The Cursed Lore of Big Thunder Mountain

How much story can Disney shove into a 3 minute long roller coaster? The answer is a ton. Like, a lot more than you'd think they could. And today, I'm gonna take 20 minutes of your life that you'll never be able to get back to explain the entire known history of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
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Video Credits ▶
Phantom Manor, LMGVids, • [2019] Phantom Manor R... Thunder
Mountain Magic Kingdom, LMGVids, • [4K] Big Thunder Mount...
Sources ▶
Map of Big Thunder Mountain by Frank Phillips on Flickr, www.flickr.com/photos/frankfr...
Thumbnail Image by TripSavvy
Sound Credits ▶
Plantation by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...

[@OffhandDisney]

Plot Twist: The Phantom is actually Barnabas, we've all just been deceived. And Jason Chandler is the thunder-bird, somehow.

[@EPCOTNERDLovesDisney]

:O

[@ekksprmnt626]

It all makes sense now

[@ConnorCampbell-ch5mk]

I knew it!

[@michaelmatthews6014]

And they would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling KZbinrs!

[@Bucky749]

Barnbas are we talking dark shadows or em I getting universe crossed . And is John lafeet involved. And Iinjin Joe .

[@Orkunkadunk]

The Disney parks have always amazed me on their stories for seemingly one off rides, easily the best part of imagineering

[@FruitBrute]

When you hear the last name Ravenswood, you know to buckle your seatbelt. This is gonna be a wild Disney lore time.

[@omgsicle]

YAAAAAY THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS LORE! I used to work at WDW’s Big Thunder and at the time, there was a binder that had the full story of the ride and some fun factoids that I could read inside where the greeter phone was. I remember reading through the story of the ride and was 1) SHOCKED how much story there really was and 2) SHOOKETH that there was yet to be a Big Thunder movie. I think I read that there’s one in the works now and I reeeally hope they do this backstory justice.

[@baystated]

The Disney stories around the "Past" Lands are great are because they revolve around characters and their choices. Tomorrowland doesn't' have characters like that to tie itself together. Disney's dream future was egalitarian without struggle, so there is no narrative drama.

[@derekllewellyn6663]

Alice and Peter pan and wandey

[@michaelsullivan3581]

And, of course, Mr. Tom Morrow!

[@ryan-uk6jf]

doesn’t tomorrow land have more of a city structure than it being centered around a character… like isnt space mountain in WDW supposed to be a star port? and then there’s a “power plant” next to the dome with it being a gift shop or something

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

It's not that deep.

[@laurendouglas6452]

The Thunder Mountain story-verse is honestly my favorite piece of Disney parks lore. If we ever get the SEA series, I hope there's a string of episodes covering this!✨

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Me three!

[@RakoonCD]

9:56 at this point I'd also like to think that the stagecoach connects the Disney parks to Knott's Berry Farm's fictional Calico town

[@OffhandDisney]

The font is for sure an homage, I'll have to take a trip to Knott's to see for myself.

[@RakoonCD]

@@OffhandDisney you and hey brickey haven't been to proto disney?

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Walt was keenly fond of Calico's Mine Trains. He is intertwined in the story there of, so to speak!

[@ryanhatesgirls]

​@@OffhandDisneyI took the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour and the tour guide told me that the stagecoach was a gift from Walter Knot to congratulate Walt on Disneyland

[@spoiledbabykitty]

Except Calico is an actual ghost town outside Barstow and a lot of what is at Knott's Calico used salvaged materials and buildings from historic western buildings.

[@chrismcdowell7138]

The Disney folks should hire you for your imagination and storytelling. Your ability to tie things together, not just one park, but multiple parks, across multiple continents. It all makes sense know, how all of this is tied together with S.E.A..

[@OffhandDisney]

I need to make a petition or something.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

@@OffhandDisney I will make my X!

[@ryan-uk6jf]

the “Offhand Anthology” or “Offhand Disney Lore”, you should honestly write a book about how all the lore connects with each other

[@GBkites]

I blame Jean lafitte

[@OffhandDisney]

It's always him.

[@mr.meloetta1939]

I remember something saying that the reason people are riding the trains is because the Thunder Mesa Mining Co. is trying to recover profits by basically turning the possessed railroad into a giant thrill ride. Dunno' if that's still a thing but I think that's really funny so to me it's canon

[@heliotropeskies5918]

18:14 actually cousin elrod (the guy in the bathtub) still stays in tumbleweed with isobar. for some reason. who knows why. he seems chill

[@michaelsullivan3581]

More power to them!

[@crazybird199]

I’d add that maybe the people operating the ride now are a tourist company capitalizing on the legend and self-driving trains. No real evidence but could be possible.

[@benh3518]

I think that actually *is* what's going on. The mining company obviously can't do much mining (but still *are* since I know Disneyland's still has dynamite in the final lift that replaced the earthquake) and has a bunch of trains barreling around at high speeds without anybody controlling them...and it's just before 1920 when wooden roller coasters would really start popping up everywhere. For somebody like Bullion who is straight up not giving a care in the world about anything but money, why WOULDN'T he charge people admission for something with literally no operational costs? The only part that needs explaining, in-universe, is how do people actually get *on* the possessed trains since without anybody actually controlling them, how do you get people on and off them?

[@harlandawkins1769]

BTM lore is so underrated. Love the vid!!!

[@ChrisandToryTVandYoshiitoo]

Honestly they should add Thunder Mesa land (the original concept with the western river expedition and much more) to beyond big thunder, make it a new "Frontierland" and incorporate tianas bayou adventure into a new orleans square esk area with refurbishments to the buildings of the current frontierland we have now!!

[@joshberninger8355]

I would love that. Not sure they’d still do WRE but would be great. But could do Geyser Mountain.

[@derekllewellyn6663]

​@@joshberninger8355story about how it take to get ride before

[@grantvicknair]

Disney World was originally supposed to get the western river expedition because and I quote why would people in Florida? Wanna ride a pirate attraction

[@jalapeno1119]

Or make Bayou Adventure part of Liberty Square, so it goes from the 1600s with Haunted Mansion to the Louisana Purchase!

[@cmtorr12]

Great video on my favorite attraction. I love how this story ties all Frontierlands everywhere together.

[@FriendlyPhilcoDealer]

“We’re boarding these mine trains in the mid-1910s.” So what I heard is: John Marston is canonically a Disney Princess.

[@warweasel2832]

If there is a single company who will never in a million years be bought out and have its IP integrated by Disney and the Parks, I would bet my life on it being Rockstar Games.

[@OffhandDisney]

But you said you knew Spanish.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

@@OffhandDisney Que malo, Jefecito!

[@thedarkcarnival4204]

@@OffhandDisney you got a plan Dutch?

[@chloewildner167]

This was excellent! I had no idea Big Thunder had all this lore or how the mountains were connected.

[@RedShirt00000]

Great timing, I just watched your Phantom Manor video!

[@Corleone1891]

This is absolutely the finest video you've ever made.

[@gibbage1]

Cool story. My wife, a history teacher, took interest in this Big Thunder lore video. So I told her to watch the Haunted Mansion lore video first. She did, and she literally said "Ya, I like this guy better than the stick figure guy. Much less boring". Lol. I slowly turned and said "they are the same guy, but 5 years apart" and she said "Ow, well he got better then"

[@WDWCentral]

Well that’s the legend of Thunder Mountain…

[@derekllewellyn6663]

70s before big thunder mountain view of power

[@jetsons101]

Great way to do the intro, classic B&W. Then going from B&W to color was a nice nod to "The Wizard of Oz."

[@derekllewellyn6663]

Yes me too Derek Llewellyn feel like I was in April 15 coming back

[@JonseyLetsPlays]

This makes sense and all but why can Sora, donald and goofy summon a light version of the train to fight the rock titan and in the keyblade graveyard? Has sora gone to Disneyland?

[@RobRoyRoadie]

Cumulus Isobar’s last name is pronounced “eye-so-bar”. In meteorology, an isobar is a line on a map connecting areas with the same atmospheric pressure (like topographic contour lines on a geographic map, but for atmospheric pressure, not elevation).

[@WarholaSoup]

I could watch lore videos ALL DAY

[@sprout001]

Just here in my Lafitte shirt wondering when a vid will drop and....BAM!!!

[@pinksiren8825]

I knew as soon as I saw the title, we were in for a good one 😂 This was really interesting

[@MrMadshepherd]

Big thunder always struck me as nothing more than a simple coaster. Good but with no obvious lore. But recently learning the lore has brought it up in my estimation. I had the chance to go to Paris last year and the symbiotic relationship between Big Thunder and Phantom Manor was something quite special. I really enjoyed the alternate take on Haunted Mansion, how it was essentially the same ride but wholly different throughout.

[@Rosebud7672]

i need more disney history

[@williamsorrells6058]

I'll be honest man, your videos are great, heck listening to your videos I could honestly see how a movie series could be made off connection for all the various parks. Big thunder mountain alone could be it's own movie alone.

[@ToshisGarden]

I'd love to see you do a video on both the Matterhorn's lore and Magic Kingdom's old "New Tomorrowland" story!

[@ttops0680]

I've never been on btm because I'm a baby but I really liked the story behind it. Thanks for explaining it!

[@BricklyDragon]

We, the guests, are desperate miners coming in from all over the world, looking for gold and fortune. It would explain why in the ride que, we interact with each mining equipment such as the explosive charges and ventilation. We are all miners waiting in line to board one of the trains, not knowing or knowing about the history of the curse. I've always assumed this, even as a kid but I'm fairly sure we are miners.

[@bethfrompa]

As a former cast member who worked BTM at WDW, I appreciate this video!

[@XxXenosxX]

Always amazes me the lore behind the perks

[@robertjones1729]

Aloha Daylin..funny and entertaining as usual..thank you for your content always fun

[@jetsons101]

Hmmmmm Is Henry Ravenwood the father of Dr. Abner Ravenwood and the grandfather of Marion Ravenwood of Indiana Jones fame ???

[@AtticHaunt321]

Uncle, maybe?

[@jetsons101]

@@AtticHaunt321 Maybe a Aunt, can't tell for sure now days.......

[@BAM5636]

@jetsons101 Lore that writes itself now. Especially since Indy himself being in S.E.A is also somewhat confirmed....ish.

[@jetsons101]

@@BAM5636 Lore is written by the Lore writers...... lol

[@johnjanssens8998]

Big Thunder mountain and Baron 1898....That's quite a spooky time to be alive and a golddigger.

[@maddercat]

There is something to the cane. Jason Chandler has a nemesis in at least one story, that's his cane. There are a lot of different stories about Jason over the years, there is at least one I'm trying to connect for years having to do with the Elaho River which is on his paddle. Anyway the cane is apparently from this story, but I've never been able to find reference to it except a small bit on a wiki for the river/canada expedition, but the reference for it is lost on the site since it's so old, so I can't find anything that's in the parks or an official story. Jason Chandler is the most important member of SEA there's tons about him. The marvel comics are pretty much recognized as non canon now, there's too much that conflicts with official park stuff in them. Jason Chandler is known to have been active in the early 1900's because he's aboard the hyperion to make the map for the Skipper Canteen SEA post, but he's always been depicted as being a young man during the times he helped Barnabas and built the journey to the center of the earth drill machine that later would have let him have a fortune to build Discovery Bay....so the times are weird dealing with that. You also didn't mention anything about that which I find weird, there's evidence of that.... You should make a video about Jason Chandler specifically and try to bring all the stories together, cause if you can understand him you understand the SEA in my mind. If you do it, don't forget the show Zombies. lul

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Amazing!

[@Evva-vc5iw]

I clicked so fast when I saw Big Thunder! Definitely one of my favorite rides! ❤️

[@clairegolder3683]

I absolutely love hearing about the lore of all of these rides! It’s one of the things that makes me want to be an Imagineer! Along with the level of story and detail they put into everything to get the stories across.

[@jaggerspock6160]

Amazing video, please do more lore videos like this.

[@averyeml]

Just got back from Hong Kong Disney this past week- overall I was largely underwhelmed but Grizzly Gulch has the most fun mine train ride, and the Back to the Future III theme song is part of the music loop and that’s beautiful

[@crayonchomper1180]

11:32 a possible answer as to why guests are willingly getting on the Ghost Trains is that we are investigators from the S.E.A. trying to get to the bottom of the happenings around Big Thunder Mountain

[@QuintonRe2s]

One of your best vids!!!

[@SupermarketSweep777]

So, Haunted Mansion + Big Thunder Mountain Railroad = Black Diamond Mining Co.

[@sethcarlow8363]

Subscribed,the bell is on and liked, having lots of fun-fun-fun.

[@markbenesh77]

I get what you say about the books and comics Dallon, however in the case of the Haunted Mansion books (the 4 book series), we get back stories to ghosts that we see in the ride. So in a way (in my opinion) it’s like reading additional continuity like what you provide in videos like this that elaborate on these in-ride stories.

[@dualiesmakesstuff]

New offhand disney video, life is good

[@yellowhelmet2856]

The Big Thunder Mountain-verse. 🚂

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Has a dandy ring to it!

[@DISNEYDADROX]

💜🖤 I am enamored with the backstory of rides and the subtle nods to a bigger connected world of S.E.A. What about the Dinosaur 🦖 🦕? Could Disney have missed the chance to make it a Thunderbird skeleton instead of a nondescript dinosaur? Could be A cool thing to tweak one day.💜🖤

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Like the way you think, pardner!

[@user-tb8vi4og8m]

It is now my headcanon that the natives encountered the dinosaur’s ghost, and called it the “thunderbird” because it was covered in feathers and shook the ground when it walked.

[@Non-Legit]

Let’s gooooo, more park lore just dropped

[@anadmirer8789]

Actually, Main Street was meant to evoke Walt Disney’s childhood, circa 1910 in Marcelline, Missouri.

[@ryanchrisgomez]

YEEESSSS I love the lore around Frontierland in DLP

[@cg6711]

I like the idea that we’re also in the 1910s or so at Big Thunder Mountain because it makes more sense as to why Tiana’s (ostensibly in the 1920s) is more nearby (at least for WDW).

[@King_Oli.]

NEW OFF HAND DISNEY VIDEO YAYAYYYAYAYAYA!!!!!!!!!!

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Thank you maestro! I deeply enjoyed this production! Adventure, mystery and lore! Artfully weaved with passion and wit! Big Thunder Mountain is to me as the Haunted Mansion is to you! You have made my day with this thorough expression of appreciation! Well conceived and displayed! You have my gratitude! 🍩

[@MsDisneylandlover]

The showdown music is great 😊. #DisneyDiva Howdy partner ❤

[@vincec727]

I always forget to notice this stuff when i go to disneyland. 🤷‍♂️

[@casschu1718]

omg please cover Matterhorn that would be so fun!!

[@sunfastrose]

I agree with that second favorite ‘P’ word

[@quinnzyker6521]

I’m surprised it doesn’t take place in grand Mesa. That also has a legend of a great thunderbird. It’s a pretty good legend.

[@jaredfamily4626]

You think big thunder Mountain has cursed lore, just wait until the big thunder mountain movie or show idk at this point comes out

[@theGingerAutist]

also, asia at dak has an entire storyline including the tea company, river rapids, & everest that could be fun to cover!!

[@ThemeSnark]

Ngl, I wanted him to say "but that's just a theory, a PARK THEORY" at the end. Also, I used to play bass for Varmint Or Something.

[@erinfuller2271]

Every time a video like this pops up I scream. Out loud. I get very excited lol

[@burneyboys02]

The lore behind this Mountain always intrigues me and reasons why I enjoy riding it so much. If I ever make an S.E.A. video in the future, I'll try to apply these new info pieces. I've already touched on the topic briefly but I really want to go in-depth on everything we know so far.

[@meleana5901]

19:51 OMG ITS ME AND MY BF!!! we met you that day too in dca!!! *fangirl moment*

[@tadtomd]

More cursed lore content!!!

[@TheDisneyDweller]

Routine Offhand Disney W video

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Routinely Stunning! Cream of the crop, actually!

[@coyoteartist]

Is now when I say technically, Walt Disney World is in the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista?

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Dang it... somebody's gonna have to go back an' get a shitload'a dimes!

[@NikkiLace311]

I thought BTM trains were "ghost trains" or "ghost conductors". At one time when AR was a thing. You could use your phone to "see" the conductors. Maybe it was an LG Thrill/Optimus thing back in 2011. I really miss that phone

[@CardinalKaos]

I love that Bullion is clearly Tony Baxter lmao

[@Thaumh]

There is another possible theoretic link to the S.E.A. Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. was mentored by one Dr. Abner Ravenwood and eventually married his daughter Marion. What if Abner and Marion's ancestor were related to Henry Ravenswood and divorced themselves from that side of the family by dropping the 's' from the middle of their surname? I also personally that given Henry Ravenswood's wardrobe style choices, he may have been a part of Sir Alistair Crump's cabal, and felt that his knowledge of sorcery would protect him from the Thunderbird, not realizing that the being was a borderline deity!

[@trippjohnson7393]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who believes that Abner and Marion are distantly related to the Ravenswood.

[@zepdog4595]

Actually there is another person in the flooded town in the Disney World Big Thunder Mountain. He is taking a bath in the tub floating in the water next to the track on the West side. He is wearing red Long-John's with his head laying on his hands tgat are behind his head his feed are at the shower head end of the tub. (And he has always been there since I rode it in the 80's.) (you can see him at 18:32 time stamp)

[@MoonlitLycan]

1:24 I dunno, while I've yet to ride it myself, I really like that fakeout/"broken chain" lift hill Hong Kong Disney has on their Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars ride myself and would rank it a step above Big Thunder if I had to.

[@johnmillsjr.4315]

Listen, I don’t know a lot; but Offhand has this two “Big Thunder Mountain” plan that I’m all about…

[@nik1987o]

I thought this story was exklusive to Disneyland Paris.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Nee!

[@lonesoul663]

Big Thunder is probably one of the best themed rides at the parks. Perfectly fits Frontierland (no duh).

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

Ironic Disney story about greedy corporate types getting their comeuppance is ironic. "We're going to have a story about a rich corporate type disrespecting Native American culture." "How are we going to do it?" "I dunno...how about we appropriate a Native American cultural figure?" "Genius! Get Walt on the phone!"

[@AdvWithEli]

Wait where did you get your shirt😍

[@fandomcentralstation]

Shoutout to Melanie Ravenswood, best character in the parks

[@Bucky749]

Nice video . I just wish you had added a bandanna to your costume to give it a bit of old west touch . Sorry I did a western month in April so westerns are kind of my thing .

[@pixelpiratereviews9555]

Where did you get the east India trading company shield cause I want one for my room

[@mildlyvintage3136]

Wait I had no idea you’re from colorado!! I am too!

[@writerpatrick]

Someone use to have the failed TV pilot on YT but they seem to have taken it down.

[@syx9986]

16:51 sounds like Darth Vader narrating LOL

[@gregorybaker5558]

I thought that Big Grizzly Mountain was a different, if similar, mountain in California (as opposed to Arizona for Big Thunder Mountain). I suspected that Big Grizzly Mountain is also the same mountain in Grizzly Peak in Disney California Adventure.

[@trippjohnson7393]

My S.E.A headcannon is that Abner and Marion Ravenwood are distantly related to the Ravenswoods.

[@charles24852]

For me the answer to when we ride the train is simple yet complex. It's simply now it will always be now and always has been now. When you enter the queue you are sent into a moment in time the thunderbird wants you to experience its why rainbow ridge is still populated its why the animals are always in the same place. Your transported to the fateful moment when the first train was possessed by the spirit and ran through the mountain its why the mine workers are still there at this moment the mine is still active. So the answer is simply now we're in now then where it is now.

[@Emily-jp2wd]

And attraction should be able to convey its on its own. Supplemental material should be just fun extras for the fans. If I have to do homework in order to fully understand what's going on then they haven't done their jobs.

[@shainmcgraham3459]

It's all Jean lafitte' fault

[@mackattack6376]

What kind of Disney books do u recommend

[@sprout001]

A real mythological creature from mythology. Ummm...huh? 😂😂😂

[@roberthelm87]

Hell yessss

[@cameronabacan2016]

I like to think that the old rides of rainbow cavern mine train and mine train through natures Wonderland Took place later in the timeline and we the riders were the ones who founded the train company after experiencing the wildest ride in the wilderness

[@ampersand2001]

This ride would be a lot cooler if it were the People Mover.

[@OffhandDisney]

I mean, people DO move, just really quickly and not in perpetuity. It's just not the same.

[@BinhLe-mj1hk]

wait so Haunted mansion and Thunder Mountain are linked?

[@toddhensley880]

12:55 the young Dreamfinder looks like Leonardo DiCaprio?

[@maxinem5474]

i wish they were building another big thunder mountain