Big Thunder Upgrade Rumor??

[BigThunderFan]

Has anyone else heard the rumors about BTMR getting a lengthy upgrade (ala POTC Johnny Depp) to go with the new Lone Ranger movie?

[Insanity Clause]

I haven't heard anything but I think that would be pretty cool!

[Strmchsr]

Yes, there have been rumors but nothing concrete and with the major overhaul of Fantasyland about to happen I wouldn't count on anything with BTMRR coming any time soon.

[coneygoil]

I wouldn't doubt there could be a refurb. While I was at WDW last month, a CM we talked to said there's going to be a Frontierland refurb as well.

[MaxPower]

Maybe they'll put interactive buttons in the queue and add some new carpet and paint- that should take about seven months.

[Genie1953]

Well gosh....I hope they don't decide to do anything to BTMR until after our trip in April. BTMR is the one and only roller coaster ANYWHERE that I can or will ride. I used to ride Zambizi Zinger at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City until they did away with it. I absolutely LOVE BTMR. Hopefully they will not do anything until after we leave there.

[rubato]

Well gosh....I hope they don't decide to do anything to BTMR until after our trip in April. BTMR is the one and only roller coaster ANYWHERE that I can or will ride. I used to ride Zambizi Zinger at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City until they did away with it. I absolutely LOVE BTMR. Hopefully they will not do anything until after we leave there.

The new Prowler at worlds of fun feels a lot like BTMR. (Just in case you ever want to try again).

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Don't count on it. They're spending a good fortune on expanding Fantasyland over the next few years, I doubt they're going to be putting any money towards anything else outside of necessary maintenance refurbs.

BTMRR needs a lot of TLC in terms of the show elements it already has. I rode it on Saturday and was disgusted to see the amount of weeds growing on the hot springs section at the very end. Grant it, this is partially because of the fact that water runs in that area almost constantly but it's still unacceptable. Never mind the fact that certain effects on the ride haven't worked in years like the water jets that shoot off to the side when your train "hits" the water as you pass through the flooded town.

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Maybe they'll put interactive buttons in the queue and add some new carpet and paint- that should take about seven months.

BTMRR doesn't have carpet. So just adding the paint should cut the refurb time down to about 4 months. Whew, we dodged a bullet on that one!

[BigThunderFan]

Well gosh....I hope they don't decide to do anything to BTMR until after our trip in April. BTMR is the one and only roller coaster ANYWHERE that I can or will ride. I used to ride Zambizi Zinger at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City until they did away with it. I absolutely LOVE BTMR. Hopefully they will not do anything until after we leave there.

I LOVED Zambezi Zinger! I heard it is somewhere in a park down in Venezuela now. My uncle used to tell me there were blue crocodiles living in the tunnel at the end and it scared me to death... Ahh, back when WOF was a good amusement park...

[twinboyz]

BTMRR needs a lot of TLC in terms of the show elements it already has. I rode it on Saturday and was disgusted to see the amount of weeds growing on the hot springs section at the very end. Grant it, this is partially because of the fact that water runs in that area almost constantly but it's still unacceptable. Never mind the fact that certain effects on the ride haven't worked in years like the water jets that shoot off to the side when your train "hits" the water as you pass through the flooded town.

Totally remember the 'splash' effect and I noticed the weeds back in August. It's a great ride and still very popular. Would be nice to see it get 'spruced up'.

[Genie1953]

I LOVED Zambezi Zinger! I heard it is somewhere in a park down in Venezuela now. My uncle used to tell me there were blue crocodiles living in the tunnel at the end and it scared me to death... Ahh, back when WOF was a good amusement park...

Yep.....I think that is where it is now. My daughter said she googled and it and found it somewhere in South America. I can't tell you how devastated I was one day when I walked past one of the concrete support pads on our way into the park and realized that it was gone. I used to ride it 4-5 times everytime we went...which was quite often because we had season passes for around 7 or 8 years.

[beksy]

This is my sister's favorite ride anywhere so if they do do a refurb to it, I hope it isn't anything really major. I agree that it could use some sprucing up, but I hope the ride stays pretty much the same.

[PetefromRI]

Maybe they'll put interactive buttons in the queue and add some new carpet and paint- that should take about seven months.

LOL!!!!!A big fan of the new and improved Space Mountain I take it?

[JPL]

Definitely needs some TLC! But I doubt they are going to do much in the near future. Especially based on a movie that hasn't even begun shooting yet

[BigThunderFan]

Yep.....I think that is where it is now. My daughter said she googled and it and found it somewhere in South America. I can't tell you how devastated I was one day when I walked past one of the concrete support pads on our way into the park and realized that it was gone. I used to ride it 4-5 times everytime we went...which was quite often because we had season passes for around 7 or 8 years.

This ride was a right of passage for every child in the KC area for many years. It was the first real roller coaster most of us ever got to ride on. Can you imagine a roller coaster now without seat belts??

I love BTMR too, it was my other first coaster. I can't imagine they would change it too much but then again, look at everything else they have done...

[Diznee4Me]

Wasn't it down a few years for an extensive upgrade and overhaul?

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Wasn't it down a few years for an extensive upgrade and overhaul?

If it was, then it was prior to 2007, probably considerably earlier. And if it was, it's deteriorated VERY quickly.

[Goes4FastPass]

Maybe they'll put interactive buttons in the queue and add some new carpet and paint- that should take about seven months.

Hello, Hello, Max??

The Walt Disney Company just called. You're hired! Imagineer in charge of strategic planning and tap dancing! Congratulations!