Not long ago I tried to compare the Splash Mountain in Disneyland to the one at the Magic Kingdom. Time to move over to another pair of mountains. Now I understand that this is not directly an apple-to-apple comparison. But in many respects they share similar details with different execution. So, what does the Matterhorn and Everest have in common? Well…
Both are based on real world locations –
Expedition Everest is set in lowlands surrounding Mount Everest. The Kali Gandaki region in Nepal influences the village of Serka Zong. The Imagineers use forced perspective to make the mountain peaks soar with the tallest peak being the nearby fictional Forbidden Mountain where the attraction is based and Mount Everest is in the background.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds is based on the famous and distinctive mountain in Switzerland. Walt was in Zermatt visiting the set of the 1958 Disney movie Third Man on the Mountain and fell in love with the little ski resort. He liked it so much he tried to build a version in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California in the Mineral King area. The attraction is a 1/100th scale model of the real mountain. Walt’s original concept was to have a real bobsled ride on ice. Wisely, they came up with a different solution. When you look at the mountain and notice holes, do not worry. Walt reminded us it is a Swiss mountain and like the cheese…
Both pushed the state-of-the-art of roller coaster technology –
Expedition Everest is the tallest mountain in the state of Florida. It features a lift hill with a new safety mechanism that doesn’t clank the entire way up; the thrill of going backwards in the dark, and the largest Audio-Animatronics that Disney has developed.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds was the first steel tube coaster. Every steel coaster can trace its roots back to the Matterhorn. The mountain was multi-functional. Inside was a the tower for the Skyway. In fact, hiding the tower was the functional problem Walt was trying to solve by building the scale model mountain.
Both mountain towered over their surrounding environments –
Expedition Everest is almost 200 feet tall and the tallest mountain in the state of Florida.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds are set within a 147-foot tall structure. The Matterhorn was one of the tallest structures in Orange County for many years.
Both have inhabitants –
Expedition Everest has the Yeti. After an incredible amount of research, many trips to Tibetan cultural regions of southwest China, and working with zoologists, the Imagineers where able to locate a very special beast and bring him to Florida. He even gets his own museum. This creature was the highlight of many promotional films. However, he is rarely spotted in such programs today.
The Matterhorn has Harold, the abominable snowman. Although he may have been living in the mountain since it was first discovered in 1959, he was only noticed in 1978. Both characters are alike and don’t move. Well, Harold’s arms do move and his eyes glow. Strobe lights flash onto the creatures to create the sensation of movement.
Finally, both were seen as more than just another new attraction –
When the Animal Kingdom first opened, many complained there wasn’t enough to do. Some still do. So WDI needed to come up with something that would become one of the park’s signature attractions. Only Kilimanjaro Safaris had the cache to motivate people to get out of bed early in the morning and to visit the park. Expedition Everest was the answer and has been a successful addition.
The Matterhorn was the centerpiece of what many considered Disneyland’s second Grand Opening. In one day, on a live television, the opening of the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Monorail, the Submarine Voyage, the Motor Boat Cruise (!), and an expanded Autopia. ABC broadcast Disneyland ’59 on June 15, 1959 and it is an amazing artifact of this historic day. This show is available on Walt Disney Treasures Your Host Walt Disney DVD.
DISNEYLAND:
The Matterhorn is the mother of all steel rollercoasters. For that reason alone we should all look to its peak and bow in respect. The fact it’s inspiration was the need to cover up the unattractive tower that held up the Skyway always impressed me. And it sits on the dirt from the moat in front of the castle. I understand back in the day before it was built, the dirt mound was quite the make out place for those horny 1950s teenagers.
The entire set up is just perfect. Most people don’t even notice the little forest with Aspens and Pine trees out front along Matterhorn way. The themed benches, the little sheds covering the final part of the queue, the queue itself. Pretty clever having you wait along side of the mountain. When the park tried to bunch people up in front it was miserable.
The bobsleds have their own special charm. With the current configuration it can be really fun to ride if you want to get to know somebody better. However, the result could be painful if the combination isn’t right. With two tracks, everybody has his or her preference to which side is better.
The Tomorrowland side is tighter and features the only real drop on the ride. The Fantasyland is swoopier with faster long curves. Both feature close encounters with Harold, the Abominable Snowman. His growl in the dark at the beginning of the Fantasyland side is the scariest thing. A great ride during the day but better at night.
A favorite feature is when you are racing another sled. This doesn’t happen all the time but the sight of another speeding bobsled moving alongside then disappearing and then reappearing it quite fun. The urge to interact with the other sled is irresistible. The mountain has gone through a lot of changes over the years. I am as old as the Matterhorn and I understand.
And that is not the former Governor of California giving the safety spiel at the beginning of the ride. The ride warning has been incorporated into a song by the band No Doubt.
DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM:
I was at the Animal Kingdom in May 2006. Expedition Everest was open only for a month. What a beautiful sight to behold. Now this is an E-Ticket I said to myself. This attraction tells an original story and is not dependent upon another property. The whole area is loaded with details. You really sense that magic as you approach. What I mean when I say magic is that moment when your apprehension turns to awe and delight. I was very impressed. So like many others I quickly moved to grab my Fastpass and to take what was to become the first of 12 rides on that trip. It was part Matterhorn, part Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and part something really new and different. This is how I remember it.
Of course the entire setting is pitch perfect. The use of the buildings to frame a small courtyard off of the main path, the clever way they have created an ideal viewing area for those who do not wish to ride, and sense of overall calm with the occasional screams coming from the coaster.
The queue is simply one of the best ever by Disney. This is one of the times when waiting has its benefits. You do yourself a disservice by passing through the Fastpass lane or single rider line. Even if you don’t want to go on the coaster, definitely take a walk through the queue. Walk into the first building and make your reservation for the Tea Train. For good luck be sure to tap one of the many bells hanging the temple. You will inspire others.
The queue takes you inside and out, disorienting you from the main path. By the time you enter the camping supply store you have bought the concept that you are in the Himalayan lowlands and are about to go for a journey to parts unknown. A walk through the Yeti museum just seals the deal. They build a case for the Yeti then demonstrate how he is real. We also learn the cautionary tale of those who have not had successful encounters with the beast. If you are not excited by the time you have entered the long room with the windows facing the loading dock then something is wrong.
As the train pulls into the station, the tweet from the whistle and the burst of steam belching from the rear just confirmed that I have left Florida and was someplace else. A real steam train! (I know I know). The plantings were all new but you got to love that little stroll through the foothills. Today, when I ride I have noticed how lush so quickly the area has become.
As you go up the lift, through the temple, and over the crest you dip into a blanket of fog. Yes, fog. Refreshing cool fog. You don’t even notice the tunnel that goes up and the way the track comes to an abrupt end. Okay, the hawk flying along side of the mountain was a bit cheesy and the backwards tumble remains a very unusual sensation. The first encounter with the Yeti is memorable and tells a strong story before you plummet over the first big drop.
Finally there was that first encounter with the Yeti. Wow! I have seen Harold at the Matterhorn hundreds of times and this guy was very impressive. He tried to grab my head! I swear he was just inches away. The movement was so fluid, the red glow of the eyes so frightening, and those mangy hands with the fingers reaching out toward me. I was hooked. I rode the front row the first time and the back car the next time. That puff of steam made the experience more real. I mixed it up for my dozen trips on that day. I even rode the coaster at night. At night it is virtually dark the entire way. Absolutely the best time to ride Everest is at night.
I learned that the Yeti costs millions of dollars and has the physical force of a 747 jet but rumor has it that he seems to have broken his foundation and has not worked on a regular basis for years.
Back in May 2006, if you got the chance to see him working, you would be amazed. When the Yeti moved and there was fog and steam and the hawk. And everything worked it was wonderful. During that time I would rank the entire show near the top of my Disney ride list. But the way it is now, the way most of that stuff is gone….
WINNER: The Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland
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