Indiana Jones Disneyland Facts & Tips

This week I am going to fill you in on the Indiana Jones Adventures that is only located in Disneyland.

The Ride

Not only does this ride have a fantastic que where you will see fantastic artwork depicting scenes you will find in the Indiana Movies. But the ride itself is top notch. You'll board a 12-person troop transport that will take you through some rough and ragged terrain, where you better buckle up because you will be shifted up, down, backward, forward and you don't want to fall off the bridge or get left back and shot with arrows.

On this adventure you will take a cliff-hanging journey through the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. With Indy's help, you will get through giant Gates of Doom. Pass molten lava in the Cavern of Bubbling Death and avoid the undead mummies of the temple's past victims and swerve to avoid lava eruptions, swarms of insects and evil wraiths. 

Next you will cross over a rickety bridge and come face to face with a giant snake. Just when you thought you were past all dangers you will have to outrun a giant boulder.

The Que

The adventure really starts in the sue. Where you will work your way into the attraction area which is the site for an archaeological expedition. After crossing over a wooden bridge, you will finally reach the temple, here is where the waiting can begin. One great thing is that you can download the below decoder card and look for the mara-glyphics on items and the walls. These originally were part of a AT&T sponsorship, disney cast members would hand these decoder cards out at the beginning of the que, but after a while they stopped doing this. If the line is moving more quickly take a picture and decode later. 

Attraction Tips

• Ride is considered a fast, rough and dark ride
• make sure you always correctly fasten your seat belt.
• the height requirement is 46"
• You can get Fastpass's for this ride.
• Ride duration time: 3:15 minutes
• each time you ride this ride you will get a different experience. because of the countless variations, there are 160,000 possible ride combinations.

Fun Facts

• This ride opened in March 1995
• the entire site features more than 1,300 props, including the actual troop transport from the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. (you can see this on the right hand site when exiting.
• Over 600 strobes simulate lighting inside the Tunnel of Torment
• the Cavern of Bubbling Death measures 50 feet high
• Mara's power can cause nearly 60 pounds of rubble to tumble every 18 seconds
• wind speeds inside the Mummy Chamber can gust up to 60 mph
• the Rolling Boulder in the attractions finale is 16 feet diameter.
• The Temple of the Forbidden Eye has over 2,000 replicated skulls
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  Go and Enjoy the Adventure!!
  
  
  Carrie

Resources:
Disneyland.com
touringplans.com
allears.net
themeparkinsider.com

Matterhorn Bobsled Disney Facts & Tips

I have had a long time affair with one of my favorite loves... Disney.

How do you not love Disney.  So I have decided to highlight a ride, 

attraction from Disneyland or Disneyworld each week.

Today I am going to start this series with the Matterhorn Bobsled Ride @ Disneyland California

the Matterhorn bobsleds attraction is one of the oldest rides in Disneyland. 

Opened June 14, 1959

The mountain is actually a scale replica of the real Matterhorn in Switzerland. It was originally going to be a rock candy mountain, but the Swiss Alps impressed Walt Disney so much that he wanted to make his own mountain in Disneyland. You can only find the Matterhorn in the Disneyland park making it a one of a kind attraction.

Renovation

 The matterhorn currently went through a 6 month renovation back in the beginning of 2012 that cost $1 million dollars. The mountain was repair rocks repaired, new entrance for single riders only added and new bobsleds.

The last known refurbishment was in 1978

Now, Matterhorn Mountain sparkles! To mimic the snow patterns on Switzerland's original mountain, more than 800 gallons of paint have been used to create "heavier" snowfall on the northern side of Matterhorn Mountain and less snow on the granite-colored southern side. Realistic, yes — but not without a touch of magic. Using a new, environmentally friendly technique, glass beads have been fastened to the façade to reflect sunlight and glisten like actual snow. Also, more pine trees have been planted to add to the atmosphere.

The Matterhorn reopened on June 15, 2012. 

June 16, 2012 the Matterhorn Mountaineer's returned. Mickey Mouse is known

 to ocassionally join the mountaineers to climb the mountain.

Bobsleds

The difference between the original bobsleds and the new bobsleds are:

The Orginal: These bobsleds to seat up to 8 people, 4 people single file per sled (with the second person sitting in front of the first person). Each bobsled had two large compartments. also they used seatbelts which we're not retractable, instead they we're a long strap that buckles into a shorter strap on the opposite side and you would have to pull or loosen the strap to adjust it to fit.

New:  These bobsleds seat 6 people , 3 people to each bobsled (there are 2 bobsleds attached to each other). You have your own compartment and you never have to share. These do not have seat belts, instead they have lap bars.

Tracks

 There are 2 separate tracks on this ride. One is on the Tomorrow land side and one on the Fantasy Land side.

Tomorrow Land side (Left Track) : Is the faster side. It has a larger dip in the beginning of the track, it is run on the inner track so it can be a rougher ride. 

Duration Time: 2:07 minutes            Length: 2,037 feet

Fantasy Land side (Right Track): Is said to be the slower side and is a smoother ride. It is run on the outer track

Duration Time: 2:26 minutes      Length: 2,134 feet

video of both tracks

During the ride (either side) you will have 2 opporunity's to see Harold the yeti/abominable snowman, and nice views of the park when you aren't rushing through the ice caves.

This was a cool breakdown of how it was built.

Facts

• built 1/100th scale of the real matterhorn
• 147 feet high versus the 14,700 feet of the original
• max speed 27mph
• This was the 1st steel roller coaster in the world. It opened along with the Disneyland Monorail and the Submarine Voyage.
• It was the first roller coaster to employ a tubular steel track and an electronic dispatch system which enabled more than one car at a time to be on the track.
• The attraction was inspired by the disney film "Third Man on the Mountain". The movie was filmed in Switzerland, on and around the real Matterhorn. Guests who look quickly look while in the caverns may spot mountaineering supplies and other evidence of the Wells Expedition. One of the crates says Frank Wells after an experienced mountaineer and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Walt Disney Company for 10 years ranging from 1984-1994.
• When creating this attraction they planted larger trees near the base of the mountain. the higher up the mountain the smaller the trees until the disappear all together. 
• There is an actual Basketball half court in the top 1/3 of the mountain.

Basketball Court Video

Hope this post was informative.

Happy Disney Day!!!

Carrie

Some of the places I found my info are the following.

disneyland.com

maggie blake: yahoo contributor

allears.net

Disney Park Videos