My favorite ride at Disneyland is… no, not the Matterhorn Bobsleds. It’s actually Pirates of the Caribbean. My second favorite ride at Disneyland is… no, not that ride either. It’s the Tomorrowland Autopia. The Matterhorn Bobsleds are actually tied for third with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain. In my world it is a not-to-be missed ride, unless the line is wrapping twice around the mountain.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds are a fascinating ride with a fun history. Unlike other attractions it is a replica of a real life object, though much smaller. Throughout the years Disney has tried to make their Matterhorn more accurate. The last refurbishment was in 2012. With that project finished you no longer have go to Switzerland to see the Matterhorn as it truly looks. Just head over to Disneyland and enjoy its counterpart. Happiness Squared.
5 fun facts about Disneyland’s Matterhorn:
1) The new paint job mimics the snow fields on the original Matterhorn. Over the years Disneyland’s Matterhorn snow has been touched up many times. In the past they just painted the snow that was already there. In 2012 all the paint was removed and the mountain was repainted so that the snow patches matched the ones on the original Matterhorn. That means there is more snow on the north side then on the south. Also, glass beads were added to the white paint to give it a more realistic snowy look.
2) Like the original Matterhorn, there are climbers on Disneyland’s Matterhorn. I think this must be one of the best jobs around. I’d love to get paid to climb Disneyland’s Matterhorn. There have been climbers on the attraction on and off for years, but now the climbers are back. Check out the Matterhorn between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and see if you can spot any of these intrepid Cast Members. If you don’t see them you can watch them climb on this cool video from the Disney Parks Blog.
3) There is (or was) a basketball hoop at the top of the Matterhorn. I was shocked to learn there was a basketball hoop and half-sized court in a room at the top of the Matterhorn. Being skeptical I searched the Internet to see if this bit of trivia was true. And it is. There is a break room at the top of the Matterhorn for the climbers and someone installed a basketball hoop. What I couldn’t learn was whether the basketball hoop still existed. Wikipedia said it was taken down in 2000. Snopes.com said it still existed, but that article was written in 2007. I hope it is still there, but even if it isn’t I think it’s cool that it was up there. Who know what other secrets the mountain hides.
4) Disneyland’s Matterhorn is an exact model of the original. The real Matterhorn is 14,700 feet tall. Disneyland’s Matterhorn is 147 feet tall, making it 1/100 the size of the original. The crags and snow patches match the original, also. Why does it seem so much taller than it is? Disney uses the illusion of forced perspective. The plants at the top are smaller than the ones at the bottom making the mountain feel taller than it actually is.
5) The Matterhorn Bobsleds were the first roller coaster of its kind. When the Matterhorn Bobsleds were built in 1959 it was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world. Amazing. There have been many changes to the ride vehicles and the mountain over the years, but the thrill of the ride has never changed.
Disneyland is the only park that has a Matterhorn. For that reason alone I plan on riding it during my trip this September. After all, it is my third favorite ride.
Goofy Tip: If you are staying at a Disneyland resort, or are an annual passholder you can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours. Disneyland opens an hour early for these Guests, but only Fantasyland and Mickey’s Toontown are accessible. Luckily, the Matterhorn is in Fantasyland so to beat the lines later in the day be sure to ride it first thing in the morning.