The screams have stopped. The icy roars of the abominable snowman have gone silent. And one of Disneyland’s most iconic landmarks now stands eerily still.
Visitors to Disneyland Park this week were met with a jarring surprise: the Matterhorn Bobsleds—a ride as old as modern thrill coasters themselves—has been sealed off behind tall construction walls. There was no fanfare, no announcement, and no warning. Just beige barriers wrapped tightly around Walt Disney’s mountain, leaving guests with one pressing question:
What’s going on with the Matterhorn?
Disneyland Matterhorn: Walls Up, Answers Down
While the Matterhorn’s snowy peak remains visible, its base is now encircled by tan walls accented with brown panels. Near the Monorail track, scrim closes the remaining gaps. The entrance area has been completely blocked, and the familiar soundscape that once echoed through Fantasyland is now conspicuously missing.
So far, Disney has remained tight-lipped. No official reopening date has been shared, and no details have been provided—aside from a subtle sign on the construction wall stating that the ride will return “later this fall.”
Is this simply a maintenance check-up… or a sign of something much bigger?
The Mountain Walt Demanded
To understand why this closure matters, you have to go back to the postcard that started it all.
In 1958, Walt Disney was in Switzerland overseeing the live-action film Third Man on the Mountain. Enchanted by the majesty of the real Matterhorn in Zermatt, he mailed a postcard to his Imagineers with a simple but bold directive: “Build this.”
Just one year later, the Matterhorn Bobsleds opened in Disneyland, becoming the world’s first tubular steel roller coaster and the first true thrill ride in Disney history. It kicked off Disneyland’s first major expansion, joining Submarine Voyage, Autopia, and the Monorail to redefine what a theme park could be.
To this day, it remains a singular attraction—never replicated at any other Disney park.
More Than Just a Refurbishment?
Of course, Disneyland has refurbished the Matterhorn before. The infamous abominable snowman wasn’t part of the original design—it debuted in the 1977-78 overhaul alongside new ice caverns, fog, and howling Alpine wind. Another round of updates in the ’90s refreshed effects, while the 2012 renovation introduced a new bobsled design. The most recent enhancements came in 2015, further modernizing the queue and interior scenes.
Still, the current closure is raising eyebrows due to its vague nature. When Disney closes a major attraction without fanfare or detail, fans take notice. Could this mean new animatronics? Structural work? A full-blown reimagining?
After all, Disney is no stranger to transforming its rides for a new generation. Splash Mountain is currently undergoing its evolution into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Could the Matterhorn be next?
Why This Ride Still Matters
While newer rides like Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway dominate headlines, the Matterhorn remains a vital piece of Disney DNA. It’s a direct extension of Walt’s vision—his literal handprint on the park. And unlike Space Mountain or Big Thunder, the Matterhorn is an original.
Its dual-track bobsled system, one leaning toward Fantasyland and the other to Tomorrowland, adds unique dynamics. Its peak—just 1/100th the size of the real Swiss mountain—has hosted everything from mountain climbers to glowing holiday stars.
It’s more than a thrill. It’s a time capsule. A living monument.
The Disneyland Future Under the Snow
For now, the only hint we have is that promise: “later this fall.”
Whether this is a routine touch-up or a silent revolution inside the mountain, one thing is clear—the closure of the Matterhorn Bobsleds is not just a technical update. It’s a moment. A reminder that even Disneyland’s most iconic rides can vanish, if only for a while, and come back transformed.
Until the walls come down, guests are left to watch and wonder: When the Matterhorn returns, will it be the same mountain we remember?
