[Chat] Strange Matterhorn crystals

[Karalora]

My sister got to try out the super-fast shutter on her new camera the other day at the park, and this is one of the more interesting photos she took:




Notice how the crystals appear to have erupted through the surface of the ice. Real ice crystals grow from the surface where they are attached, through the accretion of freezing water vapor blah blah blah science. These appear to have grown more like plants, sprouting beneath the surface and pushing through as they grow up. It makes me wonder: are they really supposed to be ice crystals, or something else? The Imagineers obviously went to some extra effort to sculpt the cracking and buckling of the snow surface instead of just mounting the crystals flush with the floor.

Or is this another case where I'm overthinking things with my overactive imagination?

[disneyencore]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Don't know, but kewl pic!

[sunnygirl]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Overthinking. Definitely.

[Datameister]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Overthinking, yes, but since when is that a bad thing? I've obviously noticed these crystals before - I love them! - but I hadn't noticed how they kinda erupted like that. I never thought they were supposed to be ice crystals, though.

[natedoggdeluxe]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

rad pic! cool to stop and breath it all in for a change

[Mojave]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Don't know about the crystals, but...

Is there a back story that tells us what happened to the mountaineers who were lost in their Matterhorn expedition? You can see their rope line hanging in that photo.

[BoogaFrito]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Superman has a condo beneath that section of the Matterhorn.

[leopardchucks]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Is there a back story that tells us what happened to the mountaineers who were lost in their Matterhorn expedition? You can see their rope line hanging in that photo.

You can also see their indecipherable white graffiti scribbles in the snow. It's a conundrum.

[jmadonich27]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Superman has a condo beneath that section of the Matterhorn.

Did Disney accidently purchase Marvel when they were aiming to obtain DC?

[villagecreator]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Superman has a condo beneath that section of the Matterhorn.

Dang, beat me to it!

[seenoevil]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Couldn't the crystals have been growing and a storm brought in another layer of snowy-iciness that the crystals are continuing to grow through, thus causing the erupting?

[MrToadOfToadHall]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

There is no actual backstory to the mountaineering references in the usual sense. The equipment bearing the Wells Expedition signage is a tribute to former Disney President and COO Frank Wells, who was killed in a helicopter accident in 1994. He was an avid mountain climber and almost succeeded in climbing the tallest peaks of each of the worlds continents (commonly referred to as the Seven Summits). He was a day away from the top of Everest when weather forced them to abort the trip. The helicopter accident occurred on a ski trip, not a mountaineering expedition. He was still the active President and COO when he was killed.

[Sparkle&shine]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Don't know about the crystals, but...

Is there a back story that tells us what happened to the mountaineers who were lost in their Matterhorn expedition? You can see their rope line hanging in that photo.

The Yeti got them.

[dogtherock]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

I think of the breaks more as "garnish". It just looks cooler and slightly more menacing this way.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

This issue really rocks my world view.

[AcmePunched]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

I don't think it's likely that the Imagineers had that in mind, but your overactive imagination's just hit upon some good fuel!

Crystal trees, maybe? Do you think they're supposed to be taller? Perhaps when they reach a certain height they begin to branch out. And maybe then you can break off any piece and bury it in the snow to plant another tree. =3 Dude, a tree like that would look really awesome -- especially modeled in Maya. d00d. I should get on that.

And maybe the demise of the Matterhorn expedition teams was because the crystal trees kill you when you touch them.

[stevo505]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

Couldn't the crystals have been growing and a storm brought in another layer of snowy-iciness that the crystals are continuing to grow through, thus causing the erupting?

Interesting.. could have contributed to the disappearance of the climbers too.

[Datameister]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

All I can say is that I'm glad they added that little scene in. It's a pity the Skyway had to go - well, in some ways it's a pity - but at least they added something unique and appropriate and interesting into the Matterhorn instead of just another cave.

[ChessurInWonderland]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

I definitely don't think you're overthinking this. It's Disneyland, they often add in a lot of details like that. Plus, you're right, they really seemed to go out of their way to do that. I'm sure they did some research and found out the stuff you pointed out, and did that purposely. I think the ride leaves lots of room for imagination, and the crystals just added more mystery and room for that. Great observation, though, and thanks for pointing that out, I never noticed that!

[aashee]

Re: Strange Matterhorn crystals

They look nice. No nitpicking from this theme nazi.