Walt Disney's Snow White Come to Life

Photography by Amy Melissa Martinez

Notice even the lamppost evokes the Evil Queen!

Attractions:
Snow White's Scary Adventures, Fantasyland (1955)
Storybook Land Canal Boats, Fantasyland (The Dwarfs' cottage and mine) (1956)

Eateries: None

Shops: None

Ambiance: Snow White Wishing Well and Grotto, Fantasyland (1961)
Royal Plaza (Princess Meet-and-Greet), Fantasy Faire, Fantasyland (2013)

Meetable Characters: Snow White, Prince Charming, The Evil Queen, Witch, all Seven Dwarfs

Shows: Fantasmic! (Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen/Witch and the Magic Mirror), Frontierland/New Orleans Square (1992)
World of Color, Disney California Adventure, Paradise Pier (2010)

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P.W.'s take on the ride

While it's one of the most underrated and least occupied attractions in the park, Snow White's Scary Adventures continues to serve as my second favourite dark ride. It's less concerned with a chronological retelling of the story as it is with transporting you to the many different settings of the movie (the Dwarfs' cottage, the diamond mine and the scary forest). It also boasts one of the best visuals in all of Disneyland's dark rides with the climactic final scene of the Dwarfs chasing the witch up the mountain in the middle of a rainstorm – complete with thunder and lightning (BOOOM, CRASH!).
The exterior of the ride and queue are also excellently themed. The attraction is housed in a more sinister version of the Queen's castle and she even makes frequent appearances, herself, in the window above the ride's entrance. Once inside the castle, you're also greeted with an eerie look into the Queen's dungeon – complete with creepy sound effects.
~ P. W.

Amy Melissa Chimes In

Snow White's Scary Adventures IS scary! This is the ultimate dark ride of all the dark rides. Granted, I only remember this ride after the 1983 Fantasyland remodel. Still, the simple illusions used here make this one of the best rides in Disneyland.

Let me paint a clearer picture.

My little sister (age 25) has been to Disneyland before, but we had not visited together in a long time. She has ridden this dark ride in the past and remembered it as being "kinda spooky". She mentioned that one of her friends had recently gone on the Scary Adventure. My sister teased her when her friend mentioned the ride "was so scary and had sharp turns!"

Well, a couple of weeks ago, we went on the ride together. She was not prepared. When the queen turns away from her reflection to reveal the old beggar woman, guess who shrieked? This same person screamed "Ew!" and covered her face when the old beggar woman shows up again, offering her an apple. Oh man, it was the best! How can you not love watching these reactions?

From the whimsically eerie beginning with the evil queen watching you walk in, to the moment we watch the drawfs chase her off the cliff, this dark ride has not lost its magic. That's pretty good considering it's almost 60 years old.
~Amy Melissa

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Fun Facts!

Up until the Fantasyland remodel in 1983, Snow White's Scary Adventures was simply known as Snow White Adventures.

Before the 1983 remodel, Snow White didn't even appear in her own ride as the guests were supposed to actually be Snow White – experiencing her “adventures” as she would have.

The prop apple the Queen would offer during the ride was so frequently stolen, it was replaced with a hologram during the 1983 remodel.
The Queen's appearances in the window occur every 24 seconds and last for eight.

If you touch the golden apple at the entrance to the queue, you'll be serenaded by the Queen's disembodied cackle.

The statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Snow White's Grotto were given to Walt Disney as a gift from an unnamed Italian sculptor. However, the figures are all the same height so forced perspective was used to make Snow White look taller by placing her high above the Dwarfs.

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Amy Melissa Gets Girly

Arguably the most romantic spot in Disneyland. Conveniently hidden away on the side of Sleeping Beauty's castle is this quaint little wishing well, which was first featured in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. To add to the ambiance, statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are displayed as part of a sweet fountain, where Snow "sings" her opening number every few minutes.

Yes, it's the perfect scene for anyone bringing their dates to Disneyland. Countless couples have taken advantage of this photo op. I personally know two people that have proposed marriage to their girlfriends here.

Perhaps this is the one con: it's so perfect that it gets too crowded. It took me about 15 minutes just to get a semi-okay shot of the wishing well and the fountain. I can only imagine the traffic jams that happen when a couple wants to get a quick photo. Actually, I don't have to imagine it, I watched it happen. Poor kids just want a good photo with Snow White in the background - is that too much to ask? It's not their fault a family of seven want to watch the fountain fish dance or that a huge tour group is slowly passing through. And this was on a good day.

Still, I challenge anyone to find a more romantic photo opportunity at Disneyland. Until we have access to the castle balcony, this has got to be it!
~Amy Melissa