*Note: Snow White’s Scary Adventures will close permanently on May 31, 2012.*

Snow White’s Scary Adventures was one of the original Fantasyland attractions at Magic Kingdom when Walt Disney World opened in 1971. Inspired by the Disneyland version, itself a fixture since 1955, the dark ride was called simply Snow White’s Adventure. Both rides are based on Disney’s first full-length animated movie, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937).

Snow White’s Scary Adventures (SWSA) is an approximately 2 ½ minute dark ride. As a dark ride, SWSA is not simply dark, although it does take guests through a lot of literal darkness. As expected with dark rides, SWSA includes certain effects: the cars “crashing” through barriers, unexpected track twists, flashing lights, loud sound effects, and mood music.

Guests travel through SWSA in six-passenger mine cars. The queue features a brightly-lit sunny exterior, with a colorful mural of Snow White and the dwarfs as well as a look at the Queen’s Castle. From there, guests board the cars and enter the castle, thus entering the world of the film. The ride’s loose narrative focuses mainly on the dangers Snow White experienced in the movie, from the forest to eating the apple to her happy ending.

Snow White’s Adventures Becomes Snow White’s SCARY Adventures

The Magic Kingdom attraction wasn’t renamed Snow White’s Scary Adventures until 1983, a renaming that acknowledges the ride’s ability to frighten younger children. The dark ride is considered mild by today’s standards for most adults and children. However, preschoolers and early-elementary aged children might find SWSA too frightening or loud.

The Magic Kingdom’s earliest version of the attraction, as with the Disneyland version, was notable for the absence of Snow White from its interior scenes. The ride “transformed” guests into Snow White, meaning they saw the world through her point-of-view. The ride’s theming meant Snow White was missing from most of SWSA and that the ride’s focus was on the Queen as Wicked Witch. Very disturbing indeed.

But the intended effect was not clear to many guests, who instead simply noticed Snow White was missing – an absence upsetting to many younger guests. So after an extensive re-design in 1993, SWSA re-opened with new scenes, specifically adding Snow White to several scenes. These changes lightened the ride’s tone and, in so doing, SWSA became a more conventional depiction of the 1937 film.

Snow White's Scary Adventures. Josh McConnell.

Snow White’s Scary Adventures Still Stars the Wicked Witch

Even with the redesign, SWCA focuses a great deal on the Wicked Witch. In the first scene of the ride, we see Snow White on the castle’s step. Looming above her is the Queen. Then we see a Magic Mirror and the Queen being transformed into the Wicked Witch.

Subsequent scenes focus on the fright factor of the Wicked Witch plotting the demise of Snow White, whether sending her into the dark forest with the Huntsman or tempting her with the apple. The Wicked Witch is even pursued by the dwarfs in a scene reminiscent of the film’s action sequence, with vultures, a stormy night, and a cliff.

Lighter scenes are interspersed with these scarier ones, such as those depicting the dwarfs singing in their cottage or the prince wakening Snow White with love’s true kiss. The ride includes a happy ending, showing Snow White and the Prince riding off into the sunset just before guests exit into the sunlight.

Overall, SWSA is a mild ride that relies more on our imagination, our willingness to be surprised, than it is truly frightening – at least for all but the youngest guests. It feels like a classic ride and a nostalgic one. It is a dark ride that relies on older technology (no Audio-Animatronic figures here) and one which hails to a gentler time for both theme parks and American culture.

Details for Snow White’s Scary Adventures

Hidden Mickey. Disney.

For many guests, then, Snow White’s Scary Adventures is either entirely too frightening (young guests) or too mild (everyone else) to be a must-do attraction. (Snow White’s Adventures was never an E-ticket ride; it was C-ticket in 1971.) Except during peak times, there’s seldom much of a wait to ride SWSA. It is not a FASTPASS attraction.

Each mine car features one of the dwarf’s names on its front, and are decorated with carvings of Snow White’s animal friends.

Looking for hidden Mickeys on SWSA? One is located in the mural outside the attraction. Look at the chimney of the dwarfs’ cottage. The mural also features a clothesline, with a red pair of shorts that Disney’s famous Mouse might wear. For other hidden Mickey’s see Steven M. Barret’s field guide.

SWSA offers Rider Swap and is wheelchair accessible. Flash photography and video lighting are not permitted.

Photo credits: Josh McConnell, flickr, Creative Commons license (SWSA entrance and ride scene); Disney (SWSA mural).

Kungaloosh! Debra Peterson enjoys seeking out for the interactive, immersive and innovative at Disney theme parks. When not writing for Chip and Company, Debra is the National Disney Travel Examiner. Put on your set of ears and join her in stalking the Mouse.