Matterhorn closing???

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Everyone is chiming in about how this must be a necessary closing, for safety reasons.

But - um - why would they wait two more months for a safety-related closing? Wouldn't it be closed immediately if it was unsafe? I would hope so.

There is a difference between needing to update safety standards and "being unsafe". Most likely it should be corrected ASAP, but parts won't be available until a certain time. It is not unsafe per-say, but Disney feels they need to update it now even if it means closing it during the summer months.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I thought this might just be the long-awaited, long-rumored bobsled replacement (that, yes, might make the ride safer) and big refurbishment, not any sort of immediate, sudden, unexpected safety issue. Why not summer these days? With so many rides available in both parks, the bean counters will no doubt be satisfied with the ride per person ratio. There will be two big new ride openings this summer as well to take away some of the sting from a big closure. And, really, how can everything be done at once? There's been Star Tours and Splash and then Big Thunder, even a brief closure of Indy. Maybe it's just the Matterhorn's turn, and there are just too many attractions these days and not enough calendar days in the year to do refurbs for everything in the "off-season."

 

[Mama Who]

It sounds like most of you arent very tall, I am 6"2 and heard that the new sleds may make it hard for tall or big people to ride. I am a little worried about that, I love the Matterhorn and it would really suck to not be able to go on it again.

Papa Who is 6'4" and 375 pounds. He rode Matterhorn this week just fine. Said the side handles are too low to hang onto comfortably and we did ride separately, but other than that, no problem with the sleds as they are now.

 

[Mama Who]

Why is it not safe because you can undo your seat belt? To be honest you don't even need a seat belt. If you are sitting in your seat there is no way the ride can throw you out, it simply isn't fast enough, nor are there any drops that would make you leave the sled if you are sitting down.

I've ridden the ride many times not belted in and was never in danger of leaving the sled.

It's like a car. You could ride for years and never *need* your seatbelt.

Until you do.

At which point you cause the ride to be closed for days and nobody else gets to ride at all while they scrape bits of you off the yeti.

 

[HydroGuy]

I thought this might just be the long-awaited, long-rumored bobsled replacement (that, yes, might make the ride safer) and big refurbishment, not any sort of immediate, sudden, unexpected safety issue. Why not summer these days? With so many rides available in both parks, the bean counters will no doubt be satisfied with the ride per person ratio. There will be two big new ride openings this summer as well to take away some of the sting from a big closure. And, really, how can everything be done at once? There's been Star Tours and Splash and then Big Thunder, even a brief closure of Indy. Maybe it's just the Matterhorn's turn, and there are just too many attractions these days and not enough calendar days in the year to do refurbs for everything in the "off-season."

I see your point, but still Disney wants max rides and shows when crowds are highest. You of course know this, but just sayin'. People eaters are not needed in Jan, Feb, May and Sept.

 

[DahliaRW]

I continue to find it suspicious that Disney's calendar does not work after July 10.

Couple that with the unprecented closure of a major ride for refurb right in the middle of summer and I am not convinced this summer-long closure is actually going to happen.

I have checked the calendar 10 times over the last week and the rumored Matterhorn closure is something I have not seen personally but others have seen only fleetingly.

Very unusual...

I'm using IE9 and can see through July 13th which lists Matterhorn closed for Ph 3.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm using IE9 and can see through July 13th which lists Matterhorn closed for Ph 3.

I can see it for the first time with IE8. But depending on which view I choose it still shows May and July mixed together. Weird.

 

[Tommy_B]

That is not very smart. A lady died on the Matterhorn. She was thrown out of her car and it was determined she was not wearing her seatbelt. This is at least part of the reason why they are rehabbing, to change to a different restraint system.

Please, please, please don't ride this ride without your seatbelt. It is dangerous. Here is a link to snopes about this death (it was very gruesome): http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/deaths.asp

She wasn't seated, she was standing and leaning forward. I remember the day well.

It isn't because of Dolly given that it was 27 years ago that she was killed.

 

[Tommy_B]

It's like a car. You could ride for years and never *need* your seatbelt.

Until you do.

At which point you cause the ride to be closed for days and nobody else gets to ride at all while they scrape bits of you off the yeti.

Of course the difference is that Matterhorn never changes like driving, the top speed is only about 20 miles an hour and there isn't enough inertia to cause you to leave the sled if you are seated.

 

[HydroGuy]

OK, now the calendar looks different today to me on my IE8 than it did Monday.

I can see the full schedule for July 10-13 - although as typical they have not yet filled in the entertainment yet. And I cannot see a Matterhorn refurb on July 11-13 at all.

Since this has been a slippery moving target, I have to ask what is everyone else seeing now?

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/calendar/daily/#/default/2011/05/25

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

OK, now the calendar looks different today to me on my IE8 than it did Monday.

I can see the full schedule for July 10-13 - although as typical they have not yet filled in the entertainment yet. And I cannot see a Matterhorn refurb on July 11-13 at all.

Since this has been a slippery moving target, I have to ask what is everyone else seeing now?

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/calendar/daily/#/default/2011/05/25

I see it there. Also on July 11, the entertainment section contains info on Disney Junior. On July 12-13, there are three entertainment items listed including Laughing Stock and Disney Junior, and the bobsled refurb is there too. While I don't disagree with you that these dates could "slip" or change, they seem to be there for now.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

Hi Hydroguy,

I checked using the Multi Day view and found the Ph 3 refurbs start on the 11th. Here's my print screen for you (using Firefox 4.0.1).

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi Hydroguy,

I checked using the Multi Day view and found the Ph 3 refurbs start on the 11th. Here's my print screen for you (using Firefox 4.0.1).

Thanks that helps. I never saw the "View Refurbs" button before. I always look down at the bottom in the "Closed for Refurb" area. When I click the button I see it too like your screen shot shows. The June refurbs show at the bottom like "normal".

 

[Kittyskyfish]

IKWYM - the June schedule is 100% and I also see the refurbs listed right at the bottom. Looks like July is still kinda soft and the only way to tell is to roll your mouse over the 'other' refurb link at the top in the basic calender info. Easy to miss!

 

[JediPhil]

I'll be at the DLR from June 17th-22nd. On Friday the 17th, they have Matterhorn down for refurb ph1, but then nothing listed for Sat/Sun 18th and 19th, but again refurb ph2 starting on Monday the 20th. Is the weekend a "soft opening" or maybe it was accidentally excluded from the refurb schedule? Sorry if this has already been answered, but just wanted to clarify since this will be our 1st DLR trip and not sure when we'll make it back. Thanks for any info.

 

[ArchOwl]

QUOTE=Tommy_B;41233961]She wasn't seated, she was standing and leaning forward. I remember the day well.

It isn't because of Dolly given that it was 27 years ago that she was killed.[/QUOTE]

That is why I said "part of the reason" is because of the restraint system. Obviously there can be many factors that go into a rehab.

Fast braking is something that happens on the Matterhorn and none of the stories I read about the woman's death said she was standing. Unlike the other death on the Matterhorn of the young man who did stand up in the car.

Bottom line, the restraint system is there for a reason. You are not in control of the ride and if it did need to stop suddenly or if there was a malfunction, an unrestrained rider can spell trouble for themselves and those around them.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'll be at the DLR from June 17th-22nd. On Friday the 17th, they have Matterhorn down for refurb ph1, but then nothing listed for Sat/Sun 18th and 19th, but again refurb ph2 starting on Monday the 20th. Is the weekend a "soft opening" or maybe it was accidentally excluded from the refurb schedule? Sorry if this has already been answered, but just wanted to clarify since this will be our 1st DLR trip and not sure when we'll make it back. Thanks for any info.

It appears they are working on one track the first week and the other track the second. In between on the weekend they are open.

 

[perlster]

Ph 3 closure is now listed as July 11 through August 16, the last day for which "Refurbishments" are available on the official Disneyland site.