Updated Matterhorn Looks EPIC

[MGMBoy]

So I just saw the POV of the updated Matterhorn and it looks pretty amazing. I LOVE the addition of the retro Skyway gondola to the wreckage in that first show scene after the climb. For those who have been on it, are the effects as good as they look?

P.S. Anyone wants to start a pool on when the Abominable Snowman will go to a disco mode like EE's Yeti?

 

[Figments Friend]

So I just saw the POV of the updated Matterhorn and it looks pretty amazing. I LOVE the addition of the retro Skyway gondola to the wreckage in that first show scene after the climb. For those who have been on it, are the effects as good as they look?

P.S. Anyone wants to start a pool on when the Abominable Snowman will go to a disco mode like EE's Yeti?

That would never happen at Disneyland.





Regarding the effects, i won't get to experience it in person until August, but as far as videos go.....the Attraction experience is ALWAYS better in person.
So i can say for certain that the answer it YES.

 

[MGMBoy]

That would never happen at Disneyland.


Regarding the effects, i won't get to experience it in person until August, but as far as videos go.....the Attraction experience is ALWAYS better in person.
So i can say for certain that the answer it YES.

My fingers are crossed that you are right but I used to think the same thing about WDW.

I really like the old, "Mad Mouse" style coasters like Matterhorn. Can usually only ride a few of them a day though since I'm too tall for the headrests to securely hold my head and they tend to rattle me around a little.

 

[MichWolv]

So I just saw the POV of the updated Matterhorn and it looks pretty amazing. I LOVE the addition of the retro Skyway gondola to the wreckage in that first show scene after the climb. For those who have been on it, are the effects as good as they look?

P.S. Anyone wants to start a pool on when the Abominable Snowman will go to a disco mode like EE's Yeti?

It is not EPIC. The additions are nice. They add to the attraction, but not that much. The moving Abominable Snowman stuff is cool, but frankly, he's not big enough for it to be menacing. It's like a chimpanzee taking a swipe at you, instead of King Kong.

And the ride is still so rough that it makes every version of Space Mountain ever seem smooth by comparison.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

The new Harold AAs are great. The ride is still super painful and the trash heap is a trash heap. Not menacing or interesting - just a pile of junk. It's the weakest part of the attraction now IMO.

 

[MGMBoy]

Was the Skyway gondola always there or was that an addition?

 

[Mukta]

Was the Skyway gondola always there or was that an addition?

That is a new addition.

I rode it once to see the new effects. The effects are cool, but that ride makes my back hurt so badly it isn't worth the ride. I won't likely be riding it again any time soon.

 

[MGMBoy]

I still prefer it over Kumba @ BG Tampa. That one gave me a headache that lasted days. It sucks because I LOVE the coaster but high Gs + hard turns + short head rests = Advil for a week.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Matterhorn beats me up pretty good, but I wouldn't want the ride to be smooth. It'd ruin a lot of the aspects of the ride for me.

 

[Disneysea05]

It sit on a sweater when I ride it. It helps a lot as a cushion.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I've been on it a few times. It's so painful, but so fun.

I'm not really sold on the new additions. It's like they were trying too hard to make it like a horror attraction and it doesn't feel right. All they needed to do was put some cushions on the seats and cover the parts where you see the structure of the ride and they did neither.

 

[the-reason14]

The fact that it's been plussed since I was last there in 2009 is good enough to me. Of course the new AAs are good, but wasn't really needed. The fact that they decided to plus it, just goes to show why a trip to Disneyland is worth it over one to WDW. But back to the matterhorn, it is without a doubt the roughest Disney coaster I've ever been on in my life, maybe even the roughest. It does add to the overall thrill because it's not the tallest or fastest, but it is probably my favorite in Disneyland. MK's space mt. reminds me so much of it and that's my favorite ride so that's probably why I like the matterhorn so much.

 

[cheezbat]

They need to just put cushions on the seats of the ride. That would solve so many problems.

 

[Mukta]

I always joke that they should have a stand in front that rents cushions and and chiropractor/masseuse stand at the exit.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Since I'm pretty much of a hipster purist that hates anything new anyway, I'll tear this thing apart.

The new Yeti AAs, Yeti screens, Yeti roars and junk pile alter the feel of the ride for the worse. The mood is more horrific now and it just doesn't feel right in Fantasyland, even though there are various scenes of horror in the dark rides. Somehow, this is different.

There was a charm to the original Yetis, which looked like 80s Jim Henson fantasy creatures and employed such low-tech but pure Fantasyland techniques such as a strobe light and glowing eyes that were clearly red light bulbs. Similarly, the Fortress of Solitude ice crystal scene just felt right. The new junk pile is poorly designed for a variety of reasons, the biggest being that it's an ugly meta junk pile.

Why put that effort into "upgrading" the ride, but leave the structure of the mountain exposed? They could have fixed that with a tarp.

The ride is just too painful. If you're properly seated, your butt will hurt. If you prop yourself up to save your butt, your arms will get thrashed. Either way, your back will be screwed. The ride was down for a LONG time and nothing was done about that? I find it impossible to believe that they haven't received a lot of complaints. In fact, I find this pretty insulting.

 

[disney4life2008]

This ride is ROUGH and tight (people complain about 7 dwarfs). However, this ride is AMAZING it was one of my favorites at DL - actually I cannot recount any ride that I did not like lol.

 

[Sage of Time]

Really bummed we lost the crystal caves to a pile of junk.

New AAs look cool tho

 

[imagineer boy]

I've been on it a few times. It's so painful, but so fun.

I'm not really sold on the new additions. It's like they were trying too hard to make it like a horror attraction and it doesn't feel right. All they needed to do was put some cushions on the seats and cover the parts where you see the structure of the ride and they did neither.

Where are the parts of the ride where you see the structure? Can't really tell from the videos.

I agree that the junk pile isn't great, and the crystals were better (couldn't they have put the junk elsewhere in the ride?). The animatronic is great but my only major issue is the new roar. The old roar was so much scarier sounding and the new one sounds like they just had some guy go "ROOOOAAAAAAA" and just lowered the pitch. Not very creative. I know some people say the old roar is mixed with the new but I honestly don't hear it.

 

[VJ]

The new Harold AAs are great. The ride is still super painful and the trash heap is a trash heap. Not menacing or interesting - just a pile of junk. It's the weakest part of the attraction now IMO.

They should add a pair of angry eyes and a roar sound effect then it could be the menacing trash heap of doom!

 

[Figments Friend]

Maybe with the recent announcement of Disneyland getting a billion dollar infusion we will see some padded seats added to the ol' Matterhorn.


I love this Attraction, but agree with many others before me that have commented on how 'painful' a ride it can be...especially on the left-hand track which is rougher.

Really...just a back pad, or a bum pad would work wonders to improve the Guest Experience on this one !