Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Articles
1 Killed, 10 Hurt At Disneyland
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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a Disneyland roller coaster built to look like a runaway train, derailed at 11:22 a.m. Friday, killing one man and injuring 10 people. Killed: Marcelo Torres, 22, of Gardena Injured: Eight people were taken to hospitals; two were treated at scene and released. Aftermath: The roller coaster and Frontierland were shut down Friday. Probes: State, ...
10 Disneyland Attractions That Do Not Exist Anymore But We Wish Did
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It's not easy being Disneyland. To keep people coming back and visiting year after year, the Anaheim amusement park has to constantly reinvent itself while not changing in ways that'll alienate diehard fans whose nostalgia runs deep. A few months ago, the park permanently closed the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to turn it into Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout!, which opens May 27. While Disney ...
10 Most Expensive Items In Auction Featuring 1500 Theme Park Collectibles
An upcoming auction featuring hundreds of Disneyland items expected to fetch as much as $600,000 apiece will give Disneyana enthusiasts a chance to add a bit of the Anaheim theme park 's history to their personal memorabilia collections. Heritage Auctions in Beverly Hills will hold the Disneyland Signature Auction: The Rummell Collection on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. ...
10 Things To Know About Star Wars Nite
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Yes, Star Wars and Disneyland geeks and freaks, (and everyone else, too), Disneyland is about to hold its first ever "Stars Wars Nite" at the park, for those of us who just can't get enough of the fun. This is in anticipation of the next movie in the Disney Star Wars franchise, plus of course the anticipated opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in July 2019. Here are 10 things you need to know: 1. ...
10 Tips For Visiting With Toddlers And Preschoolers
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Toddlers and preschoolers can be challenging travel companions, but travel destinations like Disneyland are made for them. I've never been a parent to wait until a certain age to travel with my kids anywhere, and there was no way I was going to miss out on the magic of Disney when my kids believed in it the most (and kids are free until they turn 3 at Disney). Consequently, I've been to Disneyland ...
19 Seriously Amazing Disneyland Hacks To Make Your Trip Even More Magical
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You've bought the plane tickets, booked the hotel, stocked up on super stylish Mickey gear, got your nails did, and have your Disneybounding all ready; you're truly invested in that upcoming Disneyland trip. Now it's time to do absolutely everything you can to ensure that you have the BEST TIME EVER. We can help! Here are 19 tried-and-true Disneyland hacks to assist you in having the most magical time at ...
2 Nighttime Spectaculars Added To Premium Maxpass System
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Disney has added the "Fantasmic" and "World of Color" nighttime spectaculars to the MaxPass system which lets visitors book FastPass attraction times via a mobile app at its two Anaheim theme parks. The $15 up-charge MaxPass system works with the free FastPass systems to allow visitors to set up return times for popular attractions in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The popular ...
20 Loudest Rides And 20 Noisiest Shows With Decibel Readings
Disneyland 's monorail horn is as loud as a piledriver, its railroad trains as ear-splitting as a jackhammer and the nightly fireworks more deafening than a bulldozer, according to a noise analysis conducted on behalf of the Anaheim theme park. The decibel readings for attractions, shows and parades at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are buried deep in the 17,000-page Environmental ...
20 Surprising Things You Can And Can Not See Do And Taste At Your Next Visit
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Blue milk. Human ashes. Feral cats. Disneyland may be 85 acres of carefully curated mirth, but even after nearly 65 years of operation in Anaheim, Calif., the vacation destination can still surprise -- as park-goers who 've encountered the blue milk, human ashes and, yes, feral cats can attest. Before you next pass through the turnstile en route for the old-timey Main Street ...
23 Rides That Have Shut Down And The Surprising Reasons Why
Rocket to the Moon closed and inspired several futuristic flight rides were equally unsuccessful. Rocket to the Moon was a Disneyland opening day attraction in 1955 that placed guests in a giant rocket ship, or moonliner, standing in Tomorrowland. The futuristic simulation ride was sponsored by the now defunct airline TWA (Trans World Airline). Guests sat in a circle with screens ...
3 Reasons Disney Is More Valuable Than You Think
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Few businesses ever strive for excellence. Advantages, yes. Profits, undoubtedly. But excellence? Not so much. Thanks to a Christmas-break trip to Disneyland in California (not China), I now believe Walt Disney is a notable exception to this rule, and I'm backing my thesis with a CAPScall. Three things I learned on our winter vacation When it comes to Disneyland, I don't surprise easily. I'd been ...
3 Suits Filed in Disney Crash
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The parents of a 22-year-old Gardena man killed last year in a crash on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster filed a wrongful-death lawsuit Tuesday against the amusement park's corporate parent. The suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court by the parents of Marcelo Torres, charges that Disney Co. had made cutbacks in its maintenance department and "knew, or should have known, ...
30 Captions For Couples Who Are Having A Date That Is Like A Fairy Tale
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When visiting Disneyland, there's nothing more magical than having your SO by your side. What could be more romantic than sharing a churro Lady and the Tramp-style with bae and holding hands while you're getting spooked at the Haunted Mansion? For a date that's truly fairy tale-worthy, you need to plan a trip to Disneyland. When you get there, don't forget to get a selfie in front of the ...
4 Hurt At Disneyland
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A woman was taken to a hospital and three other people were treated at the scene after they were struck by a Disneyland parade float tonight. "A Christmas Fantasy Parade" was near the end of its route, near the "It's a Small World" attraction, when it hit the four spectators at about 8:15 p.m., park spokesman Rob Doughty said. Anaheim fire Capt. Jamie Hirsch said the people were hit by the ...
45 Surprising Secrets About Disneyland
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It's been 45 years since Disney Parks first took intrepid thrill seekers into the darkest corners of outer space. We're talking, of course, about Space Mountain. And while it's true that the iconic indoor roller coaster opened first at Walt Disney World in Florida on January 15, 1975, did you know that it was first dreamed up, at the request of Walt Disney himself, by ...
5 Best Rides 5 Things To Avoid
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Five can't-miss Disneyland rides Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: A gold-mine-themed runaway train ride, it has nothing to do with Disney characters, except you'll yelp as high-pitched as Minnie Mouse through its twists and turns. And yet it wasn't too much for our 6-year-old. Space Mountain: Of course! The famed inner-space thrill ride hasn't lost its starry luster, even though it broke down on ...
5 Rides To Go To First When The Park Opens
When Disneyland in Anaheim first opens its gates every day at eight in the morning, there are a few rides visitors should make a beeline for if they don't want to be standing in line for hours. Since it debuted in 1955, Disneyland has boasted many popular rides and other experiences that capture the magic of the company's extensive list of films and shows, primarily of the fantasy and adventure ...
50 Ways To Love Disneyland
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Mickey Mouse is planning a blowout as Disneyland Resort in California celebrates its 50th anniversary, starting Thursday. Sure, it'll be hot, and the lines will be long. But you know you want to go: the Matterhorn; Mickey-shaped, chocolate-covered ice cream; mouse ears with your name embroidered on the back. Arizona is second only to California for the number of people who make the pilgrimage to the ...
50 Years Of Disneyland
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Disneyland spokesman Tim O'Day, hired as a parade performer in 1976 and knowledgeable about virtually every Disneyland detail, is practically the grand marshal of the theme park's rich history, including its integration to motion pictures. The co-author of Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever talked with Box Office Mojo about the Happiest Place on Earth. Box Office Mojo: Which principle defines ...
60 Reasons To Visit Disneylands 60th Anniversary
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You don't really need a reason to visit Disneyland. It is the happiest place on earth after all. But when was the last time you stepped onto Main Street U.S.A. and took a spin on Dumbo the Flying Elephant? If it's been awhile, you might want to consider planning a visit this year as the resort goes all out for its 60th anniversary Diamond Celebration. In honor of the occasion, let's highlight 60 of ...
7 Tips For Tackling Disneyland In A Day
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I've been to Disneyland hundreds of times over the last two decades and have been writing the Funland theme park blog for about four years now. As a result, people are always asking me how to do everything at Disneyland in a single day. The short answer is you probably can't. It can be a struggle for even hard-core fans with military assault-like strategies. The longer answer is there's lots of ways ...
8 Things You Loved As A Kid And Still Do Even In Your 20s
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If you think Disney is just a place for kids, I'm here to let you in on a little secret: Adults can have just as much fun there. Disney is meant for everyone, and it's the things about Disney you loved as a kid and still do in your 20s that prove exactly that. I'm a proud 29 year old who spends her free days going to Disneyland to ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and eat as many ...
A Diamond Celebration In Sardineland
It had been three or four years since I had last been to Disneyland. But, on May 22, my mother and I went, just the two of us. That day was the opening day, for lack of a better term, of the park's Diamond celebration. As a part of that, the parks were open for 24 hours, closing at 6 A.M. on May 23 for a few hours. Rather inadvertently, we ended up parking in the "Toy Story" parking lot instead of ...
A Grandmother's Magical Return To Disneyland
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If you live in North America, indeed much of the world, you are unlikely to have avoided the spell that has been cast over modern culture since the day Walt Disney opened the gates to his Disneyland theme park in California in 1955. If you were a lucky child, your parents loaded up the station wagon and headed to Anaheim at least once during your childhood, cramming the family into a little offsite ...
A Park With A Powerful Spell
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Disneyland opened on this day in 1955. For five decades, the Anaheim attraction has worked its magic on our culture and transformed the entertainment industry. To build his dream theme park in Anaheim a half-century ago, Walt Disney borrowed against his life insurance policy and cashed in property, including a vacation home in Palm Springs, to pay the $17-million construction bill. When the ...
A Perfect 48 Hours Of Eating At Disneyland Resort
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Theme park food normally brings to mind wilted hot dogs and sad soft serve cones, but Disney cares far too much about its culinary program to stoop so low at its original park. The perfect 48 hours in the Happiest Place on Earth are filled with much less junk food than you'd anticipate, with generous options for strong cocktails, sit-down dinners that don't disappoint, and plenty of unique eats that'll ...
A Really Weird Experience The Oddest Places Readers Have Ever Been Stuck On Rides
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There 's one moment on the Haunted Mansion - my favorite ride, my only must-do on any given Disneyland day - that I absolutely dread. Sometimes I close my eyes, sometimes I just avert them to focus on something more agreeable to my sensibilities, sometimes I just fix my gaze, staring down my own demon in grotesque horror. It has absolutely nothing to do with a ghost. The spot I ...
ABC Orders Big Thunder Pilot Based On Disneyland Ride
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Pilot season is now going strong at the networks, and Variety reports that ABC ordered four new drama pilots today, including Big Thunder, based on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain ride. Written by Jason Fuchs (Ice Age: Continental Drift) and executive produced by Chris Morgan (writer of most of The Fast and the Furious films), Big Thunder is described by Variety as involving "a 19th century New ...
After 14 Months Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Set To Reopen St. Patricks Day
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At long last, the "wildest ride in the wilderness" is ready to roll again. Closed in January 2013 for extensive renovation, Disneyland announced Friday that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad would officialy reopen St. Patrick's Day. I was at the park Friday, just after the construction walls were taken down. Disney employees were posted at the entrance where they fielded questions all day from ...
All 9 Lands At Ranked
Fantasyland offers the most rides and is ideally located in Disneyland. Mickey's Toontown has mediocre rides and limited shopping and dining options. New Orleans Square has the best dining options and underrated classic rides. Disneyland in Anaheim is divided into nine distinct ''lands,'' and some of these certainly offer better experiences than others. ...
All Aboard Disney's Fort Wilderness Railroad
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It's no secret that Walt Disney had a special place in his heart for railroads. Years before Disneyland opened, he built a model railroad in his backyard which he dubbed the Carolwood Pacific Railroad and spent countless hours riding it, tinkering with it and giving his family and friends much-coveted rides. When Disneyland opened in 1955, the narrow-gauge Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad circled ...