Alice in Wonderland's Curious Signage

There's nothing quite as Fantasyland-ish as an eyeful of Wonderland leaves. That's a nicely-designed sign, too. Although, sometimes these ride descriptions get a bit too literal...

Is it really necessary to point out that the ride vehicles are oversized caterpillars? I honestly don't think anyone in line is expecting to board a normal-sized three-inch-long caterpillar...at least, I certainly hope not. Ah, well, it's a fun bit of signage nevertheless.

Photo by Lana Whitham

Down the Rabbit Hole

Disneyland has seven black-light dark rides (Alice, Snow White, Mr. Toad, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Roger Rabbit and Pooh), but only one of them turns its first moments into a kinetic bit of outdoor storytelling for non-riders to watch. The rabbit hole entrance to Alice in Wonderland has been swallowing up caterpillars ever since its debut in 1958.

Originally, the winding, slow motion "fall" took place in complete darkness, and that's the version I grew up with. When the ride got a massive redesign, the downhill tunnel was lightened and decorated to resemble the film scene. In the newer rabbit hole, you can plainly see you're only descending a few feet, but back when it was dark and I was five, I thought we were going waaaay underground. Disneyland is incredibly awesome when you're small and you believe everything. And it's awsome in a different way when you're grown up and still love the magic of good storytelling.

If you'd like to take a quick trip to Wonderland, Rocketsummer23 has posted one of the best videos of the entire ride I've ever seen--and taken before the upper safety fences were added! See if you can spot the caterpillar's slippers on top of the giant outdoor mushroom toward the end.

The Alice Caterpillars: Best Ride Vehicles Ever?

Hop in before he changes his mind!

When it comes to picking my favorite ride vehicles at Disneyland, one top choice leaps (or crawls) straight (or in a zig-zagging pattern) to mind; the Alice in Wonderland caterpillars.

The caterpillars seem to merely "tolerate" our presence

They're a work of art -- wonderful little sculptures full of personality, giving off a heap of attitude.

Down the rabbit hole

They're fun from every angle, too, and are as delightful to watch as they are to ride. Even with the temporary fences in place on the upper level (can't wait for the upcoming fix), their in-and-out zig-zagging turns the ride's exterior into one big, wonderful kinetic work of art.

Before the safety fences

Surprisingly, there are only two other rides in Disneyland Park with character vehicles: Dumbo and Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin. Both are great, but they can't top a journey to Wonderland.

Time Machine Day: Alice in Wonderland 1967

Caterpillars twist their way down the outdoor finale of Disneyland's Alice in Wonderland ride, circa 1967, as seen through the lens my childhood Polaroid Swinger Camera!

This is the original version of Alice before the remodel -- the version with the Upside Down Room, Oversized Room and hallway of Screaming Doors. In this version, the track did not re-enter the castle at the end; it twisted back and forth all the way to ground level, then simply did a U-turn to the unload zone.

Alice In Wonderland - Before the Safety Fence

Alice in Wonderland is a Disneyland treasure, and my favorite black-light dark ride.

This photo was taken a couple of years ago, before the safety fencing was added to the upper outdoor section of track. The meandering downhill vine-path used to provide a visual thrill, as the caterpillar cars would seem to be heading right off the edge of the track before turning in another direction. It was like a gentle wild-mouse ride.

The dark ride portions are still great, but the safety fence has muted the visual fun of the outdoor descent. The good news: the outdoor track's about to get a major overhaul including a new, permanent re-work of the fencing. Hopefully, the new look will blend the fence more naturally into the whimsical setting and bring more fun back to the outdoor track.

One more pre-fence view, this one from 1994: