When the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction was installed in Disneyland, it stood as the tallest structure in all of Orange County. Rising to a towering 147 feet, the Disneyland version is actually just 1/100th scale of the peak after which it is modeled, the formidable Matterhorn of the Swiss Alps.
As a frequent Disneyland visitor, the Matterhorn used to be a bit of a mystery to me. First of all, I wondered about its location: why would a bobsled thrill ride find itself situated somewhere between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland? Second, I wondered about the story told by the attraction. I enjoyed the ride at face value, but understood little about its history and meaning.
The story begins several years before construction on the attraction commenced. Following World War Two, the Walt Disney Studio diversified significantly by initiating production on live-action films. The first entirely live-action film was Treasure Island, premiering in 1950. A number of the live-action projects were filmed abroad, including Treasure Island, which was shot on location in England, and the 1959 adventure film Third Man on the Mountain, which was shot on location in Zermatt, Switzerland..
Walt had traveled to Switzerland on holiday on a number of occasions, and felt a deep appreciation for the alpine setting and the folk traditions of the Swiss people. The beauty of the Swiss landscape and the fascinating local customs was even explored in the short-subject documentary Switzerland for the studio’s People and Places series in 1955.
While visiting the set of Third Man on the Mountain in Zermatt in 1958, Walt became fascinated with the peak which towered over the ski village, the same mountain around which the film was centered. That mountain was the Matterhorn, one of the most imposing peaks of the Swiss Alps. The striking alpine summit captivated Walt’s imagination and inspired him to create his own version, a scale model in Disneyland.
The attraction was to be constructed in the area between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. This area had previously been occupied by a mound of piled debris leftover from the excavation of the moat around Sleeping Beauty Castle. For a time, this area became known as Holiday Hill where guests could find a quiet spot to sit or picnic in a slightly wooded setting. The nondescript hill was then transformed into the park’s first true thrill ride, what is now the mighty Matterhorn.
The attraction’s designers faced a significant challenge during construction due to the pylon supporting the Skyway which transported guests between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. The mountain structure had to be built around the pylon with large cave-like openings in the mountain permitting the passage of the Skyway gondolas. Fortunately, this solution made for a more interesting Skyway experience by creating the illusion of traveling a greater distance.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds featured the first steel tube rollercoaster in the world, providing a much smoother ride experience than the standard wooden roller coasters of the day. The attraction also featured two different ride experiences on separate, intertwining tracks.
During early test runs of the attraction, operators spread a large amount of hay towards the end of the track to reduce the speed of the bobsleds as they returned to the reloading area. Though hay was not a permanent option, the ride needed something to slow the speed of the bobsleds near the end of the track. The Imagineers replaced the hay with a pool of water meant to resemble an alpine lake. The water slowed the landing and resulted in what is now the famous “bobsled splashdown,” one of the most photographed moments in the park.
Though the Matterhorn attraction was always intended to include encounters with the Abominable Snowman, time and resources did not present Disney Imagineers with the opportunity to add this interior feature until the mid 1970s. The new and improved Matterhorn opened in June of 1978 featuring revamped bobsled vehicles, enhanced special effects, and three memorable appearances of the Abominable Snowman.
The original attraction opened in 1959, the same year the film Third Man on the Mountain was released. Now, more than a half century later, the speeding bobsleds and roaring Snowman continue to thrill Disneyland visitors every day.
Alyssa Carnahan
Open Studio Coordinator
at The Walt Disney Family Museum