Changes
Even as Marc Davis tried to keep his project alive, it was clear that the project would be too expensive. Disney was already using it's funds to build Space Mountain, the [[Carousel of Progress]], the [[WEDway People Mover]] and the [[Star Jets]]. The final strike against the construction of Thunder Mesa came in 1973 when Imganineer Tony Baxter showed his plans for mine train thrill ride called Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The new attraction taking the best elements of the Thunder Mesa mine train ride, but without the expensive show building. Although Baxter suggested that the ride could be built next to the Western River Expansion building, only Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ever saw the light of day.
Although the plan was put on hold until the completion of [[TommorowlandTomorrowland]]. Construction began on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in 1979 and it opened September 23, 1980. The mountain that housed the attraction was modeled after Monument Valley in Arizona. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was the first attraction in Disney World to be designed by a computer. Having a computer design the attraction allowed for a much smoother ride. Imganineers however had a problem, although they new how to make the attraction look appealing, the computer did not. It took Imganineers nine different designs before the computer accepted one without making changes.
== Back story and Queue==
