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Since 1959, the Matterhorn Bobsleds have stood tall at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
The ride was groundbreaking when it first debuted — and it changed the trajectory of roller coasters forever.
Want to know what makes this trek through the Swiss mountains so unique?
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Here are seven fun facts.
1. It made history when it opened on June 14, 1959
The Matterhorn Bobsleds ride was the world’s first rollercoaster to use steel tubular track, according to the Disneyland website.
It was built by manufacturer Arrow Development and was the first rollercoaster at the park.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds was the first rollercoaster in the world to use a tubular steel track. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland via Getty Images)
Now, tubular steel track is commonly used in some of the world’s most impressive roller coasters — but at the time, something different was needed to ensure that Walt Disney’s vision could come to life.
“Walt had a vision for an adrenaline rush bobsled ride in Anaheim (where it never snows) and he found the inspiration for his mountain design with snow on top while traveling [in] Europe when he witnessed the grandness of the Matterhorn,” Sarah Hirsch, founder of Well Traveled Kids, told Fox News Digital.
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Well Traveled Kids is a family travel agency; Hirsch is based in Illinois.
Legend has it that an inspired Disney “purchased a postcard with a photo of the mountain and mailed it to his Disneyland team from Europe with two words: ‘Build this,'” Hirsch said.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds have taken millions of people down its twisty track since its opening in 1959 — including the Shah of Iran and Empress Farah, seen above in the front of the sled. (Getty Images)
“The creative geniuses at Disneyland were able to replicate the outside of the ride to look just like the postcard photo and created an experience of a first-of-its-kind thrill ride at Disneyland that attracted adventure and adrenaline junkies to the park for the first time,” she said.
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Now, 65 years later, the Matterhorn Bobsleds “feels old school but also gives you an addictive rush that makes you want to jump back in line and ride it over and over again,” she said.
2. Ride has changed a lot since opening day
Today, riders of the Matterhorn Bobsleds embark on a “thrilling high-speed ride.” They “swoop in and out of shadowy caves and along jagged rocky ledges,” all while avoiding the “growling creature known as the Abominable Snowman,” according to the Disneyland website.
But that was not always the case.
When the original Matterhorn Bobsleds opened, the inside of the mountain was hollow, Werner Weiss, curator of the Disney history website Yesterland, told Fox News Digital in an email.
The original Matterhorn mountain at Disneyland had a hollow interior. (Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
“The structural beams were covered to resemble rock, but there was no mistaking the space for a real cave,” Weiss said.
In 1978, however, the ride got a big upgrade.
“The interior was redone as ice caves, and the Abominable Snowman was added,” he said.
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Another big change came in 1994, when the Skyway gondola attraction was shuttered and removed, Weiss said.
The Skyway previously ran through the Matterhorn – and with its removal, the hole in the mountain had to be patched up. “The space previously used by the Skyway became a glacier grotto,” he said.
The now-defunct gondola attraction known as the “Skyway” took passengers through the Matterhorn. (Albert Moote/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
3. ‘Sleds’ have changed since opening day, too
Originally, the bobsleds fit four people – two per “seat.”
“The larger guest should sit against the backrest — and will be the backrest for the smaller guest. It’s a rather cozy arrangement,” Weiss said.
“No wonder teenage boys like to take their dates on this ride.”
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In 1978, the trains became “tandem” bobsleds, allowing for eight passengers per train.
“The single-car, four-passenger bobsleds were replaced by two-car, eight-passenger bobsleds, which (along with new computer controls) doubled the ride capacity — and shortened the waits,” Weiss said.
As of 2012, the bobsleds are in tandem trains of two “sleds” with three individual seats.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds now have two three-seater tandem trains. (FilmMagic)
“No more cozy seating,” he said.
4. The paint job reflects real-life inspiration
The “snow” atop the Matterhorn mountain at Disneyland is not evenly distributed, just as the actual snow atop the actual Matterhorn mountain is not.
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The real-life Matterhorn is located on the border between Switzerland and Italy.
“More than 800 gallons of paint were used to create heavier snowfall on the north-facing — just like the real Matterhorn,” the Disneyland website said.
To mimic the glittery effect of real snow (which scarcely, if ever, is found in Southern California), Disneyland’s designers used glass beads on the Matterhorn, the website said.
The “snow” that’s been painted on the Matterhorn Bobsleds, shown at left, mimics the real-life Matterhorn. (Getty Images)
5. Matterhorn Bobsleds is two rides in one – and not all that tall
The Matterhorn mountain actually has two roller coasters – dubbed the “Fantasyland” and “Tomorrowland” tracks due to their proximity to the respective lands – and the tracks run throughout the mountain.
The Matterhorn mountain at Disneyland is 147 feet tall (Mickey Mouse climbed it in 2005), and the bobsleds’ top speed is just 27 mph.
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The Matterhorn is nearly twice the size of the 77-foot tall “Sleeping Beauty” castle and is exactly 100 times shorter than the real-life Matterhorn, according to the Disneyland website.
As with many attractions, the designers of the Matterhorn Bobsleds used a technique called “forced perspective” to make it seem far taller than it is, noted the Disneyland website.
Mickey Mouse, dressed in lederhosen, climbed the Matterhorn in 2005. The mountain stands 147 feet tall. (Matthew Simmons/Getty Images)
While the Matterhorn may not be all that impressively tall compared to real mountains, it had the distinction, when it was built, of being the tallest artificial structure in Orange County, California, Weiss said.
It quickly lost this record with the construction of high-rise buildings.
6. It’s one of a kind
While many of Disneyland’s rides can be found in some form at other Disney parks around the world – Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight, for instance – there is just one Matterhorn Bobsleds.
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“When I book Disneyland vacation packages for clients, the Matterhorn is still one of the rides everyone is most excited about,” Hirsch said.
While other Disneyland attractions have been replicated at other parks, the Matterhorn Bobsleds is unique to the Southern California park. (Patrick Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He said that’s true “especially since it’s unique to Disneyland, and they won’t find it in the Orlando Disney parks.”
7. The animatronic Abominable Snowman has a name
The animatronic Abominable Snowman that lives in the Matterhorn has a name.
It’s “Harold.”
The current iteration of “Harold” was installed in 2015.
“At least unofficially,” Weiss said. “My understanding is that Matterhorn [ride operators] starting calling him Harold for no particular reason.”
The nickname quickly caught on among employees, Disneyland fans and “eventually with regular guests,” Weiss said.
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The current iteration of “Harold” was installed in 2015, but the original did not go far away, Weiss said.
He is currently on display in the queue for the Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout ride at the Disney California Adventure Park.
