#5 The Matterhorn
Permanecer sentados, Por Favor.
There you have it – today’s blog, completed in just one sentence.
I’ll continue just for the sake of becoming a more disciplined blogger…and really, when have I ever uttered, written or even thought one singular sentence?
The Matterhorn is today’s selection for the #5 spot in Disneyland’s emerald anniversary countdown. Created by our old friend Bob “see ya next time” Gurr in 1959, this Disneyland classic is the eye catching mountain O’fun where you can spot Tinkerbell, random Swiss mountaineers and the illusive Yeti on a daily (or in Tink’s case, nightly) basis.
If you had asked me why I loved the Matterhorn when I was a kid, my response would have been, “Because its awesome.” (Due to my childhood corresponding to the 1980’s, I most likely would have said “radical” or even “tubular” which in hindsight is tragically ironic in that the Matterhorn was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world.) Today, my answer would the same – I love the Matterhorn because it’s awesome. But again, for the sake of disciplined blogging, and also in attempts to completely blow your mind with a list within a list, here are five reasons for my number five attraction:
- Lederhosen
Lederhosen are just funny. Period.
- The Undeniable Power of Pounds
If your bobsled is swooshing down the icy Alps at a breakneck speed, you might want to lay off the churros for a couple of days. The heavier the sled, the faster you slide. It pays to pack on the pounds in preparation for a trip to the Matterhorn, but for those unwilling to sacrifice their waistline, try packing three into a sled for a grand total of 12 tobogganers. (Note to self, add this to the list of future Mousetalgia meetups, right after 27 in a Pooh Honeycomb)
- As a Matter of Fact…
…picnic grounds known as Holiday Hill existed where our beloved “horn” now stands. Before the Matterhorn was a mountain, it was a dirt pile workers had formed as they excavated the moat for Sleeping Beauty Castle. Over time, the picnic area diminished in size due to the warm southern California winds, hence the Matterhorn was born. Besides the fact, does a pile of dirt in the middle of a theme park really look that great? Leave it to Disney to transform a pile of unruly dirt into something Swisstastic.
- Harold
The Yeti is named Harold. Not Ivan, not Bruce and not Axel, but Harold. Harold’s of the world, you have been redeemed by a Yeti. You can thank him later.
- Fun Photo Ops
The illusions of optical fun the Matterhorn provides are endless. Here are a few of my standard go-to poses…and an opportunity to have a list within a list within a list!
– Someone has to do the heavy lifting, so grunt, groan and raise your arms to hold a snowy piece of the world on your shoulders.
– Find an angle with no signs, fences, or Disneyland trashcans, strike a pose and snap a shot for your “Merry Christmas from Switzerland” card.
– With a claw like hand perched above the mountain, your friends at home will think you’ve been sipping from Alice’s bottle as you ring the Matterhorn like a dinner bell.
Where else in the world can you cram you and your mouse-ear-wearing friends into a bobsled, get bumped and bruised around and then run to the second side for an immediate return trip? The Matterhorn, that’s where. Five reasons that make my number five just plain awesome.
