Original Alice in Wonderland Ride

Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member
For the ride's 65th anniversary, I want them to bring back the Upside Down Room. It was a lot more fun than the scene that replaced it (the Tweedles). Bring back the screaming doors, too: They'll fit in just fine after the courtroom.

Where were the screaming doors, were they at the end or the beginning? On the Wikipedia page it says that after the Mad Tea Party scene you hear harsh yelling noises. Is that where they came from?
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Where were the screaming doors, were they at the end or the beginning? On the Wikipedia page it says that after the Mad Tea Party scene you hear harsh yelling noises. Is that where they came from?
After the Tea Party (which was where the marching cards are now) you busted through a giant teapot door into the dark "Crash Room" where there were crashing sounds and strobe-lit cartoon "crash" effects followed by signs (like in Tulgey Wood) in the dark pointing all over and Alice saying "How do I get out? I've lost my way!" (This is where the croquet animation and courtroom are now.) Then came the screaming doors, which were in the straight corridor leading out, exactly where the current guards-blocking-your-way and other doorways currently are. This was a very simple but great effect. There were four crash doors with black backgrounds on which were painted one brightly colored door each-- each one smaller than the one before (styled after the shrinking series of doors Alice goes through at the bottom of the rabbit hole). The effect was that you were "busting out" of Wonderland by crashing through the shrinking doors. The final door was a simple green keyhole painted on black. Each door burst open with a crash and a "scream", which was actually Goofy's classic yell played at varying speeds. The last door--the keyhole--burst open with the Goofy yelled played at normal speed, which was kept for the remodel. And that was the end of the indoor portion, as the vine path simply lead back down to the unload zone.
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
I actually got the E-Ticket magazine for Alice yesterday, so if anyone wants to see some pictures that aren't online I can put them here.
Congrats on getting that issue: It's awesome! I would love to see some photos! (My copy is in storage :( )
 

Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member
Congrats on getting that issue: It's awesome! I would love to see some photos! (My copy is in storage :( )

I'll put them up soon. The magazine also had some details I didn't know about.

  • Lots of the cutout characters popped out from behind walls or from the floor.
  • In the Upside-Down Room after passing the White Rabbit, the riders nearly entered a fireplace
  • The Oversized Room is actually supposed to be the same room as the Upside-Down Room except bigger and not upside down.
  • The cutouts were replaced a lot. The original versions of the Mad Hatter and March Hare are the ones that look like they are shouting, and in the 1960s they were replaced by the cutouts of Mad Hatter pouring tea for March Hare.
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
I'll put them up soon. The magazine also had some details I didn't know about.

  • Lots of the cutout characters popped out from behind walls or from the floor.
  • In the Upside-Down Room after passing the White Rabbit, the riders nearly entered a fireplace
  • The Oversized Room is actually supposed to be the same room as the Upside-Down Room except bigger and not upside down.
  • The cutouts were replaced a lot. The original versions of the Mad Hatter and March Hare are the ones that look like they are shouting, and in the 1960s they were replaced by the cutouts of Mad Hatter pouring tea for March Hare.
The near-miss with the upside down fireplace was one of my favorite parts.

Although it does makes sense that the oversize room was the same place as the Upside Down room, a few details make me question that statement from the magazine: The Upside Down room seems to be modeled after the interior of the White Rabbit's House, while the Oversize Room features a giant rendition of the talking Doorknob from the room at the bottom of the rabbit hole. But, yeah, it's got an ottoman and overstuffed chair, so... it's a combo of the two rooms? I am waaay overthinking this, as Wonderland is a dream world anyway. :D
 

ItsTraderSam

New Member
Does anyone have good pictures of the Ride Op panel circa 2005->2007ish?

I may have access to an old panel but it's been stripped of all lights, buttons, and switches and I'd love to see it restored to it's former glory.
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have good pictures of the Ride Op panel circa 2005->2007ish?

I may have access to an old panel but it's been stripped of all lights, buttons, and switches and I'd love to see it restored to it's former glory.
Found this on Google. I believe this is the one they used starting with the re-opening in 1984. Not sure if it changed between 1984 and 2005.
363785
 

Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member
Ok, here they are. I took the pictures that you can't find online:
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I think it's interesting that the early dark rides tried to scare you as much as possible. If Frozen Ever After was an opening day dark ride it would probably be about Elsa trying to kill you while cardboard cutout Olaf's taunted your mortality, before entering Arendelle where all of the citizens including Anna and Kristoff have been frozen to death before entering Marshmallow's mouth and then the ride would end.
 

Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member
They're spookhouse rides.

Yes. I think that is why lots of the early versions of Fantasyland dark rides were so scary. Back then, dark rides were only used for "ghost train" style rides with jumpscares and skeletons. Peter Pan was the first dark ride that actually tried to make you feel happy while riding (even though at the end you were attacked by Mr. Smee and Tick-Tock).
 

Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know what sound effects were used in the ride? Were they from the movie or original recordings? I'd like to hear what the Cheshire Cat's laughing and Alice's "I've lost my way" sounded like in the ride.
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know what sound effects were used in the ride? Were they from the movie or original recordings? I'd like to hear what the Cheshire Cat's laughing and Alice's "I've lost my way" sounded like in the ride.
All of Alice’s dialogue was recorded for the ride. If you check Youtube, you might find a great fan mix that combines all the pre-1983 narration with the present day soundtrack. Very well done.

Digging through my memory...
  • Rabbit hole - no sound effects aside from narration.
  • Upside Down Room - Rabbit’s horn was a single, startling blast. Crackling fire sound FX.
  • Oversize Room - Just the Cheshire’s cat’s insane laugh looped over and over (laugh, inhale, laugh, inhale)
  • Flowers - Film soundtrack song. Loud dandelion roar... could be from film.
  • Tulgey Wood - Music was C. Cat singing T’was Brillig from movie. Accordion Owl sound fx from film. Horn Duck was a generic loud honk.
  • Tea Party - Short Loop of Unbirthday Song from film, as well as Hatter and Hare calling out “Move Down move down move down” and Doremouse repeating “Move down, move down,” sleepily. (Frantic doremouse and pop up Hatter and Hare were removed before my time). Generic crash sound for breaking giant sugarbowl/teapot.
  • Crash room - Generic explosions and crashes. The first three screaming doors featured a harsh, shattering sound and the “Goofy Yell” played at 3 higher speeds, then the final door - The keyhole - had a muffled explosion sound and Goofy’s normal yell (still in use today). No music.
BTW, the only music played outside was the title song from the film’s soundtrack, looped over and over (minus the opening fanfare).
 
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Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member
All of Alice’s dialogue was recorded for the ride. If you check Youtube, you might find a great fan mix that combines all the pre-1983 narration with the present day soundtrack. Very well done.

Digging through my memory...
  • Rabbit hole - no sound effects aside from narration.
  • Upside Down Room - Rabbit’s horn was a single, startling blast. Crackling fire sound FX.
  • Oversize Room - Just the Cheshire’s cat’s insane laugh looped over and over (laugh, inhale, laugh, inhale)
  • Flowers - Film soundtrack song. Loud dandelion roar... could be from film.
  • Tulgey Wood - Music was C. Cat singing T’was Brillig from movie. Accordion Owl sound fx from film. Horn Duck was a generic loud honk.
  • Tea Party - Short Loop of Unbirthday Song from film, as well as Hatter and Hare calling out “Move Down move down move down” and Doremouse repeating “Move down, move down,” sleepily. (Frantic doremouse and pop up Hatter and Hare were removed before my time). Generic crash sound for breaking giant sugarbowl/tespot.
  • Crash room - Generic explosions and crashes. The first three screaming doors featured a harsh, shattering sound and the “Goofy Yell” played at 3 higher speeds, then the final door - The keyhole - had a muffled explosion sound and Goofy’s normal yell (still in use today). No music.
BTW, the only music played outside was the title song from the film’s soundtrack, looped over and over (minus the opening fanfare).

Thanks. Do you know what part of the current ride is where the Oversized Room used to be?
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Thanks. Do you know what part of the current ride is where the Oversized Room used to be?
It's now the first part of the Flower garden. Pre-1984, you'd exit the Oversize Room through a giant dooknob/keyhole, and do a left turn into the garden, which was half the size it is now--pretty much one narrow corridor leading to Tulgey Wood.
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
BTW, about that giant, leering Cheshire Cat in the photo: Its eyes were cut-outs with the pupils on a deeper plane, so his eyes followed you as you went under him. Wonderfully creepy! :D
 

Clover Bailey

Well-Known Member

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