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Disney Files Signage Permit as Big Thunder Mountain Readies Early May Return

Fresh signage work signals the overhaul has moved into final checks before guests return.

Overview

  • Walt Disney Imagineering filed a permit Tuesday to install new Big Thunder signage, with Design Communications Ltd. set to fabricate and mount the pieces.
  • Disney confirms an early May 2026 reopening window for the Magic Kingdom coaster, with the specific date still unannounced.
  • The refurbishment delivers all‑new trains, refreshed Audio‑Animatronics, restored show effects, and a reimagined Rainbow Caverns with glowing pools, iridescent rock, and visible gold.
  • On‑site activity shows trains cycling and the signature geyser effect firing, while crews remove scaffolding and finish queue areas and new textured Frontierland pavement.
  • The attraction has been closed since January 6, 2025, and its return brings back a Frontierland cornerstone with a fully replaced track and sharper Old West theming for guests.