Okay I know what you are thinking. The other comparison articles are true apples to apples comparisons. Same theme, different execution. But what does the Matterhorn and Everest have in common? Well…
Both are based on real world locations –
· Expedition Everest is set in the Himalayas. It features the fictional Forbidden Mountain, which is the tallest peak and in the background is Mount Everest.
· The Matterhorn Bobsleds are set in a 1/100th scale model of the real thing in Switzerland. The attraction was inspired by the Disney movie Third Man on the Mountain. The original concept was to have a real bobsled ride on ice. Wisely, they came up with a different solution…
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. It also contained a tower for the skyway. Yes, once upon a time you could float through the middle on your way from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland and the return trip. It was even one of the tallest structures in Orange County for many years.
Both have inhabitants –
· Expedition Everest has the Yeti. He even gets his own museum.
· The Matterhorn has Harold, the abominable snowman. Both characters don’t move and use a strobe to create an animated effect as you zoom by. Now sadly, 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. If you got the chance to see him working you would be amazed.
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 50s teenagers.
The entire set up is just perfect. Most people don’t even notice the little forest 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 tried to bunch people up in front it was miserable.
The cars have their own special charm. Fun to ride if you want to get to know somebody better. Painful if the combination isn’t right. Of course, everybody has his or her preference to sides. 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.
Favorite feature is when you are racing another sled. 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 Governor of California giving the safety spiel at the beginning of the ride.
WDW:
I was at the Animal Kingdom in May 2006. Everest was open only for a month. What a beautiful sight to behold. Now this is an E-Ticket. It tells an original story. It is loaded with details. You really sense that magic as you approach – 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.
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 are not able to ride, and sense of overall calm with the occasional screams coming from the coaster.
As you know, the queue is simply one of the best ever. Walk into the first building and make your reservation for the Tea Train then tap a bell at the temple. You go inside and out, disorienting you from the main path. By the time you enter the camping supply store you have bought the concept. The museum just seals the deal. They build a case for the Yeti then demonstrate how he is real. 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 pulled 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, 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 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.
Finally there is the Yeti. Wow. I have seen Harold at the Matterhorn hundreds of times. This guy was very impressive. He tried to grab my head! 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. Back in May 2006. When the Yeti moved and there was fog and steam and the hawk. And everything worked. It was wonderful
When Everest is working and you get the entire show it would top virtually any Disney ride list. But for now...
WINNER: The Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland
0 Comments