
Matterhorn Bobsleds, a historic Disneyland Resort ride, has reportedly injured numerous guests. The dual-tracked rollercoaster, which opened in 1959, is unique to Disneyland Park and has not been replicated at any Disney parks worldwide.
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To board Matterhorn Bobsleds, guests descend into a single seat in a rocket-shaped, bobsled-style ride vehicle. They travel on a steel track through the Alps, looking for the infamous Abominable Snowman.
The iconic Fantasyland rollercoaster often boasts some of the longest wait times at Disneyland Park. However, some Disney Park guests say the 65-year-old ride isn’t worth the damage it can do to the human body.
“Matterhorn bruised my legs,” u/pingpongally recently wrote on Reddit. “I’ve heard that it’s really rough, thought it was a joke. Rode it Monday night and noticed bruises the next day.”
In the comments, hundreds of Disney Parks fans shared their negative experiences with Matterhorn Bobsleds. Many reported leg, back, and neck injuries, and some called the ride “whiplash.”
“It bruised my hip last time I went on it,” u/Disastrious_Potato160 said.
“I can’t even ride it anymore because of fibromyalgia and chronic migraines,” u/PlaneLocksmith6714 wrote.
“The first time my fiancé rode this ride, it jump started her period,” u/JimJimBinks replied. “She joked that if abortions are ever actually outlawed in the US, Matterhorn is going to become a lot more popular with women in need of one.”
Many Disneyland Resort guests said they were too old to ride Matterhorn Bobsleds.
“Old school roller coasters were designed to bounce you around,” u/night-otter explained. “Add decades of age to the ride and you get even more bounced around. I can no longer can ride Matterhorn and [Indiana Jones Adventure] due to the roughness of the rides. My legs just can’t handle the banging back and forth.”
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“I retired from Matterhorn when I turned 40,” u/DG04511 agreed. “My body couldn’t take the abuse anymore.”
u/aaronscool offered their suggestions for a more comfortable Matterhorn Bobsleds experience:
“It’s a rough ride for sure and I’ve adopted a special position to make it tolerable:
- Legs braced far left and right against the sides
- Both hands holding either side bar
- Leaning forward (no back against the chair)
In this position your arms and legs are basically “shock absorbers” for the ride for your body/neck/head.”
Have you ever been injured on a Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park ride? Share your story with Disney Dining in the comments.
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks guest experience. No two guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Disney Dining’s personal views on Disney Park operations.