The Matterhorn has come up several times since I started
this blog. I've examined its role in the sub-themes
of Fantasyland, pegged its 1978 upgrades as an important
Disneyland milestone, unraveled (some of) the secrets of the
heraldic
shields in its queue area, and even suggested a tongue-in-cheek
idea for a holiday
overlay. The one thing I haven't done yet is devote an entire
post to the ride itself. With large swaths of the country currently
resembling the Matterhorn's upper slopes, now seems like a good time!
First things first: I love the Matterhorn Bobsleds. It was the first
roller coaster I, as a small child, ever mustered the courage to
ride, and it might be my favorite coaster in Disneyland to this day,
thanks to its fanciful theming. For some reason—probably the rarity
of my encounters with the real thing—I have always found snowscapes
and ice crystals absolutely enthralling.
But my quirks aside, there's definitely a lot that's special about
the majestic Matterhorn.
