Concept for an East Coast Matterhorn! Newly-created concept art created by Imagineering Disney.com

I was talking with my pal Hoot the other day about how a Matterhorn mountain would fit perfectly in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland. Disney talked about the idea decades ago. It was intended to go where Toontown is today. The latest rumors about the 'new Fantasyland' or 'Fantasyland Forest' say that some people at Disney are rethinking the whole thing- minus The Little Mermaid ride and the Be Our Guest Beauty and the Beast restaurant.

I Say Give Us a Matterhorn!

Wouldn't that make everyone happy?? The thrill-seekers and the nostalgic-minded alike? The 20K (or former 20k) property is ginomous. It can fit a mountain, a few dark rides, and a whole lot more. Hoot says he wants a Pinocchio dark ride and I agree.

A Boat Ride and Swiss Village

In the concept above (drawn on a napkin this afternoon) you'll see the old classic Matterhorn taken to a new level. Not only is there the Matterhorn mountain much like you see at Disneyland, there is a boat ride going through the lower caves of the mountain and through a Swiss Village. The Swiss Village would include a full-service restaurant with the boat ride through the middle. There will be a quick-service restaurant and a bakery full of swiss cheeses and pastries (at the request of my wife).

Two Tracks?

Also unique to this design--- Not only is there a regular bobsled track through the mountain, the concept includes 'Junior Bobsleds' for the little ones. I ran this idea past Lilly and she said to make the tracks begin and end at the same time. That way younger riders and older riders can can load and unload together, both experiencing the 'same' attraction at the same time. This way the little riders get to ride the Matterhorn AND have a more thrilling ride to look forward to when they are older. The junior track would go through lower caves of the mountain but mostly traveling through smaller hills outside the mountain.

I say the bobsleds on both tracks should not only depart next to each other but they parallel each other for the first little while before going their own separate ways. THEN they meet up next to each other at a couple points along the way THEN end at the same unload dock. Now you can ride the same attraction three ways: regular, junior, and by boat.