History Ride / BigThunderMountainRailroad

* KingOfTheDinosaurs: The ending of the ride (except in Paris) has the train pass through a ''Tyrannosaurus'' skeleton.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: Most versions of the ride culminate in the train diving through the unearthed bones of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

!!Tropes shown in ''Big Thunder Mountain Railroad'' include:

* TyrannosaurusRex: The ending of the ride (except in Paris) has the train pass through a ''Tyrannosaurus'' skeleton.

[[{{Foreshadowing}} plutonium news]]

The history of the coaster began in the late 1970s with Disneyland and Walt Disney World desperately trying to add in more roller coasters to their parks to attract in the thrill-seeker demographics, part of a building spree that also saw Space Mountains open at both parks. Famous Imagineer Tony Baxter proposed building a more simplified version of the mine train coaster that was to be built at the scrapped ''Western River Expedition'' attraction in Walt Disney World. The idea was swiftly decided upon, and on September 7th, 1979, the first ''Big Thunder Mountain Railroad'' opened to the public. 14 months later, on November 15th, 1980, the Magic Kingdom opened a mirror image of the California ride. It would then go on to be cloned again to Tokyo Disneyland in 1987 and Disneyland Paris, opening with the park on April 12th, 1992.

* NoExportForYou: No two versions of the ride are the same. From the Disneyland version:
** The track layout on the Magic Kingdom's version is an almost identical mirror-image of the Disneyland version, with one difference in the first section of the ride: instead of making a third U-turn after crossing under the second lift hill and drop, Florida does a three-quarter turn, making for a slightly longer track. Furthermore, the cave prior to the second lift hill on Disneyland's version is removed, and in its place is the flooded town of Tumbleweed, with trains traveling on banked track simulating an unstable trestle. Tumbleweed is the replacement for Rainbow Ridge, causing the final brake run to now be an expanded geyser field, in addition to the T-rex skeleton. California's version of the ride is the only version to have an outdoor station (owing to Southern California's fairly dry climate), while all other versions use indoor stations (owing to being in more rainy environments).
** Tokyo's version draws from the Florida version. However, the pre-second lift hill cave from California is restored in place of Tumbleweed. And rather than cross back over the third lift hill drop, the track now makes a U-turn to the right, goes down a drop through the boneyard and geysers, then through another tunnel, then makes a right turn into the final brakes, passes in front of the station building, then reenters the station.
** Paris's version uses the Florida version as a base, but is much different. Like Tokyo, the track makes a U-turn to the left after crossing under the second lift hill, then makes a slight right turn, then a left turn into the second lift hill. Instead of a cave, though, Paris has the trains travel along the Rivers of the Far West, then suddenly fall through a partially washed out trestle, before turning left onto the second lift hill. The third lift hill, while still depicting an earthquake (as originally designed), had gold rushing out of the ceiling as the trains crested the hill. But most importantly, the ride now takes place on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, and thus, trains travel through underwater tunnels to get to and from the station on the mainland. Paris's version also was built with more elaborate animatronics and scenery than the other versions (such as the donkeys and goat at the base of the second lift hill).
** In 2014 and 2016, the California and Paris versions of the ride underwent refurbishments, and on both, new mapping effects were added to the third lift hill to simulate blasting.

* ArtEvolution: No two versions of the ride are the same. From the Disneyland version:
** The track layout on the Magic Kingdom's version is an almost identical mirror-image of the Disneyland version, with one difference in the first section of the ride: instead of making a third U-turn after crossing under the second lift hill and drop, Florida does a three-quarter turn, making for a slightly longer track. Furthermore, the cave prior to the second lift hill on Disneyland's version is removed, and in its place is the flooded town of Tumbleweed, with trains traveling on banked track simulating an unstable trestle. Tumbleweed is the replacement for Rainbow Ridge, causing the final brake run to now be an expanded geyser field, in addition to the T-rex skeleton. California's version of the ride is the only version to have an outdoor station (owing to Southern California's fairly dry climate), while all other versions use indoor stations (owing to being in more rainy environments).
** Tokyo's version draws from the Florida version. However, the pre-second lift hill cave from California is restored in place of Tumbleweed. And rather than cross back over the third lift hill drop, the track now makes a U-turn to the right, goes down a drop through the boneyard and geysers, then through another tunnel, then makes a right turn into the final brakes, passes in front of the station building, then reenters the station.
** Paris's version uses the Florida version as a base, but is much different. Like Tokyo, the track makes a U-turn to the left after crossing under the second lift hill, then makes a slight right turn, then a left turn into the second lift hill. Instead of a cave, though, Paris has the trains travel along the Rivers of the Far West, then suddenly fall through a partially washed out trestle, before turning left onto the second lift hill. The third lift hill, while still depicting an earthquake (as originally designed), had gold rushing out of the ceiling as the trains crested the hill. But most importantly, the ride now takes place on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, and thus, trains travel through underwater tunnels to get to and from the station on the mainland. Paris's version also was built with more elaborate animatronics and scenery than the other versions (such as the donkeys and goat at the base of the second lift hill).
** In 2014 and 2016, the California and Paris versions of the ride underwent refurbishments, and on both, new mapping effects were added to the third lift hill to simulate blasting.

** Paris's version uses the Florida version as a base, but is much different. Like Tokyo, the track makes a U-turn to the left after crossing under the second lift hill, then makes a slight right turn, then a left turn into the second lift hill. Instead of a cave, though, Paris has the trains travel along the Rivers of the Far West, then suddenly fall through a partially washed out trestle, before turning left onto the second lift hill. The third lift hill, while still depicting an earthquake (as originally designed), had gold rushing out of the ceiling as the trains crested the hill. But most importantly, the ride now takes place on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, and thus trains travel through underwater tunnels to get to and from the station on the mainland. Paris's version also was built with more elaborate animatronics and scenery than the other versions (such as the donkeys and goat at the base of the second lift hill).

* IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace: At Magic Kingdom, the riders are at one point sent through a tunnel called "Davy Jones Mine", which looks just as threatening as it sounds. It's a very short tunnel right before the second lift hill.

* MythologyGag: The Disneyland version pays tribute to its predecessor, the ''Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland'':

->''"Hang on to them hats and glasses, 'cuz this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness!"''

->''"Hang on to them hats and glasses, cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness!"''

* SnowMeansCold: As Disneyland Paris operates even when it snows (owing to being a year-round destination), it is possible to ride their Big Thunder Mountain in the snow. Though as videos show, the trains don't necessarily travel as fast as they do on a normal day, owing to the colder temperatures.

* ExpandedUniverse: In 2015, the ride got its own comic book mini-series in the ''ComicBook/DisneyKingdoms'' line.

* MultipleChoicePast: With the exception of the Paris version, the full details on the backstory of this attraction have never been made clear and wildly vary.

* WeatherManipulation: The evil spirit in Big Thunder Mountain is able to do this, as in each version of the ride it causes some kind of horrible natural disaster that renders the western town abandoned.

** Paris's version uses the Florida version as a base, but is much different. Like Tokyo, the track makes a U-turn to the left after crossing under the second lift hill, then makes a slight right turn, then a left turn into the second lift hill. Instead of a cave, though, Paris has the trains travel along the Rivers of the Far West, then suddenly fall through a partially washed out trestle, before turning left onto the second lift hill. The third lift hill, while still depicting an earthquake (as originally designed), has gold rushing out of the ceiling as the trains crest the hill. But most importantly, the ride now takes place on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, and thus trains travel through underwater tunnels to get to and from the station on the mainland. Paris's version also was built with more elaborate animatronics and scenery than the other versions (such as the donkeys and goat at the base of the second lift hill).

** In Disneyland Paris: coming off the second lift hill drop, the trains disregard a sign reading "BEWARE! BROKEN TRESTLE!" as they rise up into the helix and cross a broken trestle. The entrance to the third lift hill tunnel has signs warning of explosives, and that lift hill is dynamited as the train climbs up (and before an accident in 2011, also had a simulated earthquake).

* IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace: At Magic Kingdom, the riders are at one point sent through a tunnel called "Davy Jones Mine", which looks just as threatening as it sounds.

->''Hang on to them hats and glasses, cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness!''

* AgeLift: The trains on the Paris version are painted to look old and weathered, compared to the American versions where the trains look brand-new.
* ArtEvolution: No two versions of the ride are the same, layout or effects-wise. From the Disneyland version:
** The Magic Kingdom's version is an almost identical mirror-image of Disneyland's version, track wise. The one difference in track layout is that instead of making a U-turn after the first two turns, Florida does a three-quarter turn, making for a slightly longer track. Florida's version replaces the pre-second lift hill cave with the town of Tumbleweed, with trains traveling on banked track simulating an unstable trestle, and replaces Rainbow Ridge with geysers. The station is also indoors instead of outdoors (owing to Florida's more rainy climate).

** Paris's version uses the Florida version as a base, but is much different. Like Tokyo, the track makes a U-turn to the left after crossing under the second lift hill, then makes a slight right turn, then a left turn into the second lift hill. Instead of a cave, though, Paris has the trains travel along the Rivers of the Far West, then suddenly fall through a partially washed out trestle, before turning left onto the second lift hill. The third lift hill, while still depicting an earthquake (as originally designed), now had gold rushing out of the walls to give the mountain a reason to complain. But most importantly, the ride now takes place on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, and thus trains travel through underwater tunnels to get to and from the station on the mainland. Paris's version also was built with more elaborate animatronics and scenery than the other versions (such as the donkeys and goat at the base of the second lift hill).
* BatScare: The first lift of the ride leads through a cavern full of screeching bats.

* CreatorCameo: Magic Kingdom's version features a portrait of Barnabas T. Bullion, the owner of the Big Thunder Mining Company, whose likeness is based off of Tony Baxter's, one of the lead Imagineers behind the attraction.

* IslandOfMystery: The Paris version is situated on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West. The ride is much longer due to the station being placed on the mainland, due to this necessitating the construction of underwater tunnels to transport trains to and from the mountain.
* KillItWithWater: In the Florida version, the spirits of the mountain get revenge on Tumbleweed by destroying it in a flood.

* MythologyGag: In California, the first lift hill cave is made to resemble Rainbow Caverns from the previous ''Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland'', even containing the various colored pools of water.
* OncePerEpisode: Every version of the ride has three lift hills, one indoor and two outdoor. The layout from the bottom of the second lift hill to just past the drop off the third lift hill is identical across all four versions, too - drop down, cross under the second lift, a 540 degree helix, a straightaway with an airtime hill and a drop, a 180 degree turn, an indoor third lift hill, then a drop and straightaway alongside the river.

* RollercoasterMine: Arguably one of the definitive examples, even though the Mine Cart Coaster design had been around well before this ride opened.

* StuffBlowingUp: As of 2014, the California version has riders traveling through a tunnel being blasted as they climb the third lift hill. The Paris version has always had this, and in a 2016 refurbishment, also received the mapping effects used in California.
* TrackTrouble: All versions feature at least one broken trestle. In the Paris version, the trestle before the second lift hill has partially ''collapsed'', so trains fall into the water before making the turn onto the lift hill.

** Paris's version uses the Florida version as a base, but is much different. Like Tokyo, the track makes a U-turn to the left after crossing under the second lift hill, then makes a slight right turn, then a left turn into the second lift hill. Instead of a cave, though, Paris has the trains travel along the Rivers of the Far West, then suddenly fall through a partially washed out trestle, before turning left onto the second lift hill. The third lift hill, while still depicting an earthquake (as originally designed), now had gold rushing out of the walls to give the mountain a reason to complain. But most importantly, the ride now takes place on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West, and thus trains travel through underwater tunnels to get to and from the station on the mainland.

* TyrannosaurusRex: The ending of the ride has the train stop right along a dig site where a ''Tyrannosaurus'' skeleton has been discovered.

The basic storyline of the attraction is that the mountain was once a huge source of gold during the Gold Rush, making many boom towns form up around it as a result, along with the creation of the Big Thunder Mining Company. The amount of gold in the mountain ended up being so huge that a mine train system was built through it to transport the miners' findings. Unknown to them, the mountain was actually a sacred ground used by several Indian tribes, where they worshiped a spirit that resides in the mountain. That very spirit was displeased with all of the people defiling the mountain, and thus sent down a natural disaster on the land that effectively ended the mining business and rendered the boom towns mostly abandoned. Along with that, the spirit also possessed the mine systems, giving all of the trains a mind of their own. From there, the story [[MultipleChoicePast tends to vary as to what happens next]].

The history of the coaster began in the late '70s with Disneyland desperately trying to add in more coasters to the park to attract in the thrill-seeker demographics. Famous Imagineer Tony Baxter proposed building a more simplified version of the mine train coaster that was to be built at the scrapped ''Western River Expedition'' attraction in Walt Disney World. The idea was swiftly decided upon, and on September 7th, 1979, ''Big Thunder Mountain Railroad'' opened to the public.

Because of how well received the new coaster was among visitors, a mirror image of the ride was opened at the Magic Kingdom in November 1980. It would then go on to be cloned again to Tokyo Disneyland in 1987 and Disneyland Paris, opening with the park on April 12th, 1992.

* CantYouReadTheSign: In Disneyland's version, riders go right past several signs warning of explosives being near. The result of course is an explosive finale.

* IronicName: One of the nearby towns in Magic Kingdom's version is named "Dry Gulch", something that would prove to be very much untrue when it gets flooded.
* IslandOfMystery: In the Paris version, Big Thunder Mountain is situated on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West. Riders load and exit the trains at a station on the mainland, and underwater tunnels transport guests to and from the island.

* PlungerDetonator: The queue line at Magic Kingdom's version contains some, which the guests can push down on to trigger small explosions in the mountain.

''Big Thunder Mountain Railroad'' is a roller coaster at the Ride/DisneyThemeParks. Located in the Frontierland part of the parks, the coaster is themed around a mine train ride through a cursed mountain.

Because of how well received the new coaster was among visitors, a duplicate of the ride was brought over to Magic Kingdom just a year later. It would then go on to be cloned again to Tokyo Disneyland in 1987 and Disneyland Paris, opening with the park on April 12th, 1992.

* IslandOfMystery: In the Paris version, Big Thunder Mountain and its supernatural history is located on an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West.
* KillItWithWater: In Magic Kingdom's version, the spirits of the mountain get revenge on Tumbleweed by destroying it in a flood.

* MythologyGag: The first lift hill cave is made to resemble Rainbow Caverns from the previous ''Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland'' ride.

* RibcageRidge: The ''T. rex'' skeleton that the train passes through.

* StuffBlowingUp: As of 2014, Disneyland's version includes a trip through a dynamite-laced mine, where of course everything ends up blowing up.

* RibcageRidge: The aforementioned T-Rex skeleton.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: The ending of the ride has the train stop right along a dig site where a ''Tyrannosaurus'' skeleton has been discovered.