Big Thunder Mountain Railroad's Missing Possums Finally Getting a Second Chance

The iconic Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom's Walt Disney World has been revamped after a 16-month refurbishment, but one detail was noticeably absent when it reopened in May: a family of spinning possums. These animatronic critters had hung upside down and spun over the coaster train as it zoomed through Tumbleweed, a flooded mining town in Frontierland.

The reason behind their prolonged absence lies in safety standards. Every attraction at Walt Disney World must adhere to an 'envelope of protection,' which ensures that guests cannot make physical contact with scenery or overhead structures while in motion. During the refurbishment, track replacement and structural adjustments altered the coaster train's positioning relative to the surrounding scenery.

The original possum branch reportedly failed clearance testing due to hanging too close to the guest reach area. Rather than delaying the reopening, Disney removed the branch temporarily, with Imagineers engineering a safe solution behind the scenes.

Recent updates reveal that physical work has resumed in Tumbleweed, with riders spotting a tarp wrapped around the tree trunk where the possum branch was formerly attached. This suggests that crews are preparing to reattach a redesigned branch, likely adjusted for safety.