A notice of commencement permit has been filed for work at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. This permit could be the first actual sign of a rumored extensive refurbishment for the attraction. It is rumored that Disney World will close Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for more than a year. The closure would happen sometime this summer or fall after Tiana’s Bayou Adventure gets its operational feet under it.

The permit lists Coastal Steel as the contractor and “general construction” as the description of the work to be completed. Of note is the August 2025 expiration date for the permit – longer than the standard one-year expiration that these types of permits default to.

Coastal Steel is getting a lot of work from Disney World these days. They are also listed on an early permit for the Test Track reimagining at EPCOT. Coastal Steel has been a part of numerous Disney World projects, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Expedition Everest, the Chinese Theater at Hollywood Studios, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Mission: SPACE, TRON Lightcycle Run, work at Blizzard Beach, the Sorcerer’s Hat at Hollywood Studios, Cinderella Castle, and more.

Perhaps most notable for the rumored work at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is Coastal Steel’s work on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Coastal Steel shared the photo below of the construction of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Walt Disney World has yet to announce a closure of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so while the permit is legitimate, any speculation as to the scope of the work should be considered unofficial unless and until Disney announces it.

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!