Hulk's Mathmagic Land - 5. Dark Ride Part One

Mathmagic Land: Brazil’s Math Pavilion Adds Up

We board our ride vehicles, which resemble stylized Greek chariots…with just a dash of Dreamfinder’s dirigible. Two chariots load and leave at once, each holding two rows of three. With dispatches every 20 seconds, that means a robust hourly capacity of 2,160 guests…enough to keep wait times reasonable.

A True Spirit of Adventure Guides Us

These chariot vehicles follow a simple track layout, yet they are far more robust than their busbar predecessors. The layout covers two separate floors, loading upstairs and unloading downstairs. Chariots can change speed and stop entirely. They can rotate, they can spin. They can move up and down ramps. A centerpiece spiral ramp section really highlights this feature, but it also appears in little elevation changes between scenes. Most notably, the two chariots can even split up and follow separate complementary paths before joining up again…achieved through simple parallel tracks; no complicated track switches required! Our chariots are extremely versatile “cameras” through which we enjoy this ride! With such a system, Imagineers were able to script out whole scenes, perfectly timed.

It's time now to enjoy an in-depth ride upon “Donald Duck’s Adventures Through Mathmagic Land!”

Upstairs ride layout; Image: Park Lore

1) Fractal Forest

We begin slowly, almost ambient, as a truly patient dark ride eases riders into its universe. Gliding ethereally out into darkness, which gradually gives way. Separating GeomeTree branches reveal a dreamlike blue Fractal Forest at dusk. Roots, vines and flowers form numbers. The two chariots split apart while heading forward, each individually getting lost down a separate wooded path. Haunting music, a successful approximation of Disney Legend Buddy Baker’s style, accompanies. Chariots pause at a few otherworldly sights. One chariot witnesses Stubby the Pencil writing out a basic “2+2” equation. Another observes three yellow shapes (a square, a triangle, and a circle) combine their faces and recite pi before fading away. Chariots physically shiver with anticipation.

Image: Disney

The chariots join each other for safety as they round a corner and come to a pause. Donald Duck, in animatronic form, walks alongside riders in a safari getup, complete with elephant rifle. The animatronic follows a hidden track. Donald is mesmerized by the surreal landscape:

“Mighty strange. What kind of a crazy place is this? Hello?!”

In response, a disembodied voice bellows back.

“Hello Donald.”

This is our guide, the True Spirit of Adventure, whose soothing baritone chords recall the legendary Paul Frees. The Spirit begins a (spirited) dialogue with Donald.

Donald responds, “That’s me! Where am I?”

“Mathmagic Land. It’s the land of great adventure.”

“Who are you?”

“I am the True Spirit of Adventure, here to take you on a journey through the wonderland of mathematics.”

“Mathematics? That’s for eggheads!”

“Why Donald, without eggheads, without math, there would be no music. You like music, don't you? Come on! Let’s go to Ancient Greece.”

Image: Disney

2) The Time of Pythagoras

The moonlit forest fades into darkness. Fiberoptic sparkles swirl around the chariots, transporting us and Donald back to the time of Ancient Greece. Back to the temple of Pythagoras, where we drift past marble statuary and bronze busts. We turn past a crumbled fresco of Greek philosophers playing music together. A magical essence animates this living fresco from within. The Spirit resumes his spiel.

Image: Disney

“This is the time of Pythagoras, the father of mathematics and music. See, you’ll find mathematics in the darndest places.”

“Boy, will you ever!” chimes in Donald, unseen.

“Pythagoras and his Fraternity of Eggheads would often meet in secret to discuss important mathematical topics. We call this a ‘jam session.’”

Image: Disney

The chariot pair slides sideways and halts before a stage at the temple altar. The space is barren, but a Pepper’s ghost effect creates three philosopher musicians (animatronics) on lyre and flute and lute. They play music together as one. First extraordinarily simple (a basic octave on a lyre,) then with increasing mathematical complexity. The chariots sway along as if dancing. Donald, for now unseen, offers his opinion. “Say, mathematics is fun! Give me something with a beat.”

A percussive beat kicks in. Chariots spin to discover Donald (animatronic), clad in a toga and pounding the bottom of a Greek urn like bongos. Pythagoras’ band joins in via ghostly projection, as a jazzy bossa nova tune rises. We’ll recognize this as the foundation of the ride’s eventual theme song.

Image: Disney

Lights fade away as chariots rush through an impressionistic musical “crash” room. They split apart and dance wildly, through a pure black expanse. A surreal jazzy scene plays out! Sometimes the chariots turn to face each other like dance partners, shimmying and changing speeds. Spotlights illuminate more and more modern instruments as we build to a big band beat! Here a trumpet, there a horn section, guitar, modern drum set, some of them physical set pieces, others projected onto screens and transparent scrims, all reminiscent of Haunted Mansion’s séance scene but with a festive Brazilian mambo beat! Cars dance and spin. Cymbals crash. Drums pound. The Pythagoreans appear like ghosts, jamming alongside modern, live action musicians.

But the journey is just beginning. Read on to discover the second half of the adventure…

Read on...!

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Modern Marvels

Disneyland Brazil, Disneyland Brazil Resort