How Scary Is Matterhorn in Disneyland?

While Disneyland is all about fun and enjoyment, we can’t deny the fact that some things are scary. However, we’re not talking about scary stuff like horror and all. Instead, we’re referring to some of their thrill rides.

As you can see, these rides aren’t for the faint of heart, and they’re primarily intended for older kids and adults. In a sense, not everything is appropriate for your little ones when you visit Disneyland. It’s because some attractions have dark and scary elements in them.

One good example is Matterhorn Bobsleds. According to many people who visited Disneyland, Matterhorn Bobsleds is one of the scariest rides they have experienced. But how scary is it? Let’s find out.

Matterhorn Bobsleds is a high-intensity roller coaster ride, so if you or your kids are not experienced with thrill rides, then you’ll surely find it scary and not worth trying.

How Scary Is Matterhorn Disneyland

At first glance, you might think that Matterhorn is one giant mountain. However, it’s one giant roller coaster that rises to eight stories high before plunging the riders down past some breathtaking scenery.

Interestingly, it’s the first-ever roller coaster attraction that got opened to the public in Disneyland on June 14, 1959. This makes it one of the oldest attractions throughout the park.

When it comes to how scary the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction is, it would rank 6 on a scale of 10. There are scarier rides in Disneyland, but that doesn’t change the fact the Matterhorn is still scary as it is.

It’s not just the ride that most children find scary. It also has something to do with the Abominable Snowman statue that they’ll meet along the way.

Back then, it used to have glowing eyes, adding to the attraction’s scary factor. However, it has since been revamped and is now not as creepy-looking as it used to be. Still, it’s a good idea to warn your kids about it to prevent any unwanted fright during the ride.

The Matterhorn Disneyland Experience

Now that we know how scary Matterhorn is let’s have a look at what the entire experience looks like.

Matterhorn is one of the most distinctive attractions in Disneyland. You will be able to see it regardless of where you are in the park. As one of Disneyland’s oldest attractions, Matterhorn remains popular through the years, and you can expect long wait times when you queue up for the ride.

Once you manage to make it past the long queue, you’ll be taken on a thrilling ride.

The initial climb will feature an interactive experience with video screens that will offer you a small glimpse of the Abominable Snowman. You’ll also hear its growls and even see it peek through the icy walls near the bobsled. This is a completely new experience that was not available in the old Matterhorn.

After the initial uphill climb, the sled will then go past a wreckage of a failed mountain expedition. As you can expect, this wreckage features broken and mangled sleds to make the experience as immersive as possible.

Once you get past that, you’ll then finally come face to face with the Abominable Snowman itself. This animatronic figure looks and feels realistic with its wide range of motion and highly detailed facial movements.

This is one of the reasons why Matterhorn Bobsleds is scary, as the Abominable Snowman will aim to reach the sleds as they speed past it. This time, however, the effects are far more realistic and immersive, making it scarier and exciting!

It’s worth noting that there are two separate tracks, with one track lasting shorter than the other. One of them only lasts for 2 minutes and 15 seconds, while the other can last for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Both are fairly short, but your experience might feel like you’ve been there for way more than that.

Not-So-Scary Facts About Matterhorn Bobsleds

Matterhorn Bobsleds took its inspiration from the Matterhorn mountain of the Alps. This is apparent by its massive replica, which can be seen throughout Disneyland. Interestingly, the replica is exactly 1/100 the size of the original mountain.

Aside from that, here are some not-so-scary facts worth noting about Matterhorn:

• The pile of mountaineering equipment you can see during the ride is a tribute to Disney CEO Frank Wells.
• The original Matterhorn attraction used over 800 gallons of paint to replicate the mountain’s heavy snowfall look.
• Matterhorn Bobsleds can only be found within Disneyland Park.
• The Abominable Snowman you can encounter during the ride has a name – Harold.
• It is considered the first-ever thrill ride in Disneyland.
• On some days, real climbers will try to scale the replica mountain. This even includes everyone’s favorite mouse, Mickey Mouse.
• The plants and trees you can see on the Matterhorn are the ones that grow near the actual mountain.
• Apart from Harold, there are several hidden Yetis throughout the attraction. If you’re observant enough, you can find out peeking out the window at the staff’s operation booth.
• You can eat a replica of the Matterhorn in macaroon form. You can buy it at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe.

Takeaway

To be fair, Matterhorn Bobsleds is scary for little kids due to the presence of the Abominable Snowman during the ride. It can get even scarier when the yeti starts chasing the sleds. So if your kids aren’t informed in advance, then they’ll most likely experience an unwanted fright.

It can also be scary for some adults, especially since the ride goes through an initial climb of up to eight stories. This makes for an intense ride that can give everyone an adrenaline rush as the ride plunges to the ground.

Despite all that, the Matterhorn is far from being the scariest ride in Disneyland. Moreover, some of its changes made the ride even more fun and exciting than before.