This article is for the real-world mountain. For the rollercoaster in Disneyland, see Matterhorn Bobsleds.
The Matterhorn is a real-world mountain located in Zermatt, Switzerland.
History
Background
The Matterhorn is a mountain located on the border of Switzerland and Italy within the territory of the Swiss village of Zermatt. It is one of the highest summits in Europe and particularly deadly due to its near symmetrical peak. Because of this, the Matterhorn is considered to be one of Earth's deadliest mountains with over 500 mountaineers being believed to have been killed by it. In real-life, the first expedition occurred in 1865 though more than 60% if said mountaineering expedition died in the ascent.
Walt Disney visited the Matterhorn in 1958 during filming of Third Man on the Mountain (1959). Walt was enamoured with the mountain and sent a post-card depicting it back to imagineer/architect Vic Greene with the message, " Vic. Build This. Walt". This would result in the construction of Matterhorn Bobsleds in Disneyland, a rollercoaster based on the Matterhorn which was also the first known tubular steel continuous-track roller coaster in known history.
Appearances
Film
Third Man on the Mountain
The Matterhorn is largely the setting for this film where it is referred to as, "The Citadel". Said film was largely shot on-location in Zermatt and the Matterhorn with assistance from Gaston Rebuffat, the head of the mountain second unit photography.
Television
Mickey Mouse
While not explicitly set on the Matterhorn, the episode Yodelberg is set on a Swiss mountain containing several elements taken from Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Timon & Pumbaa
The segment Mind Over Matterhorn had Timon and Pumbaa attempting to cross the matterhorn to get to Paris.
Printed-materials
Disney Kingdoms: Haunted Mansion
The Matterhorn briefly appears in this comic as being the place where Danny Crowe's grandfather dies.
Mastering the Matterhorn
In this comic, Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie ascend the Matterhorn.
Video-games
Kinect: Disneyland Adventures
The Matterhorn appears in mini-games for Matterhorn Bobsleds in this video-game. Players team up with Goofy to escape from the yetis on the mountain.
Matterhorn Screamer
In this video-game, players assume the role of Goofy attempting to trek the Matterhorn while escaping goats and yetis.
Virtual Magic Kingdom
The Matterhorn is part of Fantasyland in this game.
Disney Parks
Twenty-Eight & Main
There is a travel-poster for Zermatt in this Disney Springs shop which shows the Matterhorn. The shop also contains a map that pinpoints the Matterhorn among other locations.
Main Street Cinema
Two postings from the Disneyland Casting Agency reference the Matterhorn. One reads, "Mountain Climbers: Sought for alpine-themed production. Auditions First Snowfall, Matterhorn Mountain Features", seemingly referencing the production of Third Man on the Mountain. In the announcement section is a post reading, "Basketball Club: Sign-ups tomorrow. No. 5 Matterhorn Court" which references the basketball court concealed within Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Matterhorn Bobsleds
A fictionalized version of the Matterhorn is the setting for this Disneyland attraction. Here, guests pass through the Matterhorn in bobsleds only to get attacked by the mountain's territorial yeti, a character nicknamed, "Harold". Older versions of the attraction featured glowing crystal caverns within the Matterhorn, scenes replaced with the yeti's lair of trophies from its victims over the years.
Skipper Canteen
There is a book titled, "Scaling the Matterhorn" in the library of the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen.
Skyway
Disneyland's Skyway used to have a skyway connecting Fantasyland and Tomorrowland going through the Matterhorn. Said attraction was closed in 1994 but still referenced within Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Soarin'
The Matterhorn is passed overtop of in Soarin' Around the World variants of Soarin'.
Switzerland Pavilion
World Showcase was once planned to contain a Switzerland Pavilion and reimagined Matterhorn rollercoaster. This attraction would have featured scientific labs and science-fiction technology hidden within the mountain.
Trivia
- Disneyland's Matterhorn was the inspiration for Mickeyjunk Mountain in Epic Mickey.
- Disneyland's matterhorn conceals a hidden basketball court used by cast-members.
- A version of the Matterhorn was once proposed to be built in the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland. These plans fell through and the space would ultimately be used for TRON Lightcycle Power Run.
Gallery
