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Photo by Chris Bales, 2005 |
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You’re at Flick’s Fun Fair. You—and all the other human guests—are the size of bugs. Clover leaves tower over your head. Heimlich, the voracious caterpillar from a bug’s life, has transformed himself into a five-car train. Heimlich wants to give you a ride. |
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Look for the frosted cupcake impaled on the tongs of a fork. (Heimlich has eaten some of it.) Then follow the path next to the fork into the tropical jungle. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2017 The setting |
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Photo by Tony ’WiseBearAZ” Moore, 2002 Cupcake sign |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2017 Entrance to Heimlich’s |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2017 Wait time on a button, supported by a needle and thread |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2017 Notices |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 A jungle out there |
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Photo by Tony ’WiseBearAZ” Moore, 2002 Loading platform, track, and a partially eaten carrot |
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Take a seat in one of Heimlich’s five body sections. Heimlich will narrate your journey in his distinctive German accent. He even delivers the safety spiel: “Yoo-hoo! Hello, everybody! It’s me, Heimlich. I’m a cute little Chew Chew Train, and I vant you to be safe. So pretty please, to stay seated vith your hands, arms, vings, all your legs, und all your feet inside ven I take you on my fun little ride. Und mamas und papas, please vatch your children!” The multilingual caterpillar then delivers the spiel in Spanish—still with a German accent. |
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Photo by Tony ’WiseBearAZ” Moore, 2002 On the move |
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Heimlich begins to move around the track. “Mein schtomach is so empty! Hey, help me to go find something to eat. Come on everybody, here ve go!” Heimlich shares his thoughts as you travel past partially eaten morsels of food. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Apple |
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Photo by Tony ’WiseBearAZ” Moore, 2002 Watermelon arch |
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Although it’s clear that Heimlich has come this way before, his words to the last group of guests may have been different. For example, he may have said this while passing though what’s left of a watermelon: “Ooh, watermelon! Come with me into the watermelon and taste the beautiful melon.” Then he might say this to you: “I think I ate a watermelon seed! I hope I don’t grow a big watermelon in my tummy!“ Next time, he might no longer be concerned about the seed: “Do you smell vat I smell? That’s watermelon! Mmm. Taste that. Smell that delicious watermelon!“ There are random variations in the narration throughout the ride. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 First car of the five-car train |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 Last car of the five-car train |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2017 Heading to a fork in the road—a plastic fork |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2017 Heimlich never takes guests here |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 Inside the partially eaten box of Casey Jr. Cookies |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2017 Candy in Candy Valley |
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Enjoy the sights—and even the smells, such as the watermelon scent that Heimlich mentions to some guests and the vanilla scent emitted by what’s left of the animal cookies, as you pass through their box. |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2017 Ride ending for some, beginning for others |
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After just two minutes, your caterpillar train has returned to the loading platform. The ride is over for you—but not for Heimlich, who is ready to go around again with the next batch of guests. Heimlich is still hungry. |
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Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train opened at Disney’s California Adventure (now Disney California Adventure) on October 7, 2002. It was part of Flik’s Fun Fair, which opened the same day. The child-friendly collection of four rides and a water play area were all themed around the Disney-Pixar feature a bug’s life (1998). The three other rides—Flik’s Flyers, Tuck & Roll’s Drive ’Em Buggies, and Francis’ Ladybug Boogie—were traditional amusement park rides, although creatively decorated. Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train stood out as a unique attraction. It could be thought of as a bright, open-air counterpart to the Fantasyland dark rides at Disneyland Park. What it lacked in length and detailed show scenes, it made up for with its joyfully designed train, the tropical plants that thrived in Southern California’s climate, and especially Joe Ranft’s delightful performance as the voice of Heimlich. Flik’s Fun Fair, together with two of the park’s opening day attractions—It’s Tough to Be a Bug and Bountiful Valley Farm—formed a new land, “a bug’s land”. |
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© Disney / © 2018 Marvel “Super Hero-themed land coming to Disneyland Resort in 2020” |
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On March 20, 2018, Disney announced plans for new Marvel areas at three Disney resorts globally, including California: At Disneyland Resort, the new themed land will be anchored by the popular Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure park, which has become the highest-rated attraction at Disneyland Resort since its 2017 opening. The Guardians of the Galaxy will be joined by Spider-Man and the Avengers in what will become a completely immersive Super Hero universe. This expanded presence will begin recruiting guests in 2020, furthering the evolution of Disney California Adventure park. After a run of almost 16 years, Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train and the rest of Flik’s Fun Fair closed permanently September 4, 2018. Avengers’ Campus opened June 4, 2021. When you visit Avengers’ Campus at California, you’re your regular size, not the size of a bug. Be careful where you step. Maybe, at your feet, there’s still a little green caterpillar whose “schtomach is so empty.” |
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© 2023 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated May 19, 2023 |
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