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Disney’s Beloved Matterhorn Ride Has an Age Limit

disneyland's matterhorn bobsleds attraction ride
Credit: Disney

Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction has been around for over 50 years and is a favorite of parents and kids alike. Many Guests who rode the Matterhorn as children have returned years later to ride again as parents! But if it’s been a few years since you’ve been to Disneyland, you may realize a new “age limit” upon trying to ride it.

The iconic attraction is located in Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. It is a mountain-themed roller coaster modeled after the real Matterhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps. The Matterhorn Bobsleds, which is technically the ride’s full name, opened in 1959 and was the first roller coaster to feature a tubular steel track.

disneyland's matterhorn bobsleds attraction ride age limit bumpy old track mountain older back pain

Credit: Disney

The ride takes Guests on an exciting journey through the mountain, where they encounter the Abominable Snowman, twists, turns, and thrilling drops. It has become one of the most recognizable and beloved attractions in Disneyland. Guests more familiar with the Walt Disney World Resort property in Florida can liken it to an older but similar experience to Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest roller coaster.

Guests are reporting that Disneyland’s Matterhorn is not made for an older body and gets increasingly more uncomfortable the more you age. The older you are, the more pain you’re in after you get off the ride.

…if the Matterhorn hurts in your 30s, it’s absolute murder in your 40s. I realized last time I went on it, it was likely the last time. My back can’t handle it anymore. I’ll just have to take comfort in my fond memories of the Yeti. #Disneyland

https://twitter.com/GeekBoyEric/status/1677862263112491009?s=20

As we know, the Matterhorn ride has been around for almost 65 years – pretty old for a roller coaster! For this reason, the experience is not nearly as smooth as Disney’s newer and more advanced rides. The crazy bumping can irritate people’s backs, necks, injuries, etc. While theming and effects have gone under refurbishment over its lifespan, the tracks are built right into Matterhorn Mountain and have not been updated.

So based on your age group, you might want to pop a painkiller before boarding your Matterhorn bobsled. Take it from this Guest, “This is the truth! Chiropractors have made a bundle off this ride!!!”

About Lana Porter

Lana has never lost a Disney Trivia night. Maybe it’s the hundreds of times she’s been to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, her love for Disney’s ’90’s era hand-animated musicals, or the fact that she’s often likened to cartoon characters, but Disney and its magic have a special place in her heart. Her favorite Disney experiences include the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, eating Mickey Bars on the PeopleMover, and crying during the Magic Kingdom fireworks show. One day she hopes to be chosen as the rebel spy on Star Tours. When Lana isn’t Park Hopping, she’s at home reading books of all topics, watching her favs on Disney+, or snuggling her two cats, which she swears are not named after Disney characters. She loves surprising people with her knowledge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but admits she is still catching up with Star Wars. She is happy to combine her excitement for writing with her love for Disney-style storytelling and share what she can with the world!