Matterhorn at WDW!

[kaos]

In theory, they could have built it ON TOP of Small World's show building. If thats' not enough space, they could have strattled the gap and built it over Small World and Haunted Mansion. Theme the Fantasyland side to look smaller and happier, and the Frontierland/Mansion side to look bigger and more menacing. That's what they did to the original so it would look right in both Fantasyland and Tommorowland.

The real reason it was built there is because all the ground that was dug up for the original submarine voyage and monorail expansion was deposited right there and made into "Cany Cane Mountain" for a few years as a backdrop to Fantasyland before deciding to actually do something entertaining there. At one point, the Matterhorn was actually part of Tomorrowland before it made the jump to Fantasyland. I would love to see that episode of Megamovers on the History Channel.. hehe:drevil:

 

[TP2000]

The real reason it was built there is because all the ground that was dug up for the original submarine voyage and monorail expansion was deposited right there and made into "Cany Cane Mountain" for a few years as a backdrop to Fantasyland before deciding to actually do something entertaining there.

Um... the Matterhorn was built at the same time as the Submarines and the Monorail. All three of those attractions began construction in late summer, 1958 and all three opened together in June, 1959.

There was never a Candy Cane Mountain at Disneyland. The land currently occupied by the Matterhorn was a small mound of dirt from 1955 to 1958. From 1956 to 1958 one of the Skyway towers was on top of that hill, before the whole thing was bulldozed for construction of the Matterhorn and the Skyway was routed right through the middle.

 

[steve2wdw]

please cite your source as there was NEVER anything planned behind IASW as it is the entrance to the utilidors and was planned that way

I've also read that the Matterhorn was planned to go behind IASW and that there was actual footers and foundation work started. It was designed to blend in with Pinnochio's Village Haus. I'm at work right now but will find the source when I get home later. Could take a while though.

 

[Lee]

I've also read that the Matterhorn was planned to go behind IASW and that there was actual footers and foundation work started. It was designed to blend in with Pinnochio's Village Haus. I'm at work right now but will find the source when I get home later. Could take a while though.

THAT I would like to see.
I've been all over that area...ain't no foundation or footers back there for a Matterhorn.

 

[Lewis Carroll]

THAT I would like to see.
I've been all over that area...ain't no foundation or footers back there for a Matterhorn.

yea I doubt there is foundation and footers back there. However keep in mind, this ride was proposed back when Magic Kingdom was still under construction/opening..so its possible there would have been room for it before the area got built up.

 

[Lee]

However keep in mind, this ride was proposed back when Magic Kingdom was still under construction/opening...

Yeah...that's the key...proposed. I haven't seen good evidence that it ever went beyond blue-sky.

 

[marni1971]

yea I doubt there is foundation and footers back there. However keep in mind, this ride was proposed back when Magic Kingdom was still under construction/opening...

If you can dig out the source please do. None of the original plans for that area show any mountain proposal, before, during or after opening.

On a smiliar vein, there is a piece of DLP art showing a Matterhorn in Fantasyland as well. Again, nothing exists of it, apart form a concept.

 

[kaos]

Um... the Matterhorn was built at the same time as the Submarines and the Monorail. All three of those attractions began construction in late summer, 1958 and all three opened together in June, 1959.

There was never a Candy Cane Mountain at Disneyland. The land currently occupied by the Matterhorn was a small mound of dirt from 1955 to 1958. From 1956 to 1958 one of the Skyway towers was on top of that hill, before the whole thing was bulldozed for construction of the Matterhorn and the Skyway was routed right through the middle.

In numerous interviews, that mound was called "Candy Cane Mountain" by WED/Imagineers and was the leftover dirt from the Tomorrowland construction projects. The original plans called for the mountain to be a visual division between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. You are correct that the Matterhorn opened with the new Tomorrowland attractions, and it was later in the planning stage that the Bobsled ride was included.