Goofy’s Sky School
Encyclopedia
Goofy's Sky School is a steel
wild mouse
roller coaster
at the Paradise Pier
section of Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California
. The ride is based on Disney's animated cartoon
"Goofy's Glider". The attraction is a retheme of Mulholland Madness which closed in October 2010. The rethemed attraction opened on July 1, 2011.
in Los Angeles, California
, named after the famed engineer William Mulholland
. Within the first month of its operation, three accidents occurred on the ride causing it to be shut for a short period of time for repairs. The ride vehicles were themed to the many cars one can find on the Southern California freeway systems, (such as Highway Patrol cars or Classic Surfer "Woodies"). At the end of the ride, a sign on the wall above read "Rental Car Return".
On October 12, 2010, Mulholland Madness closed for refurbishment and re-theming as part of Disney California Adventure Park's major refurbishment. On July 1, 2011, the attraction reopened as Goofy's Sky School. The attraction's re-opening is the latest in a series of moves to attempt to introduce classic Disney characters into Paradise Pier.
It has been reported that Goofy's Sky School will be the location of a future E ticket
ride.
. Walt Disney Imagineering
have designed the theme for the ride based upon Disney's animated cartoon
"Goofy's Glider". Riders board a plane and navigate a crash course of flying which features sharp turns, steep drops, and sudden stops. Goofy is pictured on billboards throughout the ride teaching guests the step-by-step process of flying a plane.
describes the re-themed Goofy's Sky School ride as "little more than a Band-Aid meant to hide an unseemly scar that earned the Anaheim theme park its on-the-cheap reputation". He goes on to say that an "ordinary Wild Mouse coaster doesn't belong in a Disney park and is an embarrassment" when compared with other Disney coasters such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
, Space Mountain
and the Matterhorn Bobsleds
. He concluded by stating that "the ride should have been removed rather than remade". In response to the Los Angeles Times critical review, Screamscape's Lance Hart points out that several other rides (such as Gadget's Go Coaster
, Silly Symphony Swings
, Jumpin' Jellyfish
and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster) are also off-the-shelf and are seen at many other parks around the world. He states that "off-the-shelf rides systems are fairly hard to avoid these days. [...] Sometimes you can dress up a ride system to look different and unique… sometimes you can’t". Lance Hart concludes by saying that "a good wild mouse coaster would be in my top 3 must-have attractions" for a boardwalk style park such as Paradise Pier. Like Screamscape, others have been less critical of the updated ride. Several have stated that the ride is better than its predecessor and that it better suits the theme of a Disney theme park.
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
wild mouse
Wild Mouse roller coaster
A Wild Mouse roller coaster is a type of roller coaster characterized by small cars that seat four people or fewer and ride on top of the track, taking tight, flat turns at modest speeds, yet producing high lateral G-forces...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
at the Paradise Pier
Paradise Pier
Paradise Pier is a themed "land" at Disney California Adventure, Disneyland's sister park, which are all part of the Disneyland Resort. Its appearance is based on that of Vicotian boardwalks that were once found along the coast of California. Despite its name and the presence of a nearby manmade...
section of Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. The ride is based on Disney's animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
"Goofy's Glider". The attraction is a retheme of Mulholland Madness which closed in October 2010. The rethemed attraction opened on July 1, 2011.
History
Goofy's Sky School originally opened on February 8, 2001, as Mulholland Madness. The attraction's original name came from the famed Mulholland DriveMulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. It is named after Los Angeles pioneer civil engineer William Mulholland...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, named after the famed engineer William Mulholland
William Mulholland
William Mulholland was the head of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, in Los Angeles. He was responsible for building the water aqueducts and dams that allowed the city to grow into one of the largest in the world. His methods of obtaining water for the city led to disputes collectively...
. Within the first month of its operation, three accidents occurred on the ride causing it to be shut for a short period of time for repairs. The ride vehicles were themed to the many cars one can find on the Southern California freeway systems, (such as Highway Patrol cars or Classic Surfer "Woodies"). At the end of the ride, a sign on the wall above read "Rental Car Return".
On October 12, 2010, Mulholland Madness closed for refurbishment and re-theming as part of Disney California Adventure Park's major refurbishment. On July 1, 2011, the attraction reopened as Goofy's Sky School. The attraction's re-opening is the latest in a series of moves to attempt to introduce classic Disney characters into Paradise Pier.
It has been reported that Goofy's Sky School will be the location of a future E ticket
E ticket
The phrase E ticket refers to an unusually interesting, thrilling or expensive experience. It derives from the admission ticket system used at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom theme parks before 1982, in which the E ticket admitted the bearer to the newest, most advanced, and/or most popular rides...
ride.
Ride
Goofy's Sky School is a wild mouse roller coaster manufactured by Mack RidesMACK Rides
Mack Rides is a German company that designs and constructs roller coasters. The family that owns the company also owns Europa Park.-History:The creation of the Mack company goes back to 1780, by Paul Mack, when he started building carriages. The Mack company started to design roller coasters in 1920....
. Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the design and development arm of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation and construction of Disney theme parks worldwide...
have designed the theme for the ride based upon Disney's animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
"Goofy's Glider". Riders board a plane and navigate a crash course of flying which features sharp turns, steep drops, and sudden stops. Goofy is pictured on billboards throughout the ride teaching guests the step-by-step process of flying a plane.
Reception
The original Mulholland Madness ride was often criticized for being an "off-the-shelf", carnival-style ride with a weak theme. Brady MacDonald of the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
describes the re-themed Goofy's Sky School ride as "little more than a Band-Aid meant to hide an unseemly scar that earned the Anaheim theme park its on-the-cheap reputation". He goes on to say that an "ordinary Wild Mouse coaster doesn't belong in a Disney park and is an embarrassment" when compared with other Disney coasters such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an indoor/outdoor mine train roller coaster located in Frontierland at several Disneyland-style Disney Parks worldwide...
, Space Mountain
Space Mountain
Space Mountain is the name of a space-themed indoor roller coaster attraction located at all five Magic Kingdom-style Disney Parks. Although all five versions of the attraction are different in nature, all have a similar domed exterior façade that is a landmark for the respective park.The name can...
and the Matterhorn Bobsleds
Matterhorn Bobsleds
The Matterhorn Bobsleds or the Matterhorn is an attraction composed of two intertwining steel roller coasters, which opened in 1959 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It is modeled after the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Swiss Alps...
. He concluded by stating that "the ride should have been removed rather than remade". In response to the Los Angeles Times critical review, Screamscape's Lance Hart points out that several other rides (such as Gadget's Go Coaster
Gadget's Go Coaster
Gadget's Go Coaster is a roller coaster at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California and Tokyo Disneyland theme park, located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. The ride is based on the work of the popular character Gadget Hackwrench from the 1989 Walt Disney Television Animation cartoon,...
, Silly Symphony Swings
Silly Symphony Swings
Silly Symphony Swings is a "wave swinger" attraction in Paradise Pier, at Disney California Adventure, at the Disneyland Resort in California. Themed to Disney's The Band Concert conductor Mickey Mouse conducts the attraction from high atop, synchronized with the music...
, Jumpin' Jellyfish
Jumpin' Jellyfish
Jumpin' Jellyfish is a parachute jump–style ride at Disney's California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California and Tokyo DisneySea at Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan....
and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster) are also off-the-shelf and are seen at many other parks around the world. He states that "off-the-shelf rides systems are fairly hard to avoid these days. [...] Sometimes you can dress up a ride system to look different and unique… sometimes you can’t". Lance Hart concludes by saying that "a good wild mouse coaster would be in my top 3 must-have attractions" for a boardwalk style park such as Paradise Pier. Like Screamscape, others have been less critical of the updated ride. Several have stated that the ride is better than its predecessor and that it better suits the theme of a Disney theme park.