Inside was a large, open space through which the bobsleds traveled. The peak had numerous holes in its exterior through which the bobsleds exited and re-entered, though the space within was not elaborately themed, with the infrastructure being only minimally disguised as rock.
The Skyway passed through the center of the mountain via a pair of holes on the Fantasyland and Tomorrowland sides. Skyway riders could see down into the Matterhorn's interior as they glided through. In the early 's, the Matterhorn was officially made a part of Fantasyland, but this was merely a prelude to far more significant changes.
In , the Matterhorn received a major refurbishment. The Imagineers' biggest task was to break up the hollow interior space into a number of small, icy caves and tunnels with far more convincing theming. Some holes in the mountain's skin were filled in as well, including the two large openings at the top of the first lift hill that had allowed guests to briefly glimpse the entire southern part of the park.
Another major addition was the Abominable Snowman, a Yeti named Harold. He exists as three similar Audio-Animatronic figures that roar at the bobsledders; the first is visible from both tracks, while the other two are visible only from their respective tracks.
Each track also features a pair of red eyes that glow in the dark shortly after the lift hill while Harold's roar is heard. These roars can be heard from ground level as well, even over the recorded howling of the Alpine wind.
The bobsleds themselves were also changed from the original flat, luge-like, multi-colored two-seaters to the rounder, white cars decorated with orange and red stripes. The Skyway continued to travel through the mountain for the next sixteen years, but its passageway was now enclosed in similarly themed ice caves.
Following its closure in , the cavernous holes through which the Skyway buckets had traveled were partially filled in. The holes in the Tomorrowland face remained mostly intact, and a grotto filled with glimmering crystals was installed nearby. An abandoned crate labeled "Wells Expedition" was also added as a tribute to Frank Wells , who had died earlier that year. The bluish glow of the crystals is easily seen from the ground at night.
It is also worth noting that the Matterhorn's external appearance has changed over time. The Matterhorn is painted a warmer gray than it once was, and the "snow" on its sides has become patchier, though the current paint job more closely replicates the sparse snow on the real Matterhorn's upper faces.
With the exception of the aforementioned filling of certain holes, the actual external structure of the mountain remains largely unchanged from its original construction. In , the Matterhorn underwent another massive renovation. This included repainting and resculpting parts of the mountain face to achieve a greater sense of realism with the new snow painted in such a manner to feel more naturally spread onto the mountain with beads of glass mixed in to give it a shimmering effect.
This would also be the first time the Matterhorn was completely covered in scaffolding since it's initial construction. Additionally, the Matterhorn would receive a new set of bobsleds and a renovated load area. In , the Matterhorn underwent yet another major refurbishment. This renovation included the old yeti animatronics being replaced with ones whose range of motion is less limited and they move more fluidly.
Additionally, the gaps next to the ride vehicles on the lift were filled with a thin layer of "ice". Harold now peers through that as he climbs the mountain to attack the guests. The crystal scene was replaced with a wrecked camp of some unlucky hikers; large footprints lead to their equipment, which includes two of the original bobsleds, as well as bucket 59 or a replica from the Skyway.
On July 2, , the attraction will reopen after being refurbished. The ride consists of two separate tracks that run roughly parallel to each other for much of the ride, intertwining and eventually deviating from each other at the loading areas. They are the Fantasyland track and Tomorrowland track , named for the side of the mountain their associated loading line begins in.
The vehicles hold up to four passengers each, seated single-file. After the upgrade, the individual vehicles were joined into pairs, increasing the capacity to eight riders. The safety restraints consist of a simple airline-style seatbelt. There are hand grips inside the cars, as well a handrail outside the shell of the vehicle.
In , the Matterhorn completed its first top-to-bottom overhaul since the s, receiving rehabilitated tracks and a more-realistic exterior paint job; that was followed in by enhancements to the lighting and effects, including a more menacing appearance by the mysterious Yeti. You now first glimpse the Yeti during the initial uphill climb as menacing silhouette distorted by ice, then cruise past an ominous collection of old ride vehicles including vintage bobsleds and an antique Skyway bucket that the beast has hoarded.
The bobsleds you ride in are three-passenger cars with individual seats similar to Florida's Space Mountain with seat belts. The vehicles are unfriendly to the long-legged; tall riders are advised to ask for the middle or back rows, which have marginally more room. Be warned that wherever you sit, this is the bumpiest coaster in Disney's inventory.
A Richboro, Pennsylvania, dad disagrees with our scary rating of the Matterhorn: My biggest disappointment was the Matterhorn. I understand it's iconic, but the notion that it could rate as a 6 out of 10 on the scare factor is pure insanity. I'd rate it as a 1! After the steep climb in the dark, you basically just go down in circles until you are left baffled that the roller coaster ride is over. Lines for the Matterhorn form as soon as the gates open and persist throughout the day. Ride first thing in the morning, or just before the park closes.
If you are a roller coaster person, ride Space Mountain and then hurry over and hop on the Matterhorn.
If roller coasters are not the end-all for you, we recommend choosing one of the other coasters or saving this one for a second day. Ask an employee at the Fantasyland side exit how to take advantage of it. Though the two sides are similar, they are not identical; veterans say the Tomorrowland track is faster with steeper drops, while the Fantasyland side is slightly longer with sharper turns.
This chart shows you roughly how long you'll wait for Matterhorn Bobsleds when you visit on a day with a given Disneyland Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average "peak" wait time that is, how long the line will be at its busiest. Does Matterhorn Bobsleds reside in Fantasyland or Tomorrowland, you ask? It's moved back and forth between the two!
Well, the roller coaster never actually "moved;" it was part of Tomorrowland when it first opened but was officially declared a Fantasyland ride in What's your favorite thing about Matterhorn Bobsleds? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to check out our Matterhorn Bobsleds wait times and more. Tags: Disney , Disneyland. I love this ride so much. Disney himself fell in love with the mountain and did all he could to get his own. The hikers names are Fritz, Hans, and Otto.
The top 67 feet of the mountain is like an attic, only the first 80 feet is used on the ride. Harold is now in the Guardians of the Galaxy Queue. The right track is longer so make sure you hop on that one.
Cast members sign their names on the interior next to the BBall court for fun, and head imagineer himself over the project eventually gave in and signed his name with the workers.
He actually thought we would let him get out while it was speeding along the tracks! All rights reserved. Entertainment Inc.
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