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How Long Is the Wait for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

At Disney Magic Kingdom, the line averages 40 minutes for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The line is shortest around 10pm, averaging 31 minutes, and longest around 7pm at 46 minutes. That is drawn from the past 12 months of recorded waits, so you can pick a window without buying Lightning Lane.

Average wait by time of day
8am: 18 min average wait8am18min9am: 32 min average wait9am3210am: 39 min average wait10am3911am: 42 min average wait11am4212pm: 44 min average wait12pm441pm: 44 min average wait1pm442pm: 43 min average wait2pm433pm: 44 min average wait3pm444pm: 42 min average wait4pm425pm: 43 min average wait5pm436pm: 45 min average wait6pm457pm: 46 min average wait7pm46min8pm: 43 min average wait8pm439pm: 35 min average wait9pm3510pm: 31 min average wait10pm3111pm: 18 min average wait11pm18
■ Best■ Busiest
Average wait by day of week
Sun: 44 min average waitSun44minMon: 38 min average waitMon38Tue: 38 min average waitTue38Wed: 37 min average waitWed37minThu: 39 min average waitThu39Fri: 43 min average waitFri43Sat: 42 min average waitSat42
■ Best■ Busiest
Average wait by month
May: 45 min average waitMay45minJun: 35 min average waitJun35Jul: 31 min average waitJul31Aug: 28 min average waitAug28minSep: 28 min average waitSep28Oct: 30 min average waitOct30
■ Best■ Busiest
Key insight: The clearest pattern: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is shortest around 10pm (averaging 31 minutes) and longest around 7pm (46 minutes). Day of week matters too: Wed averages 37 minutes while Sun averages 44 minutes, a 7-minute difference. Across months, Aug tends to be the quietest, with an average closer to 28 minutes.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney Magic Kingdom is usually shortest around 10pm (about 31 minutes) and longest around 7pm (about 46 minutes). Riding in the first hour after opening or late in the evening gives the shortest waits.

What is the average wait for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad averages about 40 minutes at Disney Magic Kingdom, across every recorded wait while the ride was operating.

What day of the week has the shortest line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

Wednesday typically has the shortest line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (around 37 minutes), while Sunday is the busiest (around 44 minutes).

Do I need Lightning Lane to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?

No. By riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad during its quietest hours and on a lower-crowd day, most guests can keep the wait short without paying for Lightning Lane.

More rides at Disney Magic Kingdom

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Plan your Disney Magic Kingdom visit

Disney Magic Kingdom crowd calendar — best months & days to visit →Is Lightning Lane worth it at Disney Magic Kingdom? →Live wait times for every ride at Disney Magic Kingdom →

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