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annalisa
01-29-2008, 09:47 AM
I just read on the weekly update that the Matterhorn is going to be testing new ride vehicles? Does anyone know what they're going to look like? Real seats for a change... hehe. ;)

RocketRob
01-29-2008, 11:40 AM
Thanks for starting this thread. I've been wondering myself. Last update I read was the new vehicles would feature individual seats and lap bars (like Space Mountain). Anyone have more info? Pics?

someimagination
01-29-2008, 02:11 PM
I don't have any pictures to share, but the new bobsleds are not much different than the old ones. There aren't lapbars but I believe they now sit 3 people per sled, with individual back-rests for each guest. The problem was that they couldn't make the sleds light enough for the CM's to push if they installed lapbars. Someone had mentioned that the seatbelts would be electronic, sort of like Indy or ToT.. makes sense since that would decrease the amount of people trying to abandon sled as they're going up the lift :)

Kind of a let down, but it's better than the hideous new IASW boats :eek:


(edit: not sure if it'll work but pics of the new sleds are here (http://disneyparksinfo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33))

Bolivar
01-29-2008, 02:31 PM
Teenage boys all over SoCal will be disappointed and the fathers of teenage girls happy.

Infinitely
01-29-2008, 02:45 PM
Are there pictures of the new Small World boats?

foolishmortal
01-29-2008, 02:54 PM
Oh I hate those! I liked holding onto my 5 yr old and 9yrold made me feel better as a parent! Looks like it was made for more single riders! I like the old sleds! you won't even be able to see your little ones! It's not like that ride is really bouncy! Why the change?
But I did see a not to shiny couple this november.One tired to sit in the seat and one tried to sit on the side of the car and ride that way! Took the cm 10min to get them in the bob sled the right way!!

RocketRob
01-29-2008, 03:10 PM
My wife likes holding the kids too! I always insist that we ride separate. The kids are 10 and 8 so I get crushed when I ride with my son. Is anyone else disappointed that the new sleds seat 3..an odd number. That means families of 4 have to sit 2 and 2 or 3 and 1. Too bad.

jcatron243
01-29-2008, 04:05 PM
I was looking forward to taking my son on Matterhorn, he is 2.5 and 37 inces tall. Now I am afraid that he will freak out too much to take him. If I was holding him it would be different :(

Bytebear
01-29-2008, 04:13 PM
I don't like the change either (assuming the information is correct). It's not like they need better capacity on the ride. The line goes very fast. Maybe it's because people do get confused as to how to load, and then they get backed up. This change is sad.

PanFan
01-29-2008, 04:15 PM
Are there pictures of the new Small World boats?

Just trust me that they're not much to look at. They look like toys to me (which I've heard was the intent, so evidently it's just a kiddie ride )


Why the change?

Work the Matterhorn for five minutes and you'd understand. I'm a big fan of the two-seaters (as is DH), but 1) no one knows how to buckle properly (one seatbelt per rider); 2) the seatbelts often get stuck or come apart or just aren't long enough to go all the way around and you have to spend a lot of time fixing the situation; 3) once a sled is sent into the mountain, there's no way to ensure the belts stay buckled (the last thing we need is another Dolly); 4) regardless of the signs and audio warnings, people constantly unbuckle and try to get out at Hold 1 rather than unload. That's just off the top of my head. They can be fairly awkward to check sometimes as well, but I'm sure the safety issues were foremost in the decision. As a CM, I'm excited. As a guest, I'm sad that an era is ending.

Also, I've heard the height requirement will be changed to 40".

DebT
01-29-2008, 05:59 PM
PanFan, thanks for the CM perspective.

kimbopotamus
01-29-2008, 06:00 PM
The update says Matterhorn will be closed for only a few days to test the new sleds. What happens after that? If they test good, and decide to use them, will the ride go 'down' for a lengthy time while the new ones are installed or is that a quick thing?
I'll be there at the beginning of April and am really hoping the Matterhorn won't be closed. It's keeling me that April's Calendar isn't up yet!!

The pictures of the new sleds are a little disappointing as a mother of a young kiddo. Being able to snuggle her close by the Yeti was great:(

MammaSilva
01-29-2008, 06:22 PM
I will 'miss' the old sleds for a lot of reasons but my question about the new ones, specifically the seat belt issue, are they new and improved more like the ones on Indy/Soaring that pull out and snap into a 'fixed' unit unlike the old sled seat belt buckles that let you 'tighten or not tighten at the second stop? The other question is a time line related one....consider that a family has 3 little ones to get buckled in now...will there be time to assist the smaller ones with their belts without risking cascade stopping the attraction? Missy needs help getting buckled in/out ...with the old configuration the ones that rode with her had the time to get their seatbelts secure then hers before the lift...now she needs to be secured before the take off since no one will be sitting there making sure she's ok.

Jon
01-29-2008, 06:33 PM
That's a shame. Matterhorn is a great date ride because you're super-close, it's dark, you hold onto each other...etc...:rolleyes:

But I guess kids in the future won't miss what they never knew. Sucks to be them.

IdahoMike
01-29-2008, 06:43 PM
The update says Matterhorn will be closed for only a few days to test the new sleds. What happens after that? If they test good, and decide to use them, will the ride go 'down' for a lengthy time while the new ones are installed or is that a quick thing?
I'll be there at the beginning of April and am really hoping the Matterhorn won't be closed. It's keeling me that April's Calendar isn't up yet!!

The pictures of the new sleds are a little disappointing as a mother of a young kiddo. Being able to snuggle her close by the Yeti was great:(

I have been able to access the April calendar for quite a while now. What dates are you going? It should have all the information there about attraction closures.

SCTrojan65
01-29-2008, 06:58 PM
I don't know about you, Pan, but I'd get the occasional guests who would climb into the sled and sit next to each other. They didn't get they were supposed to sit in front of one another. I always found this odd as they were standing on the loading dock, watching the guests get into the sled in front of them. The individual seats would definitely facilitate the process at load in a couple of different ways.
By the way, what do the new boats look like on World?

foolishmortal
01-29-2008, 09:19 PM
thats sad that the new hieght is 40". why, when it was safe at 36. also it looks like the little ones won't even be able to see out! you used to be able to anticipate the turns. now if you can't see them you will be bumped around a hard plastic car seat. Should have had the same design but update the seat belts and a lower seat top just to separate people into proper place. the three seats stink. if a single big person is in front then the kids won't get to see., and it separates most avg. familys.
I'll miss the old ride.

Pan fan I have seen the side/side thing standing in line. I felt bad for the Cm's trying to deal with the situations that you have to deal with.

TTFN92
01-29-2008, 09:24 PM
thats sad that the new hieght is 40". why, when it was safe at 36. also it looks like the little ones won't even be able to see out! you used to be able to anticipate the turns. now if you can't see them you will be bumped around a hard plastic car seat. Should have had the same design but update the seat belts and a lower seat top just to separate people into proper place. the three seats stink. if a single big person is in front then the kids won't get to see., and it separates most avg. familys.
I'll miss the old ride.

Pan fan I have seen the side/side thing standing in line. I felt bad for the Cm's trying to deal with the situations that you have to deal with.

Those must be some skinny guests that can sit side by side :eek:.

I would think that the height will go up because the kids will be sitting alone. I'm sure part of the safety was because they weren't alone. I always had a strong hold on my kids. I don't know if I'll be able to get my 6 y.o. chicken boy on it if he has to sit alone :(. That may be pushing it big time.

foolishmortal
01-29-2008, 09:39 PM
I'll miss holding my kids, getting squished and having them laugh in my ear! It was the joy of the ride. no other ride had that kind of fun to it.
BTMR comes close but no dice.

SCTrojan65
01-29-2008, 09:51 PM
It was definitely the more slender guests who'd sit side-by-side, TTFN. When they spoke some English it wasn't so difficult to rectify the situation. When they didn't, it took some extra time to get the message across. Slapping the inside of your knees, trying to pantomime one person sitting in front of the other. Was like playing charades. ;) Sometimes it took them all the way through the belts position, right up to dispatch to get them to see what you needed them to do.

SCTrojan65
01-29-2008, 10:01 PM
BTW Pan, what do you call the two positions just prior to the sleds entering the caverns? I'm totally drawing a blank. I recall the 4 holds, unload, and load....but are the track positions at belts called ready and dispatch? I can't remember. They may have changed them anyway. Thanks.

kimbopotamus
01-30-2008, 06:54 AM
I have been able to access the April calendar for quite a while now. What dates are you going? It should have all the information there about attraction closures.

Only IASW shows as being closed for April, but of course that always changes closer to the dates I go. Every year, something else is down real close to when my dates are. I'm just afraid that they're going to close the Matterhorn right before I go....after I've paid for everything and can't change my plans.

We are going April 9th through the 14th, and April's Calendar is not showing any other info besides IASW closure. No parade or firework info, etc.

PanFan
01-30-2008, 07:11 AM
It was definitely the more slender guests who'd sit side-by-side, TTFN. When they spoke some English it wasn't so difficult to rectify the situation. When they didn't, it took some extra time to get the message across. Slapping the inside of your knees, trying to pantomime one person sitting in front of the other. Was like playing charades. ;) Sometimes it took them all the way through the belts position, right up to dispatch to get them to see what you needed them to do.

Yeah, it's always the most fun when you get two guys from Japan or something who speak absolutely no English and have to try to explain to them that one has to sit between the other's legs. Often, once they finally get the picture they don't want to do it and refuse to ride that way and you have to make them get out and regrouped.


BTW Pan, what do you call the two positions just prior to the sleds entering the caverns? I'm totally drawing a blank. I recall the 4 holds, unload, and load....but are the track positions at belts called ready and dispatch? I can't remember. They may have changed them anyway. Thanks.

Yeah, there's Hold 4, 3, 2, and 1 followed by unload, load, ready, and dispatch. Then it's storage, lift, and the 11 zones.

olegc
01-30-2008, 08:28 AM
This idea is just so... unnecessary. There are so many things going on at Disneyland that sound like they came from someone who was just trying to justify the existence of their job. Can TDA just stop thinking for a few years and stop messing with the park? Let WDI have a turn for once.

not all of TDA (although it's usually good to point fingers at them) but the lawyers of the WDC - of which some work at TDA. This liability-prevention issue has been going on at the DLR for a while. Splash and their individual tall seats (they initially wanted pullover harnesses, yikes!) is another good example..

Yes - times were simpler before - but I guess they would rather prevent the multi million dollar lawsuit, and its publicity, in advance even if it diminishes our enjoyment.

jcatron243
01-30-2008, 08:43 AM
When will the change occur?? I'm going march 7-12 will the old bobsleds/height requirements still be in effect?