Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest-ID-81340.asp" target="_blank"><b>Latest: Disneyland Begins $4 Million Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment</b></a> <p>The Orange County Register writes Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will undergo its biggest refurbishment project in more than three decades starting Monday. Among the changes are replaced tracks, new ride vehicles, improved lighting and sound and a partial new paint job. The refurbishment will last 10 months.</p>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I wonder how this refurb compares to the WDW's. How long was Big Thunder closed in Florida?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I'm not sure when WDW's reopened (they had a post on the Disney Parks Blog about the new interactive queue about 6-8 weeks ago, but that doesn't mean that it was around the time of the reopening), but it closed the first week in January 2012, in the middle of my trip but before I had a chance to ride it.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt OK, so then it sounds like the closure there was similar. Interesting.
Originally Posted By tonyanton It was closed about five months in Florida...still some non-working effects after opening.
Originally Posted By believe Wow, only $4M to replace the track. When they built the attraction in '79, it cost $17M. So in basically, the ride system itself is relatively cheap - it's all the details that cost mega bucks.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I would be shocked if they replaced the entire track for that price. More likely, they're going through and fixing problem sections, but leaving parts of it that are okay. And I thought I read somewhere that it was $11million, not $4? Or maybe I'm confusing it with something else.
Originally Posted By leemac I've no idea where the $4m came from - that isn't even close to the final budget including labor. $4m won't even cover the track replacement.
Originally Posted By phruby I'd say it is closer to $11 million. That seems to be the price SFMM pays for a new coaster.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>it's all the details that cost mega bucks.<< Six Flags over Texas (the one in Dallas) has a poor man's version of Big Thunder. It has minimal themeing, probably because those details really do cost a pretty penny.
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL If only they would revisit the end of the ride. Granted it's a family coaster, but everything after the third lift has always been a huge let down.
Originally Posted By cheesybaby <<Six Flags over Texas (the one in Dallas) has a poor man's version of Big Thunder.>> Oy. Six Flags Over Texas has the Runaway Mine Train, the iconic 1966 coaster which was the first attraction in the world themed to a runaway mine train. Say what you will about Runaway Mine Train - it is old, it is rough, it has seen its better days - but it is in no way a ripoff or poor man's version of Big Thunder. The Runaway Mine Train is the Matterhorn of mine train coasters.
