Work appears to be underway on restoring a missing scene at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom.
Guests riding the coaster recently spotted a dark tarp around the Tumbleweed tree trunk where a branch once extended above the track with spinning, upside-down animatronic possums. The detail was absent when the attraction reopened May 3, 2026, after a 16-month refurbishment.
Disney previously said the possums remained part of the ride’s long-term plans. According to Disney Fanatic, the original branch did not meet clearance requirements after track replacement and structural work changed the train’s position relative to nearby scenery. The branch was removed rather than delaying the coaster’s reopening.
The tarp is the first visible sign of work at the attachment point since the ride reopened. The possums are not yet visible, and Disney has not announced a return date.
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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s Tumbleweed sequence includes the flooded mining town near the ride’s climax. The returning branch would restore one of the visual details in the Frontierland coaster’s Western-themed story.
