Matterhorn Bobsleds Up For Bid At D23 Expo Auction

The classic tandem Matterhorn Bobsleds
A Disney Parks Blog

In the next two months, I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about D23 and the D23 Expo that comes up for 3 days at the Anaheim Convention Center in August. This past week Disney through Disney Parks Blog announced some items that will be pit up for bid at the Expo's silent auction. Now you can have for your very own, one of the classic tandem Matterhorn bobsleds that were removed from service when the mountain went under refurbishment at the beginning of last year. They can be yours of course if you put up the winning bid which will run into the thousands of dollars.

But here's the irony. Given the extremely poor guest reception of the new but uncomfortable, bone jarring, teeth rattling bobsled ride vehicles, how many people will look at the old sleds on Disney Parks Blog (link) or see them up close at the D23 Expo and think to themselves or say out loud "they should have left those sleds where they belong - on the Matterhorn"?

Yeah....the ride was still bumpy but the one thing those old sleds had, with Mrs. DisneylandTraveler in the front slot and me in the back, was room - room to spare. Pardon me while I go get a Kleenix to wipe my eyes.

This Is Only A (Cars Land) Test...

Radiator Springs Racer Testing - A Disney Parks Photo

During December, Disney Parks Blog posted to YouTube videos of testing 2 of the 3 rides that will  be the  cornerstone of Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park - Luigi's Flying Tires and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. These are the two "minor" attractions with the main attraction being the massive Radiator Springs Racers. I guess I wanted to capture these two videos here because if someone ask me about what rides will be in Cars Land, I can point them to this blog post quickly for a sneak peek.

The first video features Luigi's Flying Tires with the Cars (and Toy Story and Pixar) man himself John Lasseter in the driver's seat.

The second video shows Mater's Junkyard Jamboree.....

Now I can't seem myself on either of these two rides as from appearances, they appear for a younger crowd (and their parents) but who knows? Maybe three years from now on a quiet off season day when the line makes these slow loading rides close to walk-ons, I may give them a try.

Looking Ahead to Carsland

Every week, I look at the various Disney California Adventure Expansion Project Trackers with photos of the epic scale Carsland construction (BTW, after Carsland is finished and the guests are wandering through, will anyone ever go back and look at the thousands of construction photos? - just asking). Anyway, the mountains are going up; the rides are being installed; it's truly an impressive Disney achievement. We're still about 10 months away from the opening of Carland and without a doubt, it's going to be 10 months of hype, hype from the park fans, hype from Disney, even hype from the non-Disney media. Carsland, Carsland, Carsland, it will dominate the west coast Disney park discussion.

Of course everyone will want to go, everyone will want to see, everyone will want to get on Radiator Springs Racers, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, and Luigi's Flying Tires. Well, maybe everyone but the DisneylandTraveler. Sure I want to see the sites, ride the rides, try out the new cafe, but I have no, absolutely no desire to be first in line or be there the first day, first week, first month. If you read through this blog, you can probably get a sense that I am not a fan of crowds. To me, crowds take enjoyment and turn it into frustration. So I can wait to get into Carsland, maybe in the fall, maybe even wait until the winter. I can wait. I want enjoy Carsland, not get crushed by it.