Matterhorn Bobsleds - Meet the Disney Abominable Snowman
Written: Jan 11 '05 (Updated Apr 23 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Long ride for a roller coaster, lots of detail, 35 inch height restriction
Cons: Really bumpy ride, yeti at beginning of ride might scare little kids
The Bottom Line: A fun ride for young and old but the yeti can scare some children.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Matterhorn Bobsleds - Disneyland |
I was intrigued by the Matterhorn Bobsleds on our first visit to Disneyland. The ride is housed in a large, fake, snowtopped mountain that dominates Fantasyland. The setting was cool and you could glimpse riders in their cars gliding though caves and cutouts high up in the mountain.
When we first went on the Matterhorn Bobsleds, I was really surprised to see that the height restriction was only 35 inches, especially because the Matterhorn Bobsleds are a thrill ride and looked similar to a rollercoaster. Even Disney's bumper cars have a height restriction of 42 inches. I assumed the low height requirement meant that the Matterhorn Bobsled ride was intended for small children but this assumption turned out to be wrong.
THE WAIT
Oddly, it is hard to find the end of the line. We approached what looked like the opening to the ride. Then we followed the line as it snaked around the outside of the mountain. The entrance to the line is quite far from the entrance to the actual ride. The line hugs the base of the mountain as it wraps toward the entrance. From the line, you can see the mountain to your right and Fantasyland to your left. When you work your way up closed to the ride, you enter what looks like a little Swiss Inn. There is not much theming or much interesting to look at. The line then snakes around a bit more under the roof of the Swiss Inn-type covering. Once you have gotten this far, you can see the ride loading and unloading.
LOADING ON THE RIDE
The cars on the Mattorhorn Bobsleds are different than traditional roller coasters. There are two cars linked together and each car seats two people. However, thre are no benches and you have to sit bobsled-style. There is a large cushion in the back of the car. The larger person sits in the back and spreads their legs so their other, smaller person can sit between their legs on the cushion as well. This seating style is rather intimate and it works well if you are taking a child on the ride with you. However, you probably don't want to climb on board with a stranger.
Like most Disney rides, you are encouraged to hop in the cars quickly and get your seatbelts fastened. My eight year old daughter rode alone in the front car. I rode in the back with my five year old. My eight year old got in fine. I took more time getting loaded with my five year old because we were wrestling with the seat belts and trying to get settled. The seat belts were on long straps and they were tangled so it was hard to figure out which one went around me and which one went around my son. This effort was further complicated because he was sitting between my legs and I couldn't see that well in front of me.
Before we were ready, the cars lurched forward a few feet. My son was looking down for his seatbelt at the time and he hit his head on the front of the car. He wasn't hurt, but it really surprised him. Since we were now ready to launch, we grabbed at the seatbelts again and were trying to untangle them when a cast member finally came over to help us. We got hooked up just in time for the ride to start.
THE RIDE
The ride itself is a lot like a slow roller coaster but you have the sensation of sitting closer to the ground, just like a bobsled. Because the ride is slower than a roller coaster, it lasts a lot longer than a traditional roller coaster. Also, there were no big dips or hairpin turns. However, the ride was uncomfortably jerky and bumpy for the whole trip.
True to Disney form, there are some scenes in the ride and you travel in and out of the mountain so you can view some nice scenery. When you are pulled up to the top, you are in complete darkness. I found this exciting - you don't know how high you are or where you are going. You also don't know if the first drop will be steep or a sharp turn so you can really anticipate a fun ride. What I didn't expect was our first sighting of the Abominable Snowman which presented itself at first solely as red, glowing eyes in the dark and a scary roar. I wasn't frightened but my five year old was really startled.
After the climb to the top, the first many feet of the ride are also in darkness. As it turns out there are no sudden drops or turns in the darkness and the ride is fairly gentle though the cars move quickly. After the dark portion of the trip, you get an enjoyable ride. You see giant gems glowing in the cave and a white-furred yeti growling off to the side. You also splash through some water although we really didn't get wet. This part of the ride was fun and exciting enough for me but I am not a big fan of the huge loop the loop roller coasters.
RECOMMENDATION
I thought this was a really fun ride. It was tame enough for small kids and you can ride with them practically on your lap. The abominable snowman was a little scary for my five year old but he was willing to ride again after some recovery time. The best part is that the ride was pretty long and we got some time to enjoy it before having to jump out of the cars again. I would have given this ride five stars but I deducted one for the awkward loading and the unnecessary bump my son experienced while trying to fasten his seatbelt.
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MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
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MY REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS IN DISNEYLAND
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Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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modernmarvel
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Can anyone recommend a western family dude ranch for a vacation this summer?
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