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ZipadeedooDave
11-17-2003, 02:49 PM
I heard a rumor over the weekend that Big Thunder could/would be up and running for Thanksgiving Weekend! My source is quite reliable. Has anyone else heard about such news??:eek:

iwannabeanimagineer
11-17-2003, 03:24 PM
May it be.

Demigod121
11-17-2003, 03:28 PM
Dunno...will consult with the 'expert' (read: wife) and post back here.

-Demigod

Darkbeer
11-17-2003, 03:39 PM
DOSH has not released its report. The ride is under DOSH's control, only the state can allow the resumption of the ride, and that is only after the park makes the recommended changes, and the state signs off on those improvements...

My guess, the earliest it will reopen is next summer.....

Disneyphile
11-17-2003, 03:52 PM
Maybe the rumor was referring to BTMRR at WDW?? It is currently in refurb, and scheduled to reopen on 11/22.

ZipadeedooDave
11-17-2003, 04:00 PM
Possibly, but my source is pretty darn reliable with all info he gives me regarding the resort and the parks.....so we'll all just have to see.

Rallymonkey23
11-17-2003, 07:28 PM
If this means anything at all about BTMRR opening soon I don't know. But couple times I have been at DL this past week, the lights going up lift #2 were lit up (At night, of course). And last night I noticed that some of the track before you come out by Thunder Mountain Trail was lit up also. Maybe Cal OSHA has been checking the track out so that they can open the ride again. But then again, maybe not.

HighwayInTheSky
11-17-2003, 09:46 PM
BTM will never reopen.

Regardless of what the DOSH report concludes.

Look for an odd type of 'petting zoo' in the queue area
soon and eventually a slow moving train with a driver very
much like 'Natures Wonderland' to open in 2006.

Laugh if you like... but remember. You heard it here first.

RandomCM
11-18-2003, 12:11 AM
In Short :

IT'S A RUMOR!!

We will be lucky if we get it open before the end of the year!

Sorry! :(

BJW
11-18-2003, 12:20 AM
I personally am not too excited about getting back on this ride. I think they should think of a newer, safer, more reliable ride to put in its place. After all, not only was this not the first accident, but with the new maintenance problems documented in the LA Times article it would be much harder for them to keep it up in the future.

Nephythys
11-18-2003, 06:40 AM
Originally posted by HighwayInTheSky
BTM will never reopen.

Regardless of what the DOSH report concludes.

Look for an odd type of 'petting zoo' in the queue area
soon and eventually a slow moving train with a driver very
much like 'Natures Wonderland' to open in 2006.

Laugh if you like... but remember. You heard it here first.

Bite your tounge!:mad:

BTMRR will be back- they can't admit defeat like that!

CoasterMatt
11-18-2003, 06:53 AM
It'll be back sooner than most people (at least on these boards) expect...

ZipadeedooDave
11-18-2003, 07:44 AM
Originally posted by CoasterMatt
It'll be back sooner than most people (at least on these boards) expect...
I agree. My 'insider' is a Cast Member....and he's not the type of guy to give me false info......just to shut me up or anything. If Big Thunder was going to be shut down until 2010, he'd tell me. In fact, he told me in mid 2002 that Space Mountain was going down the next year until 2005 for a complete overhaul. Well, low and behold - he was right.

I agree with the quote above......I think it will be up and running sooner than any of us expect.;)

HighwayInTheSky
11-18-2003, 08:38 AM
My 'insider' would be me.. as a part of the focus group that meets
once every other week on the subject.

The conclusion is (much to my dismay) that the public will never
again trust DLR's BTMR in it's current form.

Discussion about removing the locomotive was deemed too
expensive because the stations and braking would all need to
be rebuilt to accomodate the new length of the train.

Putting in a flat car to make the size compatible was also
brought up, but eventually fell flat. (NPI)

The only agreement is that the space needs to be utilized
as soon (after the DOSH report is released) as possible and
the most readily available assets are the Circle-D animals.

BTMR track, trains and station are history.

A new and slow moving attraction will take it's place in a few
years.

Nephythys
11-18-2003, 08:59 AM
Originally posted by HighwayInTheSky
My 'insider' would be me.. as a part of the focus group that meets
once every other week on the subject.

The only agreement is that the space needs to be utilized
as soon (after the DOSH report is released) as possible and
the most readily available assets are the Circle-D animals.

BTMR track, trains and station are history.

A new and slow moving attraction will take it's place in a few
years.

So there is no more discussion, no rumor, no hope- and we just take your word for it that BTMRR will NEVER return?

I am not sure I am willing to do that.

karl
11-18-2003, 09:25 AM
Personally I'd welcome the return of a "Rainbow Caverns Mine Train"-style attraction. Its one of my favorite memories of the park.

The way BTMRR went down concerns me a whole lot - I can trust the engineering but that only one part of the equation. Would I ride BTMRR again - sure. But saying that, and knowing how local this park is, the attraction will have a very known history among many of its park-goers.

As to what they do with the attraction - many factors enter --

- Will they need to rebuild the entire track? (its been a good while)
- Does removing the purely-decorative locomotive change the engineering and what is the cost to re-engineer?
- What is the cost legally if another accident occurs on the same attraction?
- How popular will the attraction be to a largely local audience?

Then there is...

- Can a better return-on-investment be gained by redeveloping the footprint?
- And related, could combining the acreage with the Big Thunder BBQ / Festival Arena area present a larger development opportunity? (tho not immediate - and that concievably could include hotel if you rework some backstage acreage)

Short-term...
- A petting zoo did exist at Big Thunder Ranch before.. Converting the queue would not be difficult and would be a "quick" re-use.

Just to start discussions off...

CoasterMatt
11-18-2003, 09:36 AM
Originally posted by HighwayInTheSky
BTMR track, trains and station are history.

A new and slow moving attraction will take it's place in a few
years.

Would you be willing to put a wager on that?
:~D

SacTown Chronic
11-18-2003, 10:04 AM
Originally posted by HighwayInTheSky
BTM will never reopen.

Regardless of what the DOSH report concludes.

Look for an odd type of 'petting zoo' in the queue area
soon and eventually a slow moving train with a driver very
much like 'Natures Wonderland' to open in 2006.

Laugh if you like... but remember. You heard it here first.

That would be the straw that broke the camel's back for my family.

Andrew
11-18-2003, 10:24 AM
Originally posted by HighwayInTheSky
BTMR track, trains and station are history.

A new and slow moving attraction will take it's place in a few years.

Er, I'm afraid I trust CoasterMatt's sources a bit more than yours. I will freely admit it if I am mistaken, but at this point I rather doubt it.

Nephythys
11-18-2003, 10:25 AM
I just don't see why they would go to the effort of tearing things apart just to bring back some weak milquetoast attraction. That implies a weakness and FEAR on the part of DL management.

"Ok- we admit we can't make BTMRR safe for you again, so here is a nice slow safe ride instead."

"We admit that we were toally at fault, and YOU are not safe as our guest, so here is a nice petting zoo. Beware the goats."

"We admit that we can't make you feel safe riding BTMRR again so we bring you this lovely SLOW ride to make you feel safe again."

I am so doubting that-

BTMRR is very popular and whatever the cause, it was an accident! I am willing to ride it again and I would lay odds that MOST people are! I find it very hard to believe that DL would scrap one of the mountains.

Until DINSEYLAND announces what is happening to BTMRR, I chose to not trust any rumors or so called "insider" info.:mad:

adriennek
11-18-2003, 10:33 AM
Originally posted by HighwayInTheSky
My 'insider' would be me.. as a part of the focus group that meets
once every other week on the subject.

When you say focus group, I assume you mean that you are not employed by Disney but that you meet with Disney to give them your opinions as they ask you for them?

On the one hand, I believe this is what you're discussing in the focus group, but on the other hand, having had my own experiences in Disney focus groups, just because it's what they say in the group does not mean that's what they will ultimately do.

At one point I heard execs that had sat in our group say, "Well we did XYZ because that's what we discussed in the group and that's what you all told us to do." And those who had been in the group with me looked at each other and said, "I don't remember anyone ever saying that, do you?"

Adrienne

sgtdilbert
11-18-2003, 10:41 AM
Just to fuel the speculation and confirm that indeed that several flood lights were illuminating the track last week in the evening.

I have no idea what that means; just noticed it.

s.

karl
11-18-2003, 10:44 AM
Originally posted by adriennek

On the one hand, I believe this is what you're discussing in the focus group, but on the other hand, having had my own experiences in Disney focus groups, just because it's what they say in the group does not mean that's what they will ultimately do.
Adrienne

Exactly. Focus groups are ways to gather opinions. They may even platform by saying this is what we want to do, doing, however... and the folks behind the glass (figuratively or literally) take input.

Back to another point..

What actually happens we dont know. Is the BTMRR area up for consideration? - probably. Does Mr. Oimet already have a rather full plate? - ummm, yeah. Could BTMRR return largely unchanged? - I think yes given what happened and that they are looking to reopen BTMRR Orlando after refurb.

The OSHA report providing the blueprint for costs to remedy and the risks to operate will be the deciding factors ultimately.

-- Karl

Mickeyfan3
11-18-2003, 10:47 AM
According to cast member there last week, it's set to re-open in the spring, barring any snags. I'd heard before they weren't going to re-open it at all due to the accident being due to maintenence, but the cm's said the official word is it WILL re-open.

Demigod121
11-18-2003, 11:52 AM
According to my wife's recent CM info guide, BTMRR is still listed as 'closed indefinitely'.

No word on her end as to what they're doing. But that doesn't mean anything....lol...

-Demigod