Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is a C-Ticket attraction in the style of a whip ride and the Mad Tea Party, at Disneyland, without spinning out of control. The attraction is themed to Mater's Junkyard and also the fields with baby tractors from the first film. Mater will be the Master of Ceremonies of the Jamboree. The vehicles will be tractors with pull cars attached to them that move around with the music.
While the residents of Cars Land were getting ready for the big race, Mater set up a square dance in his junkyard, building a giant makeshift jukebox out of spare parts like car radios and horns. The music attracted a herd of baby tractors, and Mater taught them to square dance. Riders spin and swing along in trailers pulled by the tractors while square dance music plays. Come on down to Mater's Junkyard Jamboree for a tow-tappin' square dance hosted by Mater from the Disney-Pixar movie Cars. Board a trailer pulled by an adorable baby tractor and swing in time to lively music sung by, you guessed it, Mater!
Mater rounded up a herd of baby tractors for some old-fashioned dancing fun. If you look closely, you'll notice that no 2 of the 22 tractors are the same. They have different spots, mouths and eye colors. The one thing they all share: they love to dance!
Ride Experience
Mater's has two ride platforms on either side of the loading area. Riders board trailers towed by each of the 22 baby tractors, each with a single bench seat that can accommodate up to three passengers; two adults and a child or one adult and two children. Each bench has a single seatbelt. The ride has an official capacity of 600 riders per hour, and a height requirement of 32 inches.
The queue is fully accessible to wheelchairs and ECVs, but riders must be able to transfer from their chair to the ride vehicle. You can roll right up to your vehicle to board; a cast member will move your wheelchair to a holding area until the ride ends, then return it to you. One car has a swing-out door to help riders transfer from a wheelchair, but the attraction does not offer transfer boards-if you need to use one, bring your own.
As the ride begins, Larry the Cable Guy, the voice of Mater, calls one of seven different square dance songs written for the attraction, accompanied by music recorded by Disneyland's Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. Outtakes from one of the recording sessions were used to create an eighth "blooper" song, which plays about once an hour. Mater also has a collection of jokes that he tells between ride cycles.
Touring Tips
- Mater's is deceptively fast. Like the Francis' Lady Bug Boogie attraction in Bug's Land, the tractors move in circles around turntables, jumping to the next turntable at each intersection. However, whereas Francis' Lady Bug Boogie has just two turntables and ride vehicles that move in a figure-eight configuration, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree uses four turntables on each of the dual ride platforms. And then there's the trailer. Pivoting behind each tractor, the trailer swings freely from side to side each time the tractor changes direction, the trailer sends riders sliding back and forth across the seat bench-you definitely want to hold onto any loose articles.
- Each tractor can accommodate up to 2 adults and 1 child.
- The result is a ride that provides a real thrill for adults, but is not too intense for younger riders.
- A "petting zoo" with a baby tractor is available for photo opportunities.
- While some dismiss this as a minor Cars Land attraction, the Junkyard Jamboree provides what one rider described as a "stupid good time" - which is exactly what you expect from Mater.
Facts
- Mater is tucked away in his shed where he's singing and operating his ingenious improvised jukebox - made out of discarded oil drums, hubcaps, hoods, horns, mufflers and other assorted auto parts. The attraction features 7 original songs sung by Mater and performed by a Disneyland Park favorite, Billy Hill & the Hillbillies.
- Larry the Cable Guy recorded seven songs for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, which play from this makeshift jukebox. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
- Number of ride units: 22 tractors
- Official ride capacity: 600 riders per hour.
- Number of songs Mater sings: seven, plus an eighth "blooper" song
- Number of jokes Mater tells between ride cycles: 18
History
The space used for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree was originally Bountiful Valley Farm, a section of the park dedicated to highlighting the agricultural production of California. The area was eventually given a light retheming and incorporated into "a bug's land" but still with the name Bountiful Valley Farms and that is how things remained until the area was closed in 2010 for construction of Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and the Cars Land entrance.
Hidden Mickeys
- A classic Mickey made from three hub caps has been hidden along the Junkyard Jamboree's extended queue.