Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue was a popular family-style, all-you-can-eat restaurant in Disneyland’s Frontierland, operating from December 14, 1986, to January 11, 2016, with a previous iteration as Celebration Roundup & Barbecue from April 2009 to 2013. Located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, it served barbecue ribs, chicken, and sides in a rustic, Western-themed outdoor setting with live country music. Sponsored by Brawny, it closed to make way for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, with some menu items later offered at River Belle Terrace.
Below are 10 fun facts about Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue (1986–2016) and its Celebration Roundup & Barbecue iteration (2009–2013) at Disneyland:
- Rustic Western Setting: The restaurant featured outdoor picnic tables with red-and-white checkered tablecloths, shaded by canopies, and decorated with horseshoe-studded paths, evoking an 1880s ranch near Big Thunder Mountain.
- All-You-Can-Eat Menu: Guests enjoyed unlimited barbecue ribs, chicken, smoked sausage (dinner only), cornbread, coleslaw, ranch beans, and corn cob wheels, served family-style in tin buckets for a communal dining experience.
- Celebration Roundup Theme: From 2009 to 2013, as Celebration Roundup & Barbecue, it included Toy Story character appearances (Woody, Jessie, Bullseye), with performers dancing and posing for photos during meals.
- Live Country Entertainment: A trio of musicians—piano player, guitarist, and singer—performed Americana songs like “Rocky Top” and led sing-alongs, with comedic skits in Roy Rogers and Dale Evans-style costumes.
- Vegetarian Option: Guests could request a barbecue skewer with tofu, potatoes, squash, bell peppers, and mushrooms, catering to dietary needs alongside the meat-heavy menu.
- Dessert Extravaganza: A la carte desserts included a skillet chocolate-chip cookie with ice cream, s’mores bake, seasonal fruit cobbler, and ranch-hand sundaes, priced at $5.99–$9.99, served in rustic waffle cups or skillets.
- Brawny Sponsorship: Hosted by Brawny, the restaurant integrated the brand into its Western theme, with napkins and signage reflecting the paper towel company’s rugged, outdoorsy image.
- Seasonal Decorations: The dining area transformed for holidays, with Halloween jack-o’-lanterns and Christmas wreaths, complementing nearby Big Thunder Ranch’s holiday events like Woody’s Halloween Roundup.
- Pricing Structure: Lunch cost $19.99–$23.99 for adults and $9.99–$11.99 for kids (3–9), while dinner, adding sausage and corn, was $24.99–$29.99 for adults, offering value for hearty appetites.
- Closure for Galaxy’s Edge: The restaurant closed permanently on January 11, 2016, as its site, along with Big Thunder Ranch’s petting zoo, was razed for the 14-acre Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opened in 2019.
