How does the Matterhorn fit into Fantasyland's theme?

[celticssuck]

How does the Matterhorn fit into Fantasyland's theme? It's a mountain, how does it deal with fantasy?

 

[Disneyson 1]

Well, first of all the Abominable Snownan inside is quite fantastical, as are the Ice crystals. Second, it looks REALLY pretty there. Third, the alpine architecture really blends into the rest of the style of fantasyland. There ya go.

 

[kap91]

Well if my memory serves me correctly it wasn't even always part of Fantasyland. It used to be in Tomorrowland as it was one of the three attraction that opened in Tomorrowland in 1959 (The monorail and submarines being the other two) so it might have made sense to bundle all three together as part of the same land even though the Matterhorn really didn't fit the whole future theme. The historical reason its in the spot its in is that there was an ugly hill and skyway tower (Not sure about the sky tower bit) that Walt didn't like in that same place. When Walt said "Hey lets build a Matterhorn" it was prime real estate to be gotten rid of. I think the current reasoning its in Fantasyland is that it deals with a mythic creature and perhaps if you want to stretch it the "fantasy" of tobogganing down a mountain. Also when there used to be a Fantasyland Autopia (another ride that really had nothing to do with the rest of the fantasyland attractions) the Matterhorn kind of completed the corridor that starts at "its a small world" (One final fantasyland ride which doesn't follow the theme of Disney animated movies) which is probably why they decided to move it to fantasyland." The fact that it wasn't permanently considered a part of Fantasyland until several years after its a small world opened supports this theory. Disney sort of built a corridor of rides that created a boundary between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. They considered them all to be more a part of Fantasy then Tomorrow and they were therefore absorbed into Fantasyland. Then again what do I know...Its just a guess. I live at the Florida parks.

 

[nemofinder22]

^I think your pretty on track. The area where Matterhorn sits is kind of a cross over area between the 2 and somehow Autopia (which blends beautifully in TL and FL) , PeopleMover/Rocket Rod tracks and a Monorail all go through it. and the Subs boarder lining it.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Did you know that the Matterhorn was moved from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland around 1971? No, they didn’t use lots of casters and a really strong tractor. The Matterhorn wasn’t moved physically.

From 1965 through 1976, Disneyland guests received 4-inch-by-6-inch Disneyland guide booklets, sponsored by INA, the Insurance Company of North America. Through 1970 the booklets listed the Matterhorn Bobsleds under Tomorrowland. By 1972, the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction listing had moved to Fantasyland, where it remains on current Disneyland guide maps.

During the 1960s, there seemed to be official uncertainty exactly where the Matterhorn belonged. For 1961, the back cover of the glossy souvenir book, Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland, listed the Matterhorn Bobsleds under Fantasyland. However, inside the book, the ride was pictured in the book’s Tomorrowland section.

Some of the confusion might be because the Matterhorn straddles the boundary of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. The ride has always two tracks and two queues, commonly called the Tomorrowland side and the Fantasyland side. And, if you think about it, the ride really doesn’t belong in the World of Tomorrow or in the Land of Classic Stories of Childhood.

http://www.yesterland.com/oldmatterhorn.html

 

[I-Miss-Horizons]

Before I ever went to Disneyland I wondered the same thing but when I went there I realized that it actually fits pretty well. Not because it's "Fantasy" but because Fantasyland has a European style to it and the real Matterhorn is in switzerland so it fits with the style of the whole land. Snow White - Germany, Pinocchio - Italy, Peter Pan - England, Matterhorn - Switzerland, etc. It may not be based off of a classic disney film like most of the attractions there but it does not interfere with the design of Fantasyland, which makes it fit much better there then in Tomorrowland where it used to be a part of. It also fits into the theme better than other attractions. Nemo doesn't fit that well in Tomorrowland, Pirates of the Caribbean would fit better in Adventureland (Although I love New Orleans Square), and California Adventure is a mess when it comes to theming (Just my opinion).

 

[Pongo]

I agree with everyone else, what makes the Matterhorn so special and perfect for Fantasyland is the way it just seamlessly fits into the theming no matter where you are. Two examples:

 

[csm]

I agree with everyone else, what makes the Matterhorn so special and perfect for Fantasyland is the way it just seamlessly fits into the theming no matter where you are. Two examples:

I think another point to keep in mind is that though Fantasyland is full of animated feature characters, nothing says it *has* to be. It's about Fantasy. All those movies just fit the bill, but nothing ever said "This is the land just for Disney Animated Features".. if that makes any sense.

Personally I wish a Matterhorn was put in every park's Fantasyland. There really is just something special about that mountain. As proven above, it fits seemlessles into the surroundings and looks like everything was designed to fit around it. Sightlines are just perfect (well, if you can get past the eleventy-billion wires used for Tinkerbell's flight during Remember - ha!)

 

[imagineer boy]

I'm glad they moved it to Fantaseyland, it fits in so well there. I don't really get why it was labeled in Tomorrowland in the first place. :veryconfu

 

[marsrunner]

It fits in visually now, but I don't know that it would have fit in very well before Fantasyland got its Bavarian makeover in 1983. The circus tent look (that still exists in FL and other parks) wouldn't have looked so good with the Matterhorn. Although, where else would they put it? It doesn't fit any of the themed areas any better than Fantasyland.

 

[LadyDarling]

I always rationalized it figuring that Fantasyland is all about story book stories, and Heidi was pretty well known at one time....

 

[Figment632]

I think another point to keep in mind is that though Fantasyland is full of animated feature characters, nothing says it *has* to be. It's about Fantasy. All those movies just fit the bill, but nothing ever said "This is the land just for Disney Animated Features".. if that makes any sense.

Personally I wish a Matterhorn was put in every park's Fantasyland. There really is just something special about that mountain. As proven above, it fits seemlessles into the surroundings and looks like everything was designed to fit around it. Sightlines are just perfect (well, if you can get past the eleventy-billion wires used for Tinkerbell's flight during Remember - ha!)

20k was part of FL so I agree with you it doesn't have to be based off of a Disney animated film to be part of FL.

 

[TP2000]

Walt was inspired to build the Matterhorn during preparation and filming of his live action movie Third Man On The Mountain in 1958. The attraction opened in June, 1959 and the movie based around the Swiss mountain opened in theaters in November, 1959.

Yeah, Walt didn't like movie-based attractions did he? :lol:

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

Walt was inspired to build the Matterhorn during preparation and filming of his live action movie Third Man On The Mountain in 1958. The attraction opened in June, 1959 and the movie based around the Swiss mountain opened in theaters in November, 1959.

Yeah, Walt didn't like movie-based attractions did he? :lol:

I had always thought it was inspired by Search For The Castaways. Especially the bobsled part.