Matterhorn Bobsleds is a dual-tracked steel roller coaster at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Opened on June 14, 1959, the attraction sends riders racing through a 147-foot-tall replica of the Swiss Alps’ iconic Matterhorn peak — built to exactly 1/100th scale of the real mountain — at speeds up to 27 mph. Built by Arrow Development in collaboration with WED Imagineering, it was Disneyland’s first roller coaster and remains one of the park’s most beloved E-Ticket thrills.
What made Matterhorn Bobsleds truly revolutionary was its engineering: Arrow Development co-founders Karl Bacon and Ed Morgan invented the tubular steel track specifically for this ride, replacing the rough angle-iron tracks common in wooden coasters. That invention transformed the entire roller coaster industry, making smoother, more precise, and more elaborate coasters possible worldwide. Bacon and Morgan were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2025 in recognition of that breakthrough.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Disneyland, Anaheim, California
- Manufacturer: Arrow Development / WED Imagineering
- Opened: June 14, 1959
- Mountain Structure Height: 147 ft (44.8 m)
- Coaster Lift Hill Height: 80 ft (24.4 m)
- Top Speed: 27 mph (43.5 km/h)
- Length (Tomorrowland Track): 2,037 ft (620.9 m)
- Length (Fantasyland Track): 2,134 ft (650.4 m)
- Inversions: None
- Tracks: 2 (intertwined dual-track)
The Ride Experience
Riders board six-passenger bobsled trains and climb through the icy interior of the fabricated mountain before plunging through twisting turns, dark caves, and cascading waterfalls. The two intertwined tracks — one accessed from Fantasyland, the other from Tomorrowland — share the same mountain structure but follow slightly different layouts and durations, giving guests a reason to ride both sides.
Inside the mountain, the Abominable Snowman (affectionately nicknamed ‘Harold’ by cast members) lunges out from the shadows in an Audio-Animatronic encounter. The mountain structure itself stands 147 feet tall, built to 1/100th scale of the real Swiss Matterhorn, and forced-perspective design tricks make it appear even more imposing than that already-impressive height suggests. Major refurbishments in 1978, 2012, and 2015 have updated the theming, vehicles, and special effects while preserving the original ride experience.
A Pioneer That Changed Roller Coasters Forever
When conventional angle-iron track proved too bulky for the tight confines of the Matterhorn’s interior, Arrow Development engineers Karl Bacon and Ed Morgan developed a new solution: hollow, welded tubular steel track. That innovation allowed for smoother, faster, and more intricately shaped coasters — and it became the industry standard almost immediately after the ride debuted in 1959.
The Matterhorn Bobsleds is widely recognized as the world’s first permanently installed tubular steel roller coaster, a distinction that earned its inventors a place in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. From the looping coasters of the 1970s to the hypercoasters of today, virtually every modern steel roller coaster traces its engineering lineage back to this single Disneyland mountain.
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Matterhorn Bobsleds FAQs
When did Matterhorn Bobsleds open at Disneyland?
Matterhorn Bobsleds opened on June 14, 1959, becoming Disneyland’s first roller coaster and the world’s first permanently installed tubular steel roller coaster.
How tall is the Matterhorn mountain structure at Disneyland?
The Matterhorn mountain structure stands 147 feet (about 44.8 m) tall — built to 1/100th scale of the real Swiss Matterhorn, which rises to around 14,700 feet. The coaster’s lift hill height is 80 feet, a separate measurement from the overall structure.
Are there two different tracks on Matterhorn Bobsleds?
Yes. Matterhorn Bobsleds has two intertwined tracks — the Fantasyland side (2,134 ft) and the Tomorrowland side (2,037 ft) — each with a slightly different layout and ride duration, though both pass through the same mountain structure.
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Photo: Kingofthedead / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.