“Board a mine cart to travel through the scary adventures of Snow White,
but look out for the Wicked Witch!”
 (July 17, 1955—Present) BACKSTORY: Originally titled “Snow White’s Adventures.” Imagineers designed the ride so that guests felt like they were Snow White. Few understood this and wondered why Snow White wasn’t in the ride. During 1983, all of the Fantasyland dark rides were redesigned slightly to include the main characters of the films the attractions represented. Previous reports have claimed that Snow was not added until 1983, however, photographic evidence shown below from August 1972 proves differently. Tony Baxter, Sr. VP of Creative Development at Disney Imagineering, was so afraid of messing up that he requested all dark rides be 25% longer allowing that even if they weren’t better, they’d at least be longer. The ride vehicles are mine cars named after the Seven Dwarfs. The Dwarfs in the cottage scene are: Doc on mandolin, Grumpy on organ (the organ’s pipes feature wood-carved animals that shove nuts in their mouths), Happy on the bass, Bashful on the accordion, Sleepy on fiddle, and Dopey is on Sneezy’s shoulders. In the scene when the Witch offers the guests the poisoned apple, guests consistently stole the apple. When Fantasyland reopened in 1983, a hologram solved the problem.
For a fantastic resource on this dark ride, click to visit KenNetti’s website. To the left, you’ll find the diagram he put together of the 1983 version of Snow White’s Scary Adventures. |
 1. All aboard! The mine car starts, the journey is begun. The Seven Dwarfs are busy, for their work is never done. They dig new jewels every day, adding them to the display. |
 2. Dopey flaps his ears in glee and opens the vault door happily. He's inviting his friends to come inside and enjoy the thrills (and chills) of the Snow White Ride. |
 3. Here stacks of sparkling gems, mined by seven little men; sapphires blue, and rubies, too. The merry Dwarfs sing "Dig, dig, dig" as jewel piles grow big, big, big. |
 4. Each jewel in the diamond bin glows with fire from within. Their dazzling light cuts the night. The diamonds, wondrous fine, are only found in the Seven Dwarfs' mine. |
 5. Two staring eyes pierce through the dark, and grotesque shadows chill the heart. The owl hoots and creatures cower in apprehension of this magic place and hour… |
 6. The witch's castle looms ahead. It's stark and grim…what is within? The vulture on the tree stares evilly. Down drops the sharp-tooth gate! Escape? Too late! |
 7. Here in the witch's dungeon, all is black. A skeleton sways mournfully…"go back." His rasping voice and luminescent frame are testimony of the witch's evil name. |
 8. And now the old witch plays her part. Her specialty's Black Magic art. She cackles in her fiendish glee, and reads the poison recipe. The cauldron boils merrily. |
 9. In and out, again, again, the old witch dips that apple in. She holds it up the fruit drips dry. It's ready for smeone to try. Who will the victim be? You…or me? |
 10. The old witch wants to make the test to see if this new brew is best. Beware! Her heart is black, though her voice is cheery, as she says "Have an apple, dearie…" |
 11. Flee from her dungeon, flee from her wrath—you still hear her voice and her mocking laugh. Grotesque tree branches seem to try to snatch at you as you whizz by. |
 12. A lightning flash! On the mountain top the old witch pries a boulder off. Crash! It missed! You step outside, filled with the thrills of the Snow White Ride. |
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(July 17, 1955—Present) BACKSTORY: Originally titled “Snow White’s Adventures.” Imagineers designed the ride so that guests felt like they were Snow White. Few understood this and wondered why Snow White wasn’t in the ride. During 1983, all of the Fantasyland dark rides were redesigned slightly to include the main characters of the films the attractions represented. Previous reports have claimed that Snow was not added until 1983, however, photographic evidence shown below from August 1972 proves differently. Tony Baxter, Sr. VP of Creative Development at Disney Imagineering, was so afraid of messing up that he requested all dark rides be 25% longer allowing that even if they weren’t better, they’d at least be longer. The ride vehicles are mine cars named after the Seven Dwarfs. The Dwarfs in the cottage scene are: Doc on mandolin, Grumpy on organ (the organ’s pipes feature wood-carved animals that shove nuts in their mouths), Happy on the bass, Bashful on the accordion, Sleepy on fiddle, and Dopey is on Sneezy’s shoulders. In the scene when the Witch offers the guests the poisoned apple, guests consistently stole the apple. When Fantasyland reopened in 1983, a hologram solved the problem.)
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The Winter 1956 issue of the MIckey Mouse Club Magazine featured a teaser of the Snow White attraction at Disneyland, illustrated by Ken Anderson's art on pages 36 and 37. You'll note that at this point in the attraction's history, Snow White herself is nowhere to be found. Here are the twelve images with the accompanying tex that can be found in that issue:)
1. All aboard! The mine car starts, the journey is begun. The Seven Dwarfs are busy, for their work is never done. They dig new jewels every day, adding them to the display.)
2. Dopey flaps his ears in glee and opens the vault door happily. He's inviting his friends to come inside and enjoy the thrills (and chills) of the Snow White Ride.)
3. Here stacks of sparkling gems, mined by seven little men; sapphires blue, and rubies, too. The merry Dwarfs sing "Dig, dig, dig" as jewel piles grow big, big, big.)
4. Each jewel in the diamond bin glows with fire from within. Their dazzling light cuts the night. The diamonds, wondrous fine, are only found in the Seven Dwarfs' mine.)
5. Two staring eyes pierce through the dark, and grotesque shadows chill the heart. The owl hoots and creatures cower in apprehension of this magic place and hour…)
6. The witch's castle looms ahead. It's stark and grim…what is within? The vulture on the tree stares evilly. Down drops the sharp-tooth gate! Escape? Too late!)
7. Here in the witch's dungeon, all is black. A skeleton sways mournfully…"go back." His rasping voice and luminescent frame are testimony of the witch's evil name.)
8. And now the old witch plays her part. Her specialty's Black Magic art. She cackles in her fiendish glee, and reads the poison recipe. The cauldron boils merrily.)
9. In and out, again, again, the old witch dips that apple in. She holds it up the fruit drips dry. It's ready for smeone to try. Who will the victim be? You…or me?)
10. The old witch wants to make the test to see if this new brew is best. Beware! Her heart is black, though her voice is cheery, as she says "Have an apple, dearie…")
11. Flee from her dungeon, flee from her wrath—you still hear her voice and her mocking laugh. Grotesque tree branches seem to try to snatch at you as you whizz by.)
12. A lightning flash! On the mountain top the old witch pries a boulder off. Crash! It missed! You step outside, filled with the thrills of the Snow White Ride.)
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