Introduction | Attraction | Touring Tips | Kids/Characters | Dining | Shopping | Interesting Facts

INTRODUCTION

Disneyland's landmark Matterhorn Mountain is the home of the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction -- take a thrilling roller coaster ride up, down, and through Matterhorn Mountain.

ATTRACTION

The Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction actually has two different queues -- one that begins on the Fantasyland side of the mountain, and one on the Tomorrowland side. The queues are entirely outdoors, though the final portion of the queue is covered. The attraction itself has two different tracks, and which one you ride depends on which queue you choose. If the timing is right you'll be dispatched at the same time and can "race" the bobsled next to you.

The bobsleds will seat up to four people seated single file. (More Seating Photos) They have two compartments, which will each seat two friendly people -- the larger passenger should get in first, and the smaller passenger will sit between their legs. It's not a very comfortable seat, especially when the ride starts bouncing around. The person in the back has a back rest which helps, though. Each passenger has their own seat belt. These are NOT retractable seatbelts -- instead it's a long strap that buckles into a shorter strap on the opposite side and you must pull or loosen the strap to adjust it to fit.

After leaving the boarding area the bobsled goes up hill, then comes down the mountain. There are many tight jerky turns -- this is definitely not a smooth ride. Inside the mountain there's several encounters with the Abominable Snowman before the bobsled eventually splashes down in the lake and proceeds to the unloading area.

TOURING TIPS

Fastpass is NOT available for this attraction, and the line can get quite long. The best time to ride is in the first hour after the park opens. Both sides usually have the same queue length.

The height requirement for this attraction is 35".

This is a rough, jarring ride. Pregnant women and those with back and neck problems or other medical conditions should not ride.

Guests in wheelchairs or ECVs should enter through the regular queue and then go to the access gate at the boarding area, where they must transfer into the ride vehicle.

When you're high on the mountain you'll get brief views of Disneyland from up high -- this is especially pretty at night.

The ride is about 2:15 minutes long.

Restrooms are located on the Fantasyland side next to the Alice in Wonderland ride.

KIDS AND CHARACTERS

Some kids really like the Matterhorn Bobsleds and some don't -- they may find the roaring of the Abominable Snowman to be scary. The seat configuration offers parents the opportunity to ride right with their child, who may find the physical contact reassuring.

There are no characters associated with this attraction, but Ariel can be found nearby in Triton Gardens. Characters are often found on the terraced area of Small World Way, which is also close by.

DINING

The closest dining establishments are Club Buzz in Tomorrowland and Village Haus in Fantasyland.

Disneyland Restaurants at a Glance
Menus from around the Disneyland Resort

SHOPPING

Le Petit Chalet, right next to the Matterhorn, offers Disney character t-shirts, souvenirs, and other gift items.

INTERESTING FACTS

Matterhorn Mountain is 140 feet high. It's visible from the nearby freeway.

A Disneyland icon since June 14, 1959, this was the first steel roller coaster in the world. The Matterhorn was part of the first major expansion to take place at Disneyland park since the park’s debut in 1955. It opened along with the Disneyland Monorail and the Submarine Voyage.

The Matterhorn Bobsleds was the first roller coaster in the world to employ a tubular steel track and an electronic dispatch system which enabled more than one car at a time to be on the track.

The Disneyland Matterhorn was built to 1/100th scale of the original Matterhorn, or 147 feet versus the 14,700 feet of the original. The Matterhorn has been the highest point in Disneyland park since 1959. It is the second-highest point in the Disneyland Resort, behind the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney California Adventure park which stands 183 feet tall.

The attraction was inspired by the live-action Disney adventure film, “Third Man on the Mountain,” (which in turn was inspired by the book "Banner in the Sky") which starred James MacArthur and Michael Rennie as mountaineers. The movie was filmed in Switzerland, on and around the real Matterhorn.

Guests who look quickly while whizzing through the Matterhorn caverns may spot mountaineering supplies and other evidence of the Wells Expedition. These scenic details are a tribute to the late Frank Wells, who was president and Chief Operating Officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until his death in 1994. Wells was an experienced mountain climber and skier.

There is a small basketball court inside Matterhorn Mountain.

The Disneyland Skyway used to pass through Matterhorn Mountain, but the openings have been closed up.

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