The Matterhorn
The Matterhorn, also known as Matterhorn Bobsleds, is a pair of intertwined roller coasters at Disneyland Park in in Anaheim, California. It is modeled after the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Swiss Alps. It is the first known tubular steel continuous-track roller coaster. Disney used forced perspective to make the mountain appear larger than it actually is. Opening on June 14, 1959, it was the first roller coaster built at any Disneyland Park. The ride has 2 sides, the left side (the Tomorrowland side), and the right side (the Fantasyland side). It is said that the Tomorrowland side is more intense and fast and the Fantasyland side is more smooth at tame. In 1978, to better theme the ride, Disney introduced the Yeti (or Abominable Snowman) to the ride where he appears first in the dark after the riders leave the lifthill, then a few seconds later he can be seen by both sides as the bobsleds enter the main track. Later on they encounter him one last time but can only be seen by the specific side they're on. In 2015, the Matterhorn was temporarily shut down and a new Yeti was introduced to the ride, this one moving a lot more than the previous and being more territorial and defensive and having a different roar than the last. The ride ends as the sleds splash down into a small pool similar to Splash Mountain, but the water is mainly used as a braking mechanism, and cools down the brake pads mounted underneath the cars.
In 1956, 2 years before construction for the Matterhorn began, Disney was in a pinch for he was having trouble attracting guests to the park so he thought he needed a thrilling ride in the park. At the time, Disney was shooting a movie called "Third Man on the Mountain" in Switzerland where the real Matterhorn is, and Disney sent a postcard with a picture of the mountain to his lead imagineer with only 2 words saying: "Build This".
The Matterhorn by bmhorton April 5, 2022
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