Behind the Matterhorn Fence

The real world is carved up and fenced off for our own good, it would seem. The same is true in the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy. Disneyland is fenced off for our protection, saving us from certain doom, or at least from the urge to trample on flowers. While erecting a fence on the high-traffic banks of the Rivers of America was probably a good idea, nowhere does a fence intrude on the ambiance of the park more than at the base of the Matterhorn.

A six foot tall or so black iron fence partially obstructs a miniature Matterhorn ecosystem of flowers, rocks and rivers. The fence is probably designed with the best of intentions. We wouldn't want clueless, litigious guests to trample on said flowers, fall on said rocks or drown in said rivers. Would a waist-high fence suffice? A waist-high barrier appears to do a good job of keeping guests from falling into the Submarine Lagoon or the Rivers of America.

In any case, I decided to stick my little camera through the fence, attracting the attention of a security guard that trailed me for the duration of my photo shoot, and discover what many Disneyland guests often miss. As always, click the image for the larger version.

John Hench briefly mentioned fences in his book Designing Disney. One day a landscaper approached Walt Disney and told him that guests were trampling on a flower bed and that a fence had to be built to keep them out. Walt suggested a pathway be paved instead and explained, "When guests make their own path, they probably have a damn good reason for doing it."

Walt Disney appeared to like the guests enough to trust them not to hurt themselves. And if the worst happens, if someone slips somewhere they shouldn't have been in the first place, if someone becomes Matterhorn meat, perhaps someone, somewhere would stand up for the concept of personal responsibility.

I just really hate fences that are erected where they don't belong.

Note: If you check out Daveland's vintage Matterhorn photos, you can see that there was a shorter fence at one point. By the mid-60s, the larger fence appears, however. It appears to have been installed between 1962 and 1964. I wonder which lawyer told Walt to make the fence taller.