How Rough is Matterhorn?

[StarWarsGirl]

Hello all.

Since planning my trip to DL in June, I've been watching this side of the forums and noticed a lot of complaints that Matterhorn, that it has gotten rougher. I've been to DL twice, once in 2009 and again in 2013, and I found Matterhorn pretty rough then (in fact, rougher than some of the Wooden Roller Coasters in Hershey Park). I was involved in a car accident that left me pretty banged up last September. CT scan revealed I have a bulging disk in my neck, and I also have a weak spot in my neck that physical therapy couldn't fix. Additionally, I already had a not-so-great back thanks to a previous car accident (we are wondering if we should just paint a bullseye on my car, haha). I have been to WDW since my accident and was able to ride everything over there with no problems, but I'm a little concerned about Matterhorn.

I'm obviously not expecting any of you to make a recommendation on whether or not I should skip it this time, but I am wondering how rough it is. Has it gotten even rougher since about 2013? Is one side rougher than the other? Have any of you experienced issues getting on it?

I appreciate the input.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I rode it last June and didn't find the new sleds any rougher than the old ones. I must be made of steel though because I seem to be the only one with this experience.

 

[MKCP 1985]

It is rough. I rode with 3 others last month and I was the only one willing to go for a second run. I read here that pads have been added but can't remember for sure whether they had been added before our visit. It is not a ride for anyone with a questionable back.

 

[Stevek]

It was more comfortable before, mainly because there was more space. Overall I think the cars are fine but if you are tall, leg room is a little challenging. It's always been rough, that won't change.

 

[Rich T]

The Matterhorn used to be a favorite of mine; the new sleds have wrecked it for me. I'm only six feet tall, but I just cannot seem to find a position in those new seats that works for me. They are very tight, and once you're in, you're pretty much locked into one awkward position with no room at all to shift or get comfortable. Speaking for myself, every time I've ridden (once per trip now, it used to be several a day) I get off feeling like someone kicked me in the back. My advice would be to skip the Matterhorn at this point if you're concerned, and I hate to say that, because I used to adore that ride.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I rank it below the Son of Beast at Paramount King's Island, an enormous violent wooden behemoth that I don't think was around for even like a decade before it was dismantled.

It is rough. The seats are now padded, but it only seems to accentuate the pain inflicted on your back and legs. The Tomorrowland side is particularly just brutal.

The Fantasyland side is better, but still rough. The dips are really very small, but boy, oh boy, do they completely mess me up. It hurts to just depart the station and stop before disembarking.

It's a shame because despite the removal of classic charming scenes and elements for the 60th redo, which I don't approve of, it's still an incredibly awesome classic Disneyland experience and such a charmer. It just hurts.

A certain member here maintains it's always been rough and that's something I would approve of them changing.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

It was more comfortable before, mainly because there was more space. Overall I think the cars are fine but if you are tall, leg room is a little challenging. It's always been rough, that won't change.

The Matterhorn used to be a favorite of mine; the new sleds have wrecked it for me. I'm only six feet tall, but I just cannot seem to find a position in those new seats that works for me. They are very tight, and once you're in, you're pretty much locked into one awkward position with no room at all to shift or get comfortable. Speaking for myself, every time I've ridden (once per trip now, it used to be several a day) I get off feeling like someone kicked me in the back. My advice would be to skip the Matterhorn at this point if you're concerned, and I hate to say that, because I used to adore that ride.

Well, leg room is not an issue. I'm only 5ft.

I rank it below the Son of Beast at Paramount King's Island, an enormous violent wooden behemoth that I don't think was around for even like a decade before it was dismantled.

It is rough. The seats are now padded, but it only seems to accentuate the pain inflicted on your back and legs. The Tomorrowland side is particularly just brutal.

The Fantasyland side is better, but still rough. The dips are really very small, but boy, oh boy, do they completely mess me up. It hurts to just depart the station and stop before disembarking.

It's a shame because despite the removal of classic charming scenes and elements for the 60th redo, which I don't approve of, it's still an incredibly awesome classic Disneyland experience and such a charmer. It just hurts.

A certain member here maintains it's always been rough and that's something I would approve of them changing.

Thanks for the input. If I decide to do it, I'll try the Fantasyland side first.

What did they remove?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Well, they removed many classic scenes and elements from the 70s refurb. These include the Yale Gracey falling snow effect on the lift hill, glowing red eyes in the dark, the old school Jim Henson-esque abominable snowmen (one of which was illuminated with a strobe light) and iconic roar that could be heard all throughout the vicinity of the mountain and the Fortress of Solitude-esque glowing ice crystal scene, which is now a junk heap.

The current version features more modern effects such as screens, less stylized more "realistic" animatronic abominable snowmen that lunge at the bobsled and a pretty dumb revised ice crystal scene with the wreckage of old ride vehicles. The new stuff for me doesn't really fit in with the rest of Fantasyland and makes Matterhorn more horrific and like something from Universal's Halloween Horror Nights or something.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

@StarWarsGirl Here you go:

 

[StarWarsGirl]

@StarWarsGirl Here you go:

Well, at least this Yeti works...

 

[StarWarsGirl]

@StarWarsGirl Here you go:

Thanks for posting.

Now I want to try to ride this at least once to see the changes, even though I'm quite literally risking my neck...

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Please be careful. Personally I think the changes are well done, however most people seem to think the roughness is a big problem.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Please be careful. Personally I think the changes are well done, however most people seem to think the roughness is a big problem.

I'll probably talk to my doctor before I go to see what he thinks. My best friend is a massage therapist, so she might have some insight as well. I have no problems on WDW's Space Mountain, which is pretty rough, but not as rough as Matterhorn. Worst case, I do it once, figure out it hurts, and skip it the rest of the time.

Would be nice if they could figure out how to smooth out the track so that it would no longer be an issue for many.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Would be nice if they could figure out how to smooth out the track so that it would no longer be an issue for many.

They have to be working on it. So many people have been complaining about it.

 

[Texas84]

It's worth the pain.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Ignore the hyperbole above regarding the roughness on the Matterhorn. I've got 450+ coasters under my belt, so I'll provide a frame of reference.

Matterhorn most definitely isn't as rough as most wooden coasters. Hershey's WildCat a few seasons ago was in much worse condition than anything ride at DL. It certainly isn't as rough as Son of Beast was on any day it ever operated. From media day to the very end, that ride was always in a different class of roughness because of poor engineering (underbuilt superstructure) and poor conceptual design (long and heavy cars on short wheelbase attempting to travel along a wooden coaster track exponentially exaggerated by attempting to go 200ft tall with the highest stress loads happening under heavy banking). Son of Beast shattered ledgers quite frequently (the big thick piece of wood directly under the track that supports the laminated track bed) - that gives you an idea of how violent and under supported the ride really was.


Matterhorn rides very, very similarly to MK's SM currently because the chassis for the trains is almost a clone. So, it's a similar feel to the ride as SM in Orlando.

What is a bit different with Matterhorn is that the layout of the track and the new trains make the ride a bit more "torque-y" on your body. The new trains have you seated in such a way that when you do hit a corner, it does twist you a bit harder than it did before. While Matterhorn is a bit bumpier than SM at MK, it's the "jerky/twisty/torque-y" motions that are more extreme. I last rode in in January, before the seat cushions, so I imagine they will help a bit with the bumpiness; but, will cause you to sit a bit higher and therefore the center of gravity will be even more out of place with the forces. The end result may magnify the motions.

That said, if you can ride MK's Space, you should be okay for a ride on Matterhorn. The torque it puts on you though would be more of a concern than the bumpiness.

BTW - DL's Thunder is now as smooth as glass. Before the recent mega refurb, it was in worse shape than the current Matterhorn.

 

[JoFu]

They have to be working on it. So many people have been complaining about it.

I don't know if they HAVE to be, pretty much every, if not every roller coaster like attraction at Disney parks warn that people with back problems should not ride. I wouldn't say the Matterhorn slams you around anymore than Indy or at AK Dinosaur.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I don't know if they HAVE to be, pretty much every, if not every roller coaster like attraction at Disney parks warn that people with back problems should not ride.

Well sure, no one expects to be comfortable on a roller coaster. Still, with the number of people I see saying that the ride is now off limits to them, it would be a good idea for Disney to at least look into making the trip less rough for riders. There are reports that new seat cushions have been installed, so apparently they are aware of the issue and trying to fix it.

 

[JoFu]

Well sure, no one expects to be comfortable on a roller coaster. Still, with the number of people I see saying that the ride is now off limits to them, it would be a good idea for Disney to at least look into making the trip less rough for riders. There are reports that new seat cushions have been installed, so apparently they are aware of the issue and trying to fix it.

My biggest complaint as a tall and big guy is leg room, the new bobsleds suck for anyone who's above average in height. For me the ride was always rough, the dips and less banked turns make it harsh. It didn't become something I'm less likely to ride until the new bobsleds made me practice yoga poses while going through those dips and turns, no amount of cushioning is going to change that because cushioning isn't the problem.

Maybe for smaller people who aren't wedged in they're also getting air and coming down hard on the seats?

 

[atsolomon]

I rode it once during my visit in February. The very start was so jerky that it made my back crack kind of painfully. IMO, if you've already got back issues skip it.

Adam