Sunday, September 16, 2012

Two From October 1967

When the concept of Disneyland's Matterhorn was cooked up, I wonder if the Skyway was always supposed to pass through? Perhaps at some point it was just going to pass by. Why aren't you telling me? What's with all the secrecy? 


A slight zoom into the nasal cavity (along with some shadow adjustments) gives us bit of a look inside; you can just see part of the lift hill angling up to our left.


This view was not inside the Matterhorn at all.


11 comments:

K. Martinez said...

Nasal cavity? I'll never look at the Matterhorn the same way again!

So now the Skyway is gone and the Matterhorn's nostrils are plugged up. Guess it's time for a decongestant.

Rich T. said...

The echoing screams -- the bobsleds darting in and out of view around your Skyway cabin -- so much fun! Now that it's gone, it really becomes clear what a unique and wonderful experience we had in that ride.

It was so easy to take for granted as a form of transportation...I'm gonna start bawling now...:(

Katella Gate said...

Nasal Cavity? Oh, thank you Major, for changing how I look at my world! All the MORE reason, not to eat the glistening, gelatinous yellow snow!

Major Pepperidge said...

K. Martinez, doesn't it look just like the nose holes of a skull??

Rich T, you still hear echoing screams, but MAN do I miss the Skyway passing through the mountain.

Katella, I would still eat the snow. Abominable Snowman pee is famous for its hallucinogenic properties.

K. Martinez said...

Major, Yes, it does. After today that is what I'll see from now on when looking at old Mattterhorn pics. Nose holes! lol!

Hallucinogenic properties? Looks like I'll have to try out some of that snow.

Anonymous said...

Orange Co Native

The Skyway already existed before the Matterhorn was built. There was a mound of dirt with grass and a few benches. The skyway passed right over the mound of dirt for 2-3 years before the Matterhorn was completed in 1959.

Major Pepperidge said...

OC Native, I know that the Skyway was there before the Matterhorn... what I wondered is if it was ever planned for it to just go past (or around) the Matterhorn, or if it was *always* going to go through it.

Anonymous said...

Orange Co Native

Major,

I don't know if there is anyway to find out unless you know someone who was part of the planning for Matterhorn and they would know.

I just mentioned the mound. I have no idea what people know and don't know. My knowledge only extends to the point of knowing that it was a grassy hill at one time with the skyway going over it.

Brandon Starr said...

My understanding has been that Walt didn't care for the site of a skyway tower rising up in the middle of the park so close to the castle and the matterhorn was the perfect opportunity to hide that tower. All concept art I've seen indicates it always went through as well.

Brandon Starr said...

My understanding has been that Walt didn't care for the site of a skyway tower rising up in the middle of the park so close to the castle and the matterhorn was the perfect opportunity to hide that tower. All concept art I've seen indicates it always went through as well.

Chuck said...

Early concept art shows a planned "sneeze effect" that was abandoned due to technology limitations of the time. It was revived during the planning for a copy for the Swiss pavilion at Epcot (without a Skyway, they had to have some sort of explanation for the holes in the mountain), but changing concepts and an inability to draw a major sponsor led to the cancellation of the Swiss pavilion addition altogether.