Disneyland's Matterhorn Roller Coaster May Be Crumbling, Some Speculate
Last month, Disneyland reopened after 412 long days, sparking smiles, tears, and a good chunk of Twitter absolutely dunking on the “Disney adults” weeping as they re-entered the parks, conveniently ignoring through their scathing (albeit not entirely unwarranted) capitalist critiques, how reuniting with a sliver of pre-pandemic life could perhaps elicit an emotional reaction for fans and cast members alike.
All projection-based bitterness aside, as the parks greeted guests, visitors were apparently surprised to find that one Disneyland staple was seemingly still gathering dust as it had been for the past year and change – the iconic Matterhorn Bobsleds roller coaster. Since fans learned the attraction is “currently closed for refurbishment,” according to the Disneyland website, a shut-down that is estimated to extend through July 2, rumors surrounding the Mattherhorn's current state are swirling around the Disney park fandom, with many speculating that the beloved roller coaster is crumbling.
Although closing for refurbishments is no new phenomenon for the roughly 62-year-old attraction, including a refresh to add new effects between 2014 and 2015, and a period in 2019 where the ride was intermittently out of commission over a few weeks after a portion of the mountain collapsed onto the ride's track, it seems as if this closure is arguably more serious than those before. According to the San Francisco Chronicle's SFGate, the ride is “undergoing what is believed to be a significant repair to the infrastructure of the mountain," a sentiment some theme park news sites have echoed over the past few days, citing a recent video from Disney vlogger David Erickson of the Freshbaked YouTube channel.
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“She’s old and getting older," Erickson speculated in a video posted to his channel earlier this month. "I’ve heard from a few folks that there is decay happening on the interior . . . the repairs needed are extensive.”
Erickson's prognosis aside, it seems these rumors may also be based in the small amounts that guests can see during their Disneyland escapades, with the northern California publication noting it appears that “parts of the exterior of the mountain have fallen off,” with some visitors spying “construction materials” that are "visible inside ride tunnels above the fence line.”
So what, exactly do these allegedly intense refurbishments entail? Aside from strengthening the Matterhorn's ever-important structural integrity (sorry guys, Final Destination 3 is NOT Disney IP), Erickson also speculates that Imagineers (a.k.a Disney's creative/engineering team) will also work on improving the ride's track. While if true, these repairs would be quite extensive, these supposed upgrades are much less extreme than gossip surrounding the company's speculated desire to tear down the mountain.
“Even if they wanted to, they can’t,” Erickson explained of the rumor's outlandishness. “To build the same kind of 1/100 scale of the real Matterhorn mountain today, the footprint of the structure would have to be significantly larger than the one built in 1959. It would mean closing other nearby attractions, like the Alice in Wonderland ride, to make space.”
So folks, whether the Matterhorn is truly receiving a deep overhaul as rumored or just a little touch-up, remember …
Top Image: Wikimedia Commons/User101002
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