 |
| One of the Tributes to the past at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad |
“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world,” Walt Disney proclaimed.
And true to that word, many new attractions have come to Disneyland since 1955. Of course, because of the reality of space limits, this often means that one attraction has to close so another one can take its place. One of the hallmarks of Disney Imagineers, though, is that gone doesn’t have to mean forgotten.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of the prime examples of a new attraction paying homage to its past. You see, this is actual the third train to operate in this location.
In 1956, the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train began carrying guests through the Living Desert area of Frontierland. Four years later, this became the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, which lasted until Big Thunder Mountain Railroad took its place in 1979. These two former train rides are in the past, but we still have reminders with us today.
Of course, many of the animatronic figures from before were reused, but what else? When you ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, have you noticed those pools of glowing, colored water on your left side as you climb the first hill? This was at one time part of the Rainbow Caverns. Later in the ride, on the third lift hill, notice those precariously balanced rocks? These are from the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland.
But you don’t have to ride anything to see the tributes to the past. The small town above the Thunder Mountain queue (line) is Rainbow Ridge. This little mining town once overlooked the loading area for the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland.
Three throwbacks in one attraction. That’s pretty impressive! But there’s one more that you’ve probably walked past countless times, and either never noticed it or saw it but didn’t know what it was.
You can read more from Randy on his blog, Faith and the Magic Kingdom. Find him on Twitter (@Belgarion42) and on Facebook. Randy is also an independent Travel Consultant affiliated with CruisingCo.com and MouseEarVacations.com and would love to help you with any of your travel needs, for Disney destinations and beyond!
Another fun bit of trivia is that Disney has some old boots (or maybe it is just a boot) in the window of the old mining town you pass by on the way back into the loading station. The show is over 100 years old, which makes it predate anything else in the vicinity. It is just one of those little details Disney often adds to its attractions.
To answer the trivia at the end here, is it toward the end of the cruise around the River of America, on the left side of the boat?
That’s very interesting, Dan. I don’t think I’ve noticed that. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it next time I’m there.
Corey, you’re absolutely correct. Very good!
Great information I didn’t know. I have seen the tracks when on the River of America but didn’t know about it.