Look ahead for a gigantic rocky mountain covered in streaks of white “snow,” rising high above the trees, with a waterfall tumbling down its face-if you spot this towering peak between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, you’ve found the Matterhorn Bobsleds!
Now, let’s dive into the untamed, chilly tale of the Matterhorn Bobsleds, a Disneyland mountain with more stories packed inside than a lost-and-found box after a busy day. Imagine you’re standing here in the late 1950s. This whole towering structure you see before you wasn’t always a mighty mountain-once, it was just an ordinary hill, built from the dirt they dug out from Sleeping Beauty Castle’s moat. It went by the charming names of Holiday Hill, Lookout Mountain, and later, Snow Hill. Guests once had picnics up there, but at night, the spot became the unofficial home of… let’s just call them “Disneyland romantics”-much to Walt Disney’s horror!
Walt, ever the dreamer, had a much frostier idea. Inspired by a sweeping trip to Switzerland (and a big awe for the real Matterhorn's jagged beauty), he mailed a postcard from the Alps to his Imagineer buddy Vic Greene. The note was classic Walt: “Vic. Build This. Walt.” And with that, the world’s first tubular steel coaster began its snowy ascent from idea to icon. Construction started in 1958 and when it opened on June 14, 1959, guests gawked at its snow-capped peak, lush with waterfalls and dotted with tiny trees-clever illusions making the mountain appear even taller than it was.
Early Matterhorn bobsledders sped through a hollow mountain interior, splashed by waterfalls, twisting through tunnels, and catching sneak peeks of the park through holes in the mountain’s side. Overhead, gondolas from the old Skyway zipped right through the mountain, giving riders a sky-high glimpse into the mountaintop’s chilly secrets. And here’s a classic piece of trivia: somewhere inside, cast members still tell the story of a secret basketball hoop where mountain climbers could shoot hoops on their break-because, of course, Disneyland hides surprises in every nook and cranny.
But the Matterhorn didn’t stay the same for long! In 1978, the ride got a chilling upgrade. Icy grottos and twisting tunnels appeared, glowing crystals sparkled, and most famously, the mountain gained a cranky new resident: the Abominable Snowman, “Harold.” The bobsledders’ screams and Harold’s mighty roars echoed through every cave. In fact, if you listen closely while you’re standing here, you might just hear it too…
Through the years, the mountain saw more changes. New bobsled cars arrived, painted bold red, blue, and green. In 2015, Harold got an animatronic upgrade-he’s even more lifelike and grumpy these days, chasing bobsleds through avalanches of special effects. The famous announcement-“Remain seated please! Permanecer sentados por favor!”-became so iconic it even popped up in movies like Toy Story 2.
Inside, the wild ride itself is a jittery, bone-rattling dash through dark caves and snowfields, past shattered old bobsleds and even remnants of the long-gone Skyway. The bobsleds splash into pools at the finish-really just a clever way to cool the coaster’s brakes (and maybe a few unsuspecting riders’ toes).
The Matterhorn Bobsleds were the very first Disney coaster-long before Space Mountain or Big Thunder-and Walt himself made sure it would be a landmark you couldn’t miss. It’s not just a Disneyland mountain; it’s a collision of Swiss adventure, theme park innovation, ghostly echoes, and a local legend named Harold who really, really doesn’t like visitors.
Standing here, you can feel the whimsical chill and hear the winds from both the Alps and the imagination of Walt Disney himself. Not bad for a pile of leftover dirt with a postcard dream! Ready to brave the next peak of our adventure? Let’s keep trekking!
Want to explore the timeline, the attraction or the relations to other disney parks in more depth? Join me in the chat section for a detailed discussion.
