney experience!
So what do you think? Leave a comment to help keep this guide up to date!
For a full visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
