Only one Matterhorn?

[Witches of Morva]

ORDDU: Not really. It's a matter of samantics. Just like some ducklings refer to a certain creature as a 'Big Foot', while others refer to this same creature as a Skunk ape.

[Ooklamok]

I was always told that WDW wanted to do everything to scale so, of course, they couldn't put the Matterhorn there.

Dunno if that's urban legend though.

[Datameister]

Originally Posted by Witches of Morva

ORDDU: Not really. It's a matter of samantics. Just like some ducklings refer to a certain creature as a 'Big Foot', while others refer to this same creature as a Skunk ape.

After further research, I've determined that the two terms are ordinarily interchangeable. So you're technically right...sorta. The thing is, Disney always refers to Harold as an abominable snowman, while the creature in EE is referred to as a yeti. In a way, the distinction makes sense here, because EE's yeti is a true yeti yeti...they did the research so it has the dark fur and the skull cap and the right face and everything you'd expect on an actual yeti if one were to exist. Referring to it with the Tibetan name "yeti" makes sense. The Matterhorn's abominable snowman is really its own creation, though...the white fur and so forth contradict everything about what a yeti supposedly looks like, but they're more in line with the connotations of the word "snowman." So it kinda makes sense.

...

Can you tell I'm just trying to rationalize my position by any means necessary? No, but seriously, I'll keep referring to the two creatures by the names Disney uses for them, but you're technically right that it's fine either way.

[DisneyIPresume]

Originally Posted by Datameister

I know exactly what you mean. I remember at least two childhood experiences that involved staying at an Anaheim hotel and being absolutely thrilled that I could see the Matterhorn from the window. It was a jaw-dropping harbinger of great things to come. You just...don't see this sort of thing in every town.

If you think this was torture, imagine being a kid growing up in the area. When I was a kid having to go with my mom on her many errands we would often have to go near Disneyland. I must have driven her nuts begging and pleading to go to Disneyland every time we could see the Matterhorn from the car. I have to hand it to her -- not once did she succumb to my whining!

And Athlonacon, you are right. The Matterhorn is definitely an Anaheim landmark. But I would argue that the Big A is equally as important a landmark as well. As far as Orange County is cocerned, I think the Balboa Pier or Huntington Pier should be included. As for Southern California though, I would say the number one landmark is the Hollywood Sign.

[Datameister]

Originally Posted by DisneyIPresume

If you think this was torture, imagine being a kid growing up in the area. When I was a kid having to go with my mom on her many errands we would often have to go near Disneyland. I must have driven her nuts begging and pleading to go to Disneyland every time we could see the Matterhorn from the car. I have to hand it to her -- not once did she succumb to my whining!

That's bad, certainly...but imagine having that Matterhorn be a rare and special symbol, a good omen, a messenger, one that was only seen a few times a year at most, and one that only sometimes foretold a visit to the Happiest Place On Earth...

[Aladdin]

Some Yetis are friendly


Snowcone?


Don't forget this friend of Rudolph


And speaking of debates about Abominable/Yeti and Sasquatch, I just found this:


This was done by Nate Wragg, he works for Pixar, also!
Check out his blog here. I really love some of his art work!

Yeti also battles Swamp Monters

[Mojave]

Originally Posted by Datameister

Punctuation aside, the Matterhorn has an abominable snowman. Expedition Everest has a yeti. There's a difference.

It's the Abdominal Snowman! Get it right.

[Datameister]

My bad.

[JiminyCricketFan]

I think that the Matterhorn is a great attraction that has all the marks of Walt Disney.

1) It had never been done before. Build a whole mountain to be a ride? It sound outrageous. But then Walt was able to make his dreams come true.

2) I think he picked the Swiss theme because of the good feelings he had when he was in Switzerland. It is classic Walt Disney. He wanted rides to put a smile on your face. Newer mountain rides of forgotten some of this concept, that attraction were to make people happy, not just scare them.

3) I believe that Walt knew that even if you did not ride the Matterhorn, you could enjoy seeing a snow capped mountain in the middle of Anaheim. It looks amazing and magical from outside the park, as well as within it. If only Disney management and Imagineers understood that some attractions can be fun without riding them. (Like the old cars of Main Street, the Submarines, and the Monorail. It is just fun seeing them go by.)

[Disneyland Daddy]

Originally Posted by cticket

Excellent! Well said. I always loved Matterhorn but knowing that it is truly unique makes me love it even more.

Right on! I very much agree!

[scotprincess]

Originally Posted by JiminyCricketFan

I think that the Matterhorn is a great attraction that has all the marks of Walt Disney.

1) It had never been done before. Build a whole mountain to be a ride? It sound outrageous. But then Walt was able to make his dreams come true.

2) I think he picked the Swiss theme because of the good feelings he had when he was in Switzerland. It is classic Walt Disney. He wanted rides to put a smile on your face. Newer mountain rides of forgotten some of this concept, that attraction were to make people happy, not just scare them.

3) I believe that Walt knew that even if you did not ride the Matterhorn, you could enjoy seeing a snow capped mountain in the middle of Anaheim. It looks amazing and magical from outside the park, as well as within it. If only Disney management and Imagineers understood that some attractions can be fun without riding them. (Like the old cars of Main Street, the Submarines, and the Monorail. It is just fun seeing them go by.)

the story i was told when i got hired at disneyland was that walt was on vacation in switzerland and sent a postcard with a picture of the matterhorn back and all it said on the back was BUILD THIS!

[Datameister]

Originally Posted by scotprincess

the story i was told when i got hired at disneyland was that walt was on vacation in switzerland and sent a postcard with a picture of the matterhorn back and all it said on the back was BUILD THIS!

Surrell's book contains the same story, yep. I like to think it was true. I love that dynamic let's-do-it attitude...

[Mojave]

Originally Posted by scotprincess

the story i was told when i got hired at disneyland was that walt was on vacation in switzerland and sent a postcard with a picture of the matterhorn back and all it said on the back was BUILD THIS!

The combination of vision and authority in the simple statement "Build this!" is so amazing.

[scotprincess]

It just shows me how much imagination went into what became the reality of disneyland.

[Datameister]

Of course--and I'm purely saying this to play devil's advocate, as my above post should prove--if it were a modern-day Disney exec who did the exact same thing, there's a chance we'd all be annoyed because, after all, here's a leader of the company having his fun little time somewhere else, and he sees something he likes, so he automatically emails the folks at WDI to tell them to build it. No specific ideas, just a vague mandate...and when it comes time to build it, he lets it be put in the wrong land...and once it gets switched to the other adjacent land, it still doesn't fit...

Just putting that out there. Not trying to say WDI is better off now or anything. Walt knew what he was doing, and despite the Matterhorn's thematic muddy waters, I'm glad he created it. Very glad. But there's at least two sides to every story.