10 Things You Didn’t Know About Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

Not only was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the first full-length animated feature film, it was also very successful. The movie and characters hold a very special place in the world of Disney. Because of this, it’s no surprise that Walt wanted the film to have an attraction at Disneyland.

Snow White’s Enchanted Wish has stood the test of time at Disneyland. Today, Guests still flock to this ride, even after it’s undergone multiple renovations and changes. There are many fun facts and secrets that surround this attraction. Today we’re going to share some of those with you.

Follow along and get ready to whistle while you work your way through these 10 secrets and facts about Snow White’s Enchanted Wish.

1. Opening Day Attraction

Snow White’s Enchanted Wish was an opening day attraction at Disneyland. However, when Disneyland and the ride originally opened, the attraction had a different name – Snow White and Her Adventures. Not only was the name different, the outside of the building had a different look and the ride itself was very different from the ride we know today.

2. Snow White Wasn't Part of the Ride

When the ride first opened, Snow White was nowhere to be found. This was very common for the original dark rides of Disneyland. The Disney Imagineers designed the rides in such a way because the Guests were intended to experience the adventure from the main character’s point of view.

Unfortunately, this concept fell short on many of the Guests. Rather than enjoying Snow White’s story through her eyes, they were confused as to why they weren’t seeing her on her own ride.

This all changed when the New Fantasyland renovation took place. When the ride reopened in 1983, Guests were thrilled that Snow White was now part of the ride. However, even though she was there, she was only seen once throughout the entire ride.

The ride closed again in 2020 for another renovation. When it opened back up in 2021, Guests were thrilled to see that Snow White was now present for multiple scenes of the attraction.

3. The Ride Has Undergone Multiple Changes

Throughout its existence, this Snow White ride at Disneyland has changed a total of three times.

As I previously mentioned, the ride originally opened up as Snow White and Her Adventures. This ride was flawed in the aspect that Snow White was not present and that it was scarier than Guests anticipated. While there are scarier portions of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs animated film, there are many cheerful parts that weren’t focused on very much in this attraction.

When the ride received changes during the New Fantasyland renovations, the Disney Imagineers decided to fully embrace this scary storyline. The ride reopened with the name Snow White’s Scary Adventures and a more chilling look. It kept this spooky ambiance from 1983 until 2020.

After the 2020 renovation, the ride received a cheerful facelift. In 2021, the attraction opened back up as Snow White’s Enchanted Wish. The outside of the building now looks more warm and welcoming, the storyline highlights many of the happy portions of the Snow White story, and the scarier scenes are now limited – with the ride ending in true “Happily Ever After” fashion.

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4. The Exterior Used to Have a Scarier Look

When the ride opened up as Snow White’s Scary Adventures, the outside was changed to reflect the frightening story within. Originally, the outside of the building did not lead on to the fact that this wasn’t a warm and happy ride.

With the new renovation, the outside of the attraction was made to look like the Evil Queen’s castle. The castle was adorned with crows, skulls, and medieval style lamps. At the entrance, there was a golden apple. When the Guests would touch this apple, they would hear a combination of spine-tingling sounds such as rolling thunder, a crash of lightning, and the Evil Queen cackling.

Upon entering the building, Guests would make their way through a dungeon area. During this portion of the queue, they were able to peer down below and see where the Evil Queen performs her spells. The spell book was even open to the Poison Apple Potion!

5. The Evil Queen is Watching

While Snow White’s Enchanted wish does not have a spooky outward appearance any longer, we still can’t forget about the Evil Queen. Especially with her watching us!

Above the entrance of the ride, there is a castle window with curtains that are drawn. If you pay attention to the window, you’ll see that the curtains occasionally open, revealing the Evil Queen. She looks out over Fantasyland for a few seconds and then closes the curtains back up.

This is something that is often missed by Guests if they don’t know to look for it. However, it’s a fun treat when you do get a glimpse of the Evil Queen!

6. Pie Details

There’s a fun detail on the exterior of the ride that you may have never noticed. On the pillars and other areas around the attraction, there is a criss cross pattern. This is actually a lattice pie crust pattern! This is a sweet and subtle nod to Snow White and her love of baking pie – especially gooseberry pie!

7. Get a Glimpse Into the Dwarfs' Cottage

When you get to the loading area of the ride, you’ll see a beautiful model of the dwarfs’ cottage. Take a close look at the window on the left. When looking at this window, you’ll be able to see the silhouette of Snow White dancing with the dwarfs!

Later in the ride, you’ll enter a scene that takes you inside of the cottage. When you’re there, you’ll have a firsthand look at this dancing as Snow White and the dwarfs spin and turn in front of your eyes.

8. The Ride Vehicles Have Names

Another thing that you’ll of course see in the loading area are the ride vehicles. Make sure that you take a look at the front of yours. Each ride vehicle holds the name of one of the dwarfs. See which dwarf you get before your ride begins!

9. Watch the Evil Queen Transform

During a portion of the ride, you’ll witness the scene from the animated film where the Evil Queen gives herself a potion and turns into an old hag. This is a seamless transformation in the attraction. When you come up to the Evil Queen, she’s looking into a mirror with her back turned to you. As you get closer, she turns around and has magically transformed into a hag.

Want to know how the Disney Imagineers made this transformation work? There’s actually no mirror! Two separate figures are used – one is the Evil Queen and one is the hag. These two figures are facing each other and have a piece of transparent glass between them, resembling a mirror.

When it’s time for the transition to take place, the two figures turn around at the exact same time, giving the illusion that the Evil Queen that you “see in the mirror” has turned around and is now facing you with her new distorted form.

10. Guests Kept Stealing Apples

In the past, the Evil Queen, in her old hag form, holds out a poisoned apple and tries to convince Guests to take it. While this was of course just part of the attraction, many Guests did indeed try to take the apple from the Evil Queen. And many did so successfully!

Eventually, this scene was changed and the Evil Queen no longer holds out a prop apple. The apple is now a projection, which indeed put an end to the apple stealing problem.

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