I have been on every thrill ride at Disney except for Rock n Roller coaster, and this is by far my favorite! When I first walked up, I was petrified because of the height! However, this is a very fun and smooth ride. The 80 foot drop is not as bad as Splash Mountains, because it is slanted and at an angle vs. straight down. If your afraid to do this ride, at least try it because it's amazing!
Expedition Everest... what can I say! When you walk up, and see that colossal mountain looming overhead, you get that pang of fear and excitement. And the ride doesn't disappoint! The first climb is breath-taking and spine-chilling, and then you drop into the mountain. The speed s just enough, without being overwhelming, a when you reach the broken track, your stomach flips over. And still with the reverse and cave to come! I'm not going to say any more, as I don't want to spoil it, but seriously, RIDE IT! You won't regret it!
Initially my 7 and 10 year old were a little frightened and said they would not ride Expedition Everest, but we managed to talk them into going on after we were given a pass from someone else. We all loved it! The special effects and yeti were so great! It really gets fun during the backward sequence and then launching out of the cave and down the steep drop! Our mouths dropped open and we have the pic to prove it! LOL! When going backwards it really does almost feel like you're going upside down! This is an awesome ride and a lot of fun even for the whole family if you like the bigger thrill rides. Big thumbs up to Disney for adding another great attraction!
I love roller coasters and many of people have talked this coaster up. I have been on it about 4 times since it opened and I have yet to see the yeti pop out. There are no big thrills that one would expect from a roller coaster. the concept is cool and the detailing is amazing, like always, but i am disappointed with the actual ride.
My daughter inherited my fear of open heights and it appears to have transferred to roller coasters. There is something about the nothing but open air and steel between you and the ground that makes us both sweat. Combine that with pitch dark, and the Aerosmith Coaster and Space Mountain nearly did her in. But Expedition Everest is different. With the exception of one not so bad climb, the coaster is built into the mountain. My daughter rode it with great fear the first time, and left wanting to ride it again. And she tallied close to 20 rides when we were done. Because of the smaller crowds at Animal Kingdom, the ride is seldom very busy, which is a shame because it's a thriller. ALthough there are dark patches and a "Yeti", it isn't very scary. Those with sensitive stomachs may want to give themselves a rest after riding it, but the ride is not rough or long to make you too queasy. Highly recommended. And you can buy yourself a yeti afterward!
Even though sometimes it has a long wait, it's worth it. I am nine years old, and I thought it would be a little freaky at first, but at the end of the ride I loved it and I would definitely go on it again. Unfortunately, we weren't able to go on it again because of the park closing hours. It's still an awesome ride even though we went on it once.
I still remember watching the construction of this giant mountain from across the water at Flame Tree Barbeque's seating area. I remember watching the pieces come together. Then I remember standing in line for about 2 hours on a pass holder preview date, waiting to ride this monster of a roller coaster. And that was just to get a Fastpass. And I've been on it too many times to count since then. This is most definitely the best roller coaster on property. Why? The drop. It's big, it's intense, and it makes your heart feel like it's leaping out of your chest. The backwards sequence. You feel almost like you are going to go upside down. And the Yeti (which has since stopped working, but hopefully they will fix it soon). It's big. It's bad. It's quite scarey. Do not ride this if you have a heart condition. Those with back or neck problems should be okay as the track is nice and smooth, but you should be careful if you have a very severe back problem. The height requirement is 44 inches. I would not put a child under about 7 years of age on this as it gets quite intense unless said child likes other thrill rides (not just Big Thunder Mountain or Star Tours, but Tower of Terror or Rock 'n Rollercoaster).
This ride is great for everyone. Typical of Disney, the enitre ride is great. From the qeue area, to the actual ride, and even into the load off area everything is themed to a tee. The ride is smooth, not bumby or uncomfortable. It doesn't go too fast for the kids and not too slow to be boring. This is a must ride every time you are at Disney. It's a welcome change from the played out rollercoaster, it's very different. A good different. It never gets old!
This is such a thrilling and amazing coaster!!! However, it does not get a 10 because the Yeti, the central part of the whole ride, is not working. Therefore, if you do not look up at a certain point, you completely miss it. Something really needs to be done to this otherwise wonderful ride!!!
I've been on a lot, and it's not always about the extreme highs, veritical drops, and loop after loop. It's about a solid, fun experience full of surprises and of course, Disney detail. This ride is amazing. Went 6 times in a row last year with no wait, I was in Heaven! I don't care if the Yeti is working or not (though it would be a sweet bonus if it was!).
I am so glad that this ride was built. It's probably one of the only reasons why I go to AK. Worth the wait.
When i went to ak and saw the amount of small kids (around ages 5-7) laughing and wanting to go again it showed that although the ride is a thrill it is a family thrill. A must do at ak. P.S. when i went i did not know if it goes upside down or not in the backwards part does anyone know???
Super fun, super original. I wish they had more coasters like this at Disney! Ride it!
This attraction, "Dinosaur", and "Kilamanjaro Safaris" are the reasons why I go to Animal Kingdom! When I first went on it (the year it opened), I was amazed. The Yeti was amazing, and the backwards part was fun. THIS IS A MUST DO RIDE!!!
Not to knock on any of their other thrill rides, but Disney has always pretty much played it safe. Everest is a welcome departure. Make it a priority when in AK to tame this monster.
It is a long ride (about 3 min) when you compare it to r'n'r' which is about 1 min. This ride is not for the weak at heart! It is more fun the more you ride it becasue you can play along with the story and have fun with the people near you. I watched it being built and knew it was a big ride but you have no idea until you try it.
for those of u who don't like big rides, this is not the one for u. i like this ride and everything but everest is a beast. the big drop is a doozie, i thought since i could handle the drop on splash mountain i could handle this....whew! it made my head hurt! the part that really got me though was the backwards part inside the mountain. u don't go upside down but it sure feels like it. for those of u who don't exactly know what happens in there, go to youtube and search for expedition everest with the lights on. it just kinda tilts a bit but it really doesnt feel like it. my stomach did flips..i thought i was gonna puke lol. good thing i didnt eat first!! well anyways its got a fun theme lol! if u like thrill rides by all means! i still like it even if my body didnt!
Wow!!! this ride is definatley is in my top 5 Rides in Disney. The whole experience is terrific. Starting with the line this is my absolute favorite Queue. Just the design that the imagineers put into this all of the details offering shrines explorers offices with there artifacts and a "museum" type theame towards the end. I went the first year that it was open the line was packed and it made it much less boring then it could have been if there was just nothing. it's worth waiting in the line at least once Next the Cars stick to the basic animal kingdom colors and take the very familiar shape of a small train. they are quite comfortable and feature two seperate pull down bars one for each person in the car. Finally the ride it is just around 3 minutes long and starts off as a normal Coaster you go up a seemingly large hill that gives you some speed as you go down a small hill. then the infamous broken track at which point i always say "Umm that's not good" then a lound scream as you hurdle backwards at an alarming speed it almost feels like you are about to go upsidedown but you don't it is not for the faint of heart then you begin to go foward as you relize that you need to go down the same steep hill you just went up then everyone screams and you are going so fast you forget about the yeti until you go into his cave you see him very breifly but thats just the point he is supposed to be a myth so when you see that ferocious beast you get a big shock. Overall this is just such a thrill and you just want go on over and over again my last included at least 7 rides on this the single rider is such a great idea if you want to get on a lot
...this is my favorite attraction in all of Walt Disney World. Still in my least favorite park, however, with the smallest amount of things to do.
When this ride first opened, I was terrified to ride it. I saw it being built and it looked relly scary at the time. My parents finally got me to ride it and I loved it! I had never been on a rollercoaster that went backwards but I loved this ride! It was loads of fun :)
This is a fantastic roller coaster. Going backwards was great and quite original and the final leg of the ride is incredible - you are flying down the track. However, the yeti wasn't working. I knew this going in, but I was surprised it didn't say anywhere close to the ride that the only yeti was on a screen.
My family and I went on this ride and it was amazing. We did not have fast passes so we went through the longer line. It was a pretty long line(just cuz alot of people like it)but it was fun looking at all the amazing detail in the inside waiting such as the information about the yeti, the camping store, everything was great. The backwards thing can be a little dizzy because my son got a little dizzy but over all that was one of the best rides there is in the Animal Kingdom and I hope they make more just like Expedition Everest.
Me and my sister went to animal kingdom with my mom one of our days that we visited the parks in 2008. We went there to ride Kilo. Safaris and Expedition Everest.(Not enough to do) But we went on Everest when it opened early in the morning. I had already been on it in previous years and new what to expect. We rode the ride 16 times and still wanted to ride more! SOME ADVICE! The front of the train is the best seating location on the entire ride, you get the whole feeling in your stomach. If your go to Disney World you cant miss this one of a kind attraction...
When visiting the Animal Kingdom one can't help but notice the gigantic mountain looming over the Asian section of the park.It is a well detailed recreation of Mount Everest and inside is a high speed roller coaster and a very angry yeti. Disney has really gone all out with the design of the mountain as it is very detailed and impressive. There are several waterfalls and shrubbery to look at from the outside but not much on the inside. Queue- Excellent It is an understatement to say the Imagineers are detailed. The theming to Everest's queue is by far one of the most impressive lines located at any theme park. The outside line has a tibetan village feel to it with it's ritual shrines and detailed architecture. After waiting for a while you enter the inside portion of the queue which is made to look like an Asian musuem. There are several glass cases showcasing evidence of the Yeti and some animal exhibits showing what wildlife is native to Mount Everest's landscape. Even if the line is over an hour the queue is so impressive it may make you forget your tired feet. The loading station is the only downside to the queue as it is not as impressive as the rest of the line. 9.1/10 stars Ride- Excellent To start off I have to congratulate the detail that went onto the making of Expedition Everest's trains. They come complete with several tea trading markings that give a hats off to the attraction's backstory and have real steam that is released in the loading station. That being said, the attraction is impressive from beginning to end. You start off by climbing the lift hill and passing through some shrines for the yeti. Disney Imagineers did a fine job with creating some of the murals for the attraction. Afterwards you finish your ascent and embark on a brief trip through the mountain's glaciers. The mountain is given a tratment involving mist and cold air to give you a sense of being atop the tall mountain. When your trains run afoul of broken tracks they zoom backwards into the roller coaster segment. The backwards portion is, to warn visitors, very disorienting that can make one dizzy. You finally are rocketed down an 80 ft. drop and into a high speed roller coaster ride, complete with an encounter with the Yeti. The inside of the attraction doesn't have much detail like the exterior. The Yeti animatronic is, when it's working however, the most gigantic, impressive, fluid, and detailed character that can be found in any theme park. The rollercoaster portion of the attraction is not as intense as most coasters but is still fun and disorienting in a good way. 8.9/10 stars Expedition Everest is one of Disney's best rides by far and is complete with a painstaking amount of detail the imagineers put in, making it one of the best coasters I have ever ridden. Hopefully this originality will be Disney's first priorities in the making of future attractions at the Animal Kingdom.
Take one look at EE and you know that you're in for a treat. While it may not be as thrilling as a lot of roller coasters, the track itself is very well designed and the backwards portion definitely makes this a unique experience.
is a great ride but the yeti is 90% of the show please come back :( would get a ten but until mr yeti comes back....
Well done Joe, well done.......This attraction makes me long for more like it- the detail- smooth ride- thrill factor- great story If you have not done this coaster please try it- it won't scare you to badly. Just an overall fun fide with a couple of twists and turns. This coaster is the best I have seen well done Joe, well done....
Definitely agree on the fast pass! Get it quickly - at the very least so that you can wait in line once and go a second time b/c you're going to want to! We have a really funny look at this ride on YouTube, iTunes and our site at http://www.PipersPicks.TV/?p=5
What can I say but amazing. This ride from the line to the finish is a blast. Let's start with the line, it moves fast usually unless it's a peak time, so you will most likely move past everything quickly but there sure is a lot to look at. Once on the ride it is probably the smoothest coaster i've been on. The backwards portion is what always gets the thrill nod from me. Some people complain about not seeing the Yeti for long enough, but it's supposed to be a myth like "did i really just see him trying to grab me or not?!" But I guess some people don't get it. Overall a new Disney classic, don't miss it. Oh by the way if your staying on the property and happen to be there for an AK evening EMH do it if at all possible. You will be able to walk on this thing as many times as you like in the last hour and a half of the park being open.
Get you Fast Pass as soon as you enter the park. This is truely one of the best Disney Attractions ever.
If your going to Animal Kingdom and want a thrill packed suprise ride this is it. {But Dinosour is a close second} First, it depends on what time you go. If you go on in the morining when there isn't a line ride right away and grab a fasspass and ride the ride agian. When the time comes for your fasspass you will be able to cut a really really long line. If you go at night or in the afternoon, you will have to wait a very very very very long long long long line. Ok back to the ride. You will feel nervous when you first enter Animal Kingdom and see the Himalays sticking up and hearing kids scream. When you get back there in Aisia, you will be bored very very fast and you will take off. I got the pleasure to get the front row seat in the train. You are supposed to be going to have a nice day in the Himalayas that is until the yeti, the abonimal snowman knows your here. He's hungry and he wants to eat YOU! After you take a decant slow ride you hear the yeti then the ride goes super super super duper fast and then you come to a STOP! The train tracks have been torn apart by the yeti! After looking at all 4 parks from an amazing view, the train speeds in reverse. you see a few suprises and after that, your in pitch black darkness. After it feels like you've done a loop, although you haven't, you ride around some more and then are done. This ride a the #3 ride the world voted out of all 4 theme parks. This ride is a must. If you have a scared child { or grown up} do a baby swap. Tell the seater you are doung a baby swap. You and the kid that wants to go on ride rides it. Then when they are done they go to the front of the ride and tell the people if they will like the ride. If he/her does you can all ride together. Again I will say Expition Everest is the best ride in Animal Kingdom
This ride is great for AK. The attention to detail in the lineup areas is nice and the ride itself is exciting.
Well what could I say about this ride? A lot of good things. There is not as much things to do in AK comparing to other parks in WDW but Expedition Everest is the number one thing to do while you are visiting AK, and it's one of my favorite rides in WDW. I go every year to WDW and this is one of the rides that "I have" to do. This ride is worth getting the Fastpass or waiting patiently for around 90 minutes (depends when you visit). I went n it 3 times and I get a fast pass first thing when you get there.
Well I dont kno where 2 start because I love this ride. even though this is not the fastest or biggest loop dee loop of a rollercoaster this combined with it's awesome attention to detail is like my favorite roller coaster of all time and I love thrill rides and I give my thanks to Joe Rohde for making this attraction a reality. Its amazing especially going backwards and seeing The yeti. I get chills everytime I see Him. He (the yeti) is an amazing realistic aa when in A mode. I give this ride all the way highest props.
In October of 2006 was the very first time my family and I experienced this AMAZING RIDE! Any age group will love this ride. I am 15 and I loved it so much... I couldn't get enough. My parents both loved it too. The Yeti is sweet, it is so surprising the very first time. Disney worked their magic and combined suspense and thrill in just the right way. The only downfall... and most of you know it... the lines. Even in the off season, we waited at least 20 minutes in 80+ weather. But any way.. WE LOVE IT!
Expedition Everest is great ride - from the top you can see almost the entire WDW property. Once the ride gets going you will feel like you are being tracked down by the Yeti - until you finally come face to face with him. Terrific theming - fun for all ages. A+
This is a not to be missed attraction: make sure you get a souvinear photo of you on the ride :) Also i like when it goes backwords. I am a bit afraid of the yeti ...seriously. that thing creeps me out. One of the greatest thrills at the world
This ride is the best.The second time me and my sister rode in the very front row.The front is the best.But if you are afriad of heights you might want a row in the middle because in the front row you can see EVERYTHING especialy when your going backwards.This was my favorite ride at animal kingdom.And the mountain looks sick in the park its awsome!
We rode twice on Fri(1/4). The last time was around 6 o'clock. It was awesome. After we bought our picture we came out and saw everyone looking up at the mountain. The ride had stopped on it's way up. People were getting out and having to walk down. They had been stuck there awhile. It looked very scary. I was wondering if anyone else might have any more information about this. When we were riding it, it took a little longer than usual for it to get going after we had gone backwards. A guy riding with me said that something was wrong. I didn't know b/c it was my first time(my daughter and her friend rode that morning). I still loved it and thought it was as good as rockin' roller coaster.
What can I say? It's way cool! If you can, do the single rider line and save lots of time. The theming for the ride queue is so well done, everyone should walk through it at least once!
This ride is amazing, it is the BEST ride ive ever been. The Imagineers did an excellent job on designing it. I cant get enough of it!!!
My first reaction was to write a two page review, praising this wonderful feat of Imagineering, though I will cut it short, and tell you that in my opinion, it was/is the best attraction ever developed by the Walt Disney company.
I was scared to go on this because I thought it would have too big of a drop, and it did but I loved it!!
It was an amazing ride! I got the very front at one point and it was awesome. Although, if you don't like going backwards in the dark, I suggest you don't ride. The yeti seems so real!
Great ride. My own 'personal' complaint is that this ride made me a bit sick (during the backwards (and upwards) rentry into the mountain). I'm fine with just about any coaster ride but Everest did me in...being in one of the back cars seems much worse than being the in one of front few cars. Typical Disney, great stroyline, attention to detail, etc.
This is my second favorite ride [Soar`n is the best]. It had some great visuals, an amazing story-line, and most important it was fun!
Enjoyed it quite a bit the first time I went on this but came back for more the second and third time, and loved it even more. A rollercoaster with a twist. The bonus was we went on it 3 times in two days at Animal Kingdom and the longest queue was 15 minutes!
ONE OF MY FAV RIDES AT DISNEY WORLD, I LOVE IT WHEN YOU GO BACKWARDS. THE WHOLE RIDE IS REALLY WORTH THE WAIT.
Wow...what a great ride. The yeti is awesome. the double helix is a blast. The only problem (small at that) is that if you're not in the very front seat, when the ride goes backward some people can tend to get a little nausiated. ( if you're in the front, you can see where you are coming from) This is the reason for the 9 of 10 rather than the 10 of 10.
This is the best Disney ride EVER!!! It has great scenary and is a thrill. It is also cool how they designed it, with the flipping track, going backwards and the Yeti at the end that looks real. This is a great ride and is the best ride i've ever been on!! It's fun and its for everyone GREAT RIDE!!!!
I have been on many, many roller coasters in my life, and Expedition Everest is the freakiest one I have been on. All I kept saying when I got off was, "How did they do that?" It is sooo cool! I had to immediately go on again, because the first time I was in such confusion as to what would happen to me. The second time I could enjoy it even more! The scary thing is that most other roller coasters you can tell what will happen because you can see the whole ride before you get on. Not so with Expedition Everest! You have no idea what will happen until you go on. That is so fun! I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a thrill.
The first best ride in Animal Kingdom
I thought the ride was awsome! It was just alittle short. I love the part where it goes backwards. It sort of feels like gravity is pulling you upside down. The wait in line was interesting too. There are alot of neat things to look at. My first experiance on this ride was 11-13-07....We walked right on about 10 times in a row because we went when it was less crowded...What a fun time!
I rode 13 times in a row the first time. I ride at least 3 times every trip which is every other weekend. So I will make this short and simple. This ride is beautiful. Excellent ride technology, exciting twists, stunning detail. Annother 100 million dollar one of a kind genius. Perfect for all ages.
everest was fun but...a lil disappointing...it doesn't live up to the hype...going backwards was fun and different but the yeti which looks awesome only shows up twice(one being only his shadow)it should appear a lil bit more...also the ride ends too quickly...universal's the mummy ride is what a coaster with monsters should be...disney take note!
This was a great ride. My children and I loved it. Animal Kingdom needed something like this to really make it a must see park. I only wish that I had bought the picture of us on this ride. It was so funny! Disney really did a great job with this one from the start to the finish. I love the way it looks in the park too. It's so cool to see a mountain like that in Florida. :)
Nice experience. Relatively intense for a Disney coaster. The look, appearance and detail given to the coaster and surrounding area is nothing short of amazing.
Expedition Everest was the best ride I've ever been on! I was scared with one thing. When you're in the mountain, I actually thought you were going down NOT UP! Other then that, it was great. The yeti was a great AA. We got to see version A of the yeti and I really hope to never see version B EVER!
The Matterhorn at Disneyland accomplishes Everest's mission more completely than the ride that was built specifically for that purpose. You get a full sense of a monster finding and pursuing you as you careen wildly down a mountain for a good 3 minutes or so. On Everest, it's more like you swing by and annoy some monster while passing through a mountain and doing a helix for about a minute and a half. It's an embarrassing coaster even by Thunder Mountain standards, which even though it doesn't provide you with a "big drop" definitly gives you a convincing and thrilling jouney with a great many thematic elements and a decent duration. The queue is neat but a bit reminicent of a watered down Kali queue. The mountain is tall but not wide leaving no room for the ride to actually do anything. The most amazing moment of Everest is when we not only go backwards into the mountain but also travel back to 1959 when steel structural supports were visible within the Matterhorn. In the coming years, imagineers sought to create a more realistic mountain and covered all of that up with cavewalls, icicles, and crystals. However now in 2005, we build Everest and we are right back to looking at steel supports. Perhaps they designed the backwards section to be seen by looking foward accidentally. One thing that would infinitly improve the attraction would be to go back to some of the original designs for the ride done almost 6 years ago. In the original version, the steam engine (in front) would've detatched giving the reason for the backwards section. When you came to a stop before going foward again, instead of the Kongfrontation homage you would see a huge animatronic monster whom you could not escape from. Then after that shock you would launch foward. That scene would've improved the ride immensely. Instead we get the Yeti shadow which is quite terrible when you realise the scale is completely off and he either shrinks before we see him again or he is destroying his toy train set. I won't even get on the plastic bird because compared to this other stuff, he's ok in my book.
The theme, waiting area, everything! Expedition Everest is da bomb! you must ride it 10/10
My kids and I are very much roller coaster people. We LOVED EE. It's fast enough to please a coaster enthusiast, and creative enough to please the disneyfan in me. From the top of the lift hill you can see much of the WDW property. Then it's a very fun 2 to 3 minutes of winding track backwards and forward, with a final push past the Yeti. The coaster effects are supurb, and it's not crazy enough to tear you apart. Just smooth, curvy, and fast. I think it appeals to the same group that loves Space Mountain. Well Done Disney.
Looming in the distance of Animal Kingdom, a mountain awaits. Though it seems small from a distance, as you begin to approach it you realize that this mountain is quite large, and quite intimidating. Expedition Everest, the newest mountain in the Disney repertoire is - in my opinion - one of the greatest attractions that Disney has designed and built in the last 10 years. Everything about this attraction is large, and as you line up to experience this "forbidden mountain" you'll realize exactly how much time and effort was put into creating this attraction. The queue is elaborate, with many different and exotic trinkets that your eyes cannot help but to look at. And you begin to realize that this "legend" that you have only heard about, is very real - and you are about to come face to face with him...the Yeti. Once you reach the loading platform, you see the ride vehicle that will take you on this adventure to the peak of Everest. An old train, with a screeching whistle and steam coming from the rear. Your stomach is at your neck at this point in anticipation, and when you sit down...the energy you feel is like nothing else in this world. The train begins to move, and there is no turning back now. Circling around the mountain, you begin to climb...past shrines repelling the Yeti from the village below, over snow, and through the icy caverns that is Everest. At this point, I will stop myself from revealing any details that ensue after this point...I would not want to ruin any surprises for anyone. But I feel I should say that this ride DOES go backwards, but not through any loops. And there is one long drop in the middle of the ride. Seeing the Yeti for yourself is an experience that you will never forget. His image will be burned into your brain, and yet...you will still be asking yourself if you really saw him. Did you imagine him? When the experience is over, the train pulls up to the station, and your adventure through Expedition Everest is complete. You have survived. Now go buy a souvenir photo! Definitely a "must see" attraction for any coaster enthusiast, and a "family attraction" that will delight members of (almost) any age group. I gave this attraction a 9, simply for the fact that I wish it had been just a little longer. But do not let that stop you. Go to Animal Kingdom, and experience Expedition Everest!
I love this ride so much that I rode 300 times. I loved it ever since I rode it the first time. The first time that I rode it was last Febaury when it was soft openings once and then again in July. I started counting the number of time in Sept. when I first moved down here from Connecticut. I've made friends with most of the cast members there. And when they were having a going away party for all the College program kids they invited me to go. The most times that I rode the ride was 36 times on Hollween day. That was a fun day were they open up the fastpass line for everyone to go thru.
So I didn\'t write my review in June after my trip because I didn\'t want my friends and mine amazing comments about this ride to get in the way of my review. Now after my family rode it this past week, and reinforced my views, I\'m ready. Let me start of by saying that this is the best ride at WDW. Period. If I could only do one ride, this would be it. It is a pure Imagineering masterpiece. The Queue First of all, I love the queue. It\'s wonderfully detailed, and isn\'t one that just hands the story over to you. You have to search for little clues about the past of the railroad and the country that you are in. I love how the Imagineers really left things to reward the observant riders, giving them more insight on the history of the Royal Andapaur Railroad. Plus the yeti museum is pretty cool, revealing some history/theory on the yeti. The Ride A great, thrilling trip through the Forbidden Mountain. Great scenery before and during the lift hill. I love the broken track segment, but the bird is a little tacky. The backwards portion is the most intense thrill you can have at WDW. It\'s hard to explain how it feels, but it\'s crazy. The projection room is cool, and adds some supense to seeing the yeti. The Yeti I gave the yeti its own section, because I think its that important. There have been many complaints that you do not see him for long enough. I believe that you see him for just the right amount of time. His movements are fluid and looks real. Many of my freinds were actually ducking as we went under hime you get so close. Problems The only problems I have with EE is that there could be more of a thrilling score to the ride, at least in the very begining while traveling through the forest. Also, the ride isn\'t great for smaller children, which could alienate some families. In summary Everest is a grade A+ attrcation that I believe is the best attraction at WDW.
I loved Expedition Everest. The theming is great and it makes you feel like you are really at the Mount Everest (even though you never quite make it there!) The yeti is awesome and it seemed so close to me when I went on it. It felt like I could touch him/her/it if I tried. Don\'t listen when others say that it is like Big Thunder Mountain. It goes backwards and makes you feel like you are going upside down (you go down and up in a circular motion when you are going backwards). Also, when you are going up the big hill into the mountain, it is really frightening! I barely even noticed the big hill out of the front of the mountain, it went so fast. I suggest this ride for anybody who likes thrills but I dont suggest it for anybody that thinks that Big Thunder Mountain is too much. Overall, I think that it is one of the best rides on Disney Property. I love it!
Not as good as Disney hyped it up. Honestly, I am a little bit disappointed with EE. The backward is interesting and fun but not something totally unique or \\\"wow\\\". Yeti is quite lifelike but it\\\'s too short to meet with. I think the finale is a let down. The theming is as good as it possibly can but overall this ride is just slightly above average. I wouldn\\\'t want to wait for more than 30 mins for this ride, but ironically the only way to avoid waiting less than an hour is to get a fastpass which will force you to pass the queue which proabably is the best part of this attraction.
Overall, I\'d say the ride was a unique and refreshing experience. The ambience and theming is absolutely top notch. The ride could be longer and more thrilling however it really meets the intended criteria .. intensely themed with a wide array of riders. The only disappointment to me was probably the length of the ride - I was expecting it to be a little bit longer; also, the story was sort of disjointed in the middle. In the end though, it\'s a great ATTRACTION, not just a ride.
This is precisely the attraction the AK needed. Fast, fun, and full of surprises. My sons, who were already big Space Mountain, BTMRR, and Test Track fans, enjoyed this ride as much as or more than those others. The theming is extraordinary.
The detail and planning that went into this attraction is awe inspiring and its fun too! It is popular so the que is understandably long at most times of the day. My only problem is that the merchandise is very limited (no fridge magnets!) Also the Yeti snowboard stuff is out of place in my opinion, I thought it was supposed to be authentic? They need more shirts and t shirts sized for women, the shirts that they are selling are just WAY to big and the designs are too limited. Why is it that there are so many t shirts for men and only 1 design (that comes in two colors) for women?
This ride finally brings escapism and fantasy to the animal kingdom. Its perfect in everyway and gets better and better every time you ride....especially at night. Negative reviews i predict are from people with no imagination or sense of fun. Sure anyone can go thru the ride saying \\\"oh that's fake and ya that doesn't look real\\\" but that's there problem. Ride this ride you won't be disappointed. Have fun!!!!
I really had high hopes for this attraction. It really is a bit of a disappointment. I would only ride it again if I could walk right on. I think a lot of people are riding it because there isn\\\\\\\'t much else to see at AK. AK is such a pretty park, but it really doesn\\\\\\\'t have much going for it in the way of attractions. Unfortunately, Everest really doesn\\\\\\\'t add that much to it.
Boring ride. Don\'t waste your time. This is easily the most overrated ride ever. It looks great on the outside, but the ride itself is just a total waste of time. I was expecting a really neat queue, but even that is pretty dumb. There\'s nothing to see except for a lot of backpacking equipment. Disney standards have really dropped.
What a great ride! Even better, what a great ATTRACTION! The whole place is so authentic, you will actually WANT to wait for this to soak in the queue ---- an attraction in itself! I feel that the storyline could be more dramatic / involved (what about the tea company??)....this could also have helped make the ending more "complete." A greater emphasis could be placed on Rohde's intent to make the Yeti the "good character" .... that the expedition services are impeding on "nature's purity." This would REALLY allow us as Guests to come out of the attraction with the appreciation I think Rohde wants us to have.
I rode this ride 3 times during a "sneak preview". Since it's new the wait will be longer than most, but on a Wednesday in February the line was about 40 minutes long (accurately noted in the wait time sign). They have 4 coasters going at the same time so the line continually moves. Fastpass is available, which I used a second time. I also use the "single rider" line which took about 5 minutes (same line as "fastpass return"). When getting close to the ride you walk through a building meant to represent an expedition guide post. They have numerous authentic displays about Mount Everest and the surrounding areas. There are many real items brought directly from Nepal which adds to the overall feel. The line was moving rather quickly and there wasn’t much time to take it all in. There’s also numerous displays dealing with the mysterious Yeti, who you may encounter on the ride. The ride itself is very similar to Thunder Mountain in Magic Kingdom. There are no big drops but many twists and turns. The biggest twist however is that the ride goes backward for a good distance. It’s fast, furious and a lot of fun! My 9 year old daughter loved it and I saw many younger children enjoying it also. The “Yeti” is less scary than the T.Rex at the end of Dinosaur. Overall I give it a 9 out of 10. (Rock&Roller Coaster being a 10, Thunder Mountain a 7). It is certainly a must ride when at Disney.
During our recent trip, my family rode E:E three times on two visits to AK. Here is a person-by-person rundown: Motion-sickness prone 54 year old male: Only experiences very slight nausea after riding. Reported feeling worse after riding Dinosaur!. The level of nausea experienced did not prohibit him from enjoying the ride nor would it prevent him from riding again. 21 year old male with extreme fear of heights: Was too awed by the view and the ride experience to be scared. The 'big' drop was not all that big. Was the first to get back in line. 25 year old male with previous back/neck injury: Was not too jerky to irritate old injuries. *NOTE* his doctor has not advised him to avoid roller coasters or other rides. 25 year old female: (ME!) I am a heavier woman than some (5'7" size 22) and found the seats to be perfectly comfortable (I have had discomfort on some WDW rides) and was able to ride next to another adult with no problems. All in all, we were surprised by this ride - in a good way! I was expecting it to feel like a short roller coaster ride (like when they're over too soon) but this felt very un-rushed. The effects were all amazing, especially the Yeti himself. The scenery was appropriate for the area of the world they are trying to represent, and we all thought the queuing area was just great. So many rides have you lining up and looking at just walls, or a few pictures, or a couple of televisions. I felt that the entire queuing area drew you in to the story, from the shrines and bells outside to the wool caps, stock room, and the museum-like presentation of 'evidence' in the final room of the queuing area. One thing we noticed was on the first day we rode, it seemed we could REALLY see the Yeti; he was very well lit for a prolonged period. The second day we rode, it seemed that the lighting was more intermittant and therefore the Yeti was not as easy to see, well to see details at least. It was still scary and great though!
Everthing about this ride is amazing. Justthe work alone that went into making it is amazing
I was able to ride Expedition Everest last Sunday (January 29) as a part of the preview the opened for all annual passholders......and i did........SEVEN TIMES IN A ROW! It is a very good coaster, so far the smoothest one built by Vekoma (although you cant forget it's still brand new) and is a wonderful new addition to AK. The Line: At the first time around, the line was stretched out past the fast pass area, through to a little corner near what looked like a restaurant of some sort. Line times first said 90 mins, but I only waited in line for about 40 mins. (I traveled by myself) Single riders was available but 1: you had to ask for a single rider's pass, and 2: i wanted to see this awesome theming ive heard about. First stop: the enterance building, done quite nicely, building themed perfectly with the asian wood hues and age. The computer they had in there was old (to be expected) and things like exposed florescant lighting definetly helped. From there you continued on to the "temple" section of the line. There were some nice "but loud" prayer bells which were a bit fun to ring here and there, plus some nice yeti inspired art. To those of you who travel in groups, try to get a coin into one of the goblets in the center where the 4 headed yeti stands. And ..man...some guy had actually threw a $50 bill into the cesspit. Ok moving out, from the temple, you go into....a path surrounded by bamboo, grass plugs, and what is proported as tea. Its very nice, the bamboo looks astounding but it makes you wonder "Didn't our friend Joe say they spent millions on theming" The theme is way over hyped in the queue. Next, after your little forest exploration you come to a shop where expedition gear is sold...very nice, similar to the first building you had entered but stuck to themeing, but unless they had spent thousands of dollars for rice cookers and cans of food....its still over hyped. And from there you go into a "Yeti museum" and explore the history of Everest climbing, the culture, and how the Yeti has effected them all. Very nicely done all in all, and i'll reiterate..over hyped. Last part, you hit a hall way encased in your regular walls and a window where you can see the loading dock. Nice touch, you've kept your audience in suspense long enough. Score for the line: 3.5/5 just slightly above average The train: The train is a rather standard thing but nicely themed, sticking with the "Anadapur" theme of the Asia section of AK very nicely, it seated 2 people per row, 3 rows per car, and...if i recall correctly, about 6 cars per train. It's designed to look like a diesel pusher/shunter train but yet is steam powered...kinda kills the realism for people who enjoy engineering like me, but for the kiddies, its all good. It has steam that comes out of the train normally upon entering the loading dock and exiting, although, its a bummer to see the sticker on the steam mechanism saying "CAUTION: HOT STEAM"..they really should get rid of it, and keep it only facing the employees. But the steam trick isn't always reliable. Nice touch though. The trains themselves are currently very very smooth except upon the helixes where they can be a bit rough and brings back memories of Space Mountain and the jarring and shaking come into play. I definetly like the bag/leg guards (attached to your lap bar)that keep goods and you from falling out of the cars, and ITS A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT MORE CONVENIENT THAN STORING YOUR STUFF AWAY INTO A LOCKER (LEARN THAT LESSON UNIVERSAL). The break skids on the train are a bit awkward though...they look FREAKING HUGE kinda like a knife jutting out of the bottom of the train, you wonder how they fit mechanisms for the chain lift with em on? But mechanics amaze me so i find it cool. Oh and of course, the lap bars and seats are meant for one person only so you dont careen into your next seat partner, or nearly shove them off the car. Score: 4.5/5 The Loading Platform itself: Normal, comparable to Rock n' Roller Coaster...standard gates, not your standard steam machine, the mechanism to unlock the lapbars are highly unusual to me though, it looks like a bent rail that goes up and down. I nearly mistook it as a piece of rail that got caught onto the train and was dragged along. The biggest complaint, albeit minor, is the fact that you see the exit platform, one of the greatest things about disney coasters is that normally, you never see the people exit, makes you wonder if they had survived or not, or if it was any good. Here it's in plain view. Still just as effiecient as all the others since you have dual platforms=more trains on the track. But its still not quite the same. A quickly prepared wall would do quite nicely. 3.5/5 The Ride...Finally- Yes this is a spoiler for those who haven't ridden it. Upon the hands up from all ride operators you are moved forward onto the track. SLIGHT hill down, right turn, and onto what i like to call a fakie chain lift, after that, a short plummet onto another oval track which is a nice touch..gets the blood flowing for the new riders, and onto the main chain lift. The closer you sit to the front, the less harsh the connection to the chain lift is, which can be pretty rough. As you go up you get some superb views of AK, Epcot, Swan and Dolphin, and you go through a "Fortress" as it has been said. Eerie music plays along with nice decorations of Yeti art surround you. Then you hit the top of the mountain, you hear the train's whistle and you make a slight drop, left turn, sharp left bank, AND HIT THE BRAKES MAN! THE TRACKS BROKE! lol....you are carried up by multiple sets of wheels up to the face of the broken track as you hear the sounds of the train struggling to stop. You wait shortly (for those of you in front get a nice shot of the fake bird, broken track, and 2 other theme parks and the Swan/Dolphin. Then a slight SLIGHT short earthquake that's barely noticeable, and you are (rather slowly) shot down. (for those of you sitting in the back, your only entertainment is to stare at the flipping track at this point, and that also seems to be the most interesting thing for everyone riding the coaster). For those of you not expecting this, this may seem boring, but you quickly gather speed as go FAST backwards down inside the mountain. By far this is the most exhileration part of the ride and the most spectacular. No clue as to where you are going cept for the speed and g forces. Absolutely timeless. Yes you do go up a bit, but i personally haven't figured out where it is. It's about 24 seconds in length from my timing, and its better than the 3 seconds on The Mummy. Then you break again, and its MOVIE TIME!. You've been pulled into a siding, and while the track in front of you flips, you see the Yeti tearing up the track. Its ok, nothin scary, and if there is someone screaming, its probably because they are trying to act Goofy. Then you are thrusted forward, and DOWN YOU GO! Wave to the crowd, and then its left bank, and back through the mountain. Out again, and into a 2 story helix, and are climing it up, very very nice. Good g forces, lots of fun. Albeit a bit rough. You head back into the mountain and meet the yeti......or lack thereof. You only see the yeti for about 3 seconds, then down to ground level, and out into the break field before entering the exit dock. The yeti, after meeting him 7 times is done quite nicely, he/she/it is the fastest moving animatronic device ever, but i wish they had stopped the vehicle a bit or at least let us see him. Infact, the track leading next to the yeti that looks broken is a lot scarier than the yeti, and even the tunnel the yeti stands over is scarier as it gives the head chopper illusion quite nicely for those who sit close to the front. Score:5/5 Final Statements: It's absolutely wonderful, but should be taken with some things in mind. Namely, you really shouldnt wait more than 1 hour for the ride as you may be dissappointed by the results, but for me 7 times, and still going strong. It's still very very fun, and I cant wait to go on it again. (Roller coasters only get boring to me when i memorize the track layout and everything audio around it). Also, for every beginning rider out there, even single riders, if its your first time, go through the queue line, and take in the theming, its very enjoyable, even if its overhyped. Hope to see you there. -Your Disney Tour Expert-
EE is a superb addition to the line-up at Animal Kingdom, and WDW as a whole. It's classic Disney through and through. An exciting adventure for people of (almost) all ages (if you meet the height requirement). Amazing attention to detail everywhere from the walk to the queue, to the queue itself, to the ride and the effects. An amazing animatronic figure. A storyline that works on multiple levels from just a fun ride with Yeti encounters to a philosophical debate about man's impingement on nature. Best of all its laid out in visuals so you can get out of it what you want without having to endure another video pre-show like so many recent attractions. It also has amazing repeat value. If it weren't for the park closing at 6pm, I would have taken another spin on EE and I was there the entire day at AK (most of it spent in line to ride it) And most of all, its just a lot, and I mean A LOT, of fun. One of Disney's best to date. Excellent job for all those involved in creating another classic Disney masterpiece
Needs a bit of work. When you are going backwards, you can really see the inside of the mountain. I hope this is fixed before the official opening.
EE is an instant Disney classic. Period. It pushes the envelope as a thrill/coaster attraction and provides enough thrills and chills to sooth thrillseekers, yet adds enough theming and element to attract non-coaster riders. Everyone should experience it. The attraction is smooth, fast and groundbreaking. The reviews above have done a fair job of describing it technically, and I don't want to rehash what's already been said. Disney has created plenty of classic attractions in its day - most have taken a number of years to achieve that "classic" status. This is untrue for EE. It immediately awakes the senses and brings a smile to one's face. It has infused a new vitality to AK and has provided a visually and sensory grand slam for all to enjoy. With apologies to Nike...Just Ride It!
I went during Cast Previews and I thought it was well done and exciting. Due to the fact I just moved down to Tampa and just became a CM it was trilling just in that sense. This being my first preview I was trying to get and I still am encouraging everyone to ride this ride. I belive that Animal Kingdom finally has a real ride to account for and Disney World has another success story that will indeed become if it has not already become a classic to fill the tresured hearts of all Disney World vistors. I will definitly be going on this ride for years to come. This ride though is not meant like it says for everyone if you do not enjoy drops (though they aren't as bad as some drops they don't last too long because of the smoothness and speed of the ride) or anything in the dark this ride is deffintily (sp?) not for you. The kids if they are adventureous might enjoy but the Yeti can still scare some adults (I was on the ride with a few). I can't wait to ride again also I enjoyed that you have a close enough picture spot on the side of the shop so that if you have "chicken" family memebers they could take your picture and not have to guess because they can see you drop. I can not wait to go opening day in april (which is the time period they are discussing at this moment may change).
There's no missing this attraction! You anticipate it by seeing the mountain tower over Animal Kingdom as you pull into the park. Once you walk into Asia or out of DinoLand USA you see how enormous it really is. The town makes you feel you're really in another world. The queue area makes you really wonder what you're going to see, referring to the Yeti. With all the artifacts and books helps you understand what you might be going through. Once you see the steam of the train you know there's no turning back. All I can say is hold on for the ride of your life! Thanx to Animal Kingdom for allowing the Annual Passholder preview! After riding it three times I knew there was no way I would miss Expedition Everest anytime I visit the resort. I've said it once and I'll say it a million times, "There's no missing the attraction!"
Review from opening day, Thursday, January 26, 2006. Queuing time was as most Disney attractions a little inflated. Posted 30 min. was more like 15-20 min. There was minimal audio/music. So if you want noise then ring the prayer bells on your way through. The PreShow/Queuing Area has been described in much detail so I won't add much except to say it is in 4 parts: the expedition booking office, supply store, museum, and a wall of photos of your expedition leader and team. If you FastPass this attraction it is mostly just he booking office and team photos. Sneaky in the thrill department. Quite a pleasant ride through the country side until things go wrong. **Spoiler** - I don't think anyone has mentioned the earthquake or avalanche effect just before the backward drop happens. The train does shake some. Biggest surprise is the "drop" is not a straight drop backwards. Lots of ups and downs with mostly curves. In fact if you look down there is enough light leakage into the mountain that you can see spirals of track below you. Also, while you can't see the first switchbackfrom mid- train to the front, (at least I couldn't because of the high seat back), you can watch the second switchback FLIP over. It occurs during the Yeti projection about when it rips up the tract. Look at the track down before you to see this. Very cool engineering. I had thought it would have been more like a flat train track where the rails just move sideways but the track section actually inverts. Most unanticipated thrill is the enormous drop out of the projection scene and the Gee forces that are pulled in the banks of the double helix track. So much for a pleasant ride in the country side! OK the view of the Yeti AA is brief. So when you enter the cave after the projection scene and see a green exit sign on the upper right cave wall start looking up. If you are in the back of the train you will have more time to react to this. Very nice fluid motion to the AA's action. I think this is enhanced by the "wispy" hair flowing from the Yeti's arm. Best ride for the backward portion is in the rear of the train. The brakes before the load/unload station are really forceful but be prepared for a jolt for the final stop. Not particularly pleasant. Upon disembarking into the PostShow/Merchandise area you are welcomed back from your expedition and shown the way into this area. The traffic flow in here is terrible. There is no easy egress out of there. Likewise, it is congested even if you are trying to find something to purchase. Merc doesn't seem to be organized in any particular grouping patterns except that the shirts are hung along the walls. Nicer/pricey adult items are mixed together with toys and plush for the kids. There is a lot of schizophrenia about what the Yeti looks like depending on what item you purchase. It ranges from what you would expect from a Saturday morning cartoon of the Yeti to a fair approximation even though the coloring in wrong. Duration - upon first riding you will say it is too short and find yourself saying, "Let's ride again!" Fair enough. Even after you have seen the actual Yeti the ride offers enough thrill for repeatability. Once you get a few rides under your belt you will realize the duration is about right - unless the wait times get insane. I found it was brisk business earlier in the morning and walkon in the hour before park close, (let me qualify this by saying I am reviewing the AP preview. Most people I talked to in line rode two or three times at most and then were out of there so the lines were at first inflated and then self diminishing. My experience was from about 10 AM to 12:30 PM and again from 2:00 PM to just before park close for a total of ten rides). I didn't see that many youngsters riding as this was a school day but most were tolerating the ride well. The scary part is over so quickly with the Yeti they didn't seem to be reacting badly to it. I only saw one child in the line where the Yeti theming actually caused them to become upset. Overall I give this a solid Good +. The problem with the gift shop traffic flow isn't something that can't be fixed. Oddly, the purchase of ride photos seems to be separate from the photo pickup. Not just adjacent - completely across the gift shop. If the ride attendance I experienced holds up the hours before park close or a Fast Pass ticket will be the way to go.
Awsome ! Just did it today 5 times! Ride is like a fine wine, the more you go on it the better it gets!
This is a great Disney attraction. WDI did an amazing job.
I rode Expedition Everest three times yesterday (cast preview) and loved it!
First off, let me state I'm not going to be a "RaRa" this is the best Disney has ever done guy. Nope, not here. Lets break this down into 3 pars, Queue, Ride, Gift shop. Queue: Wow, well they did a great job. All I can say, look at the props. Look at the fake wood, that's made of cement. Yes, I'd have to say that they must have blew allot of the budget on just the queue alone. To bad that they had nothing left over for the ride itself. Ride: Yes the steam effect as your train leaves the station is cool. Sadly, it's rather poorly done what with the big "CAUTION HOT STEAM" stickers all over the device. Sort of killed the illusion for me. The ride itself is okay, though I thought I was riding the Matter horn at Disneyland for a few moments there. Icey White Tunnels and all. Sadly, we loose what could have been a great ride right at the very top. Your train comes to a stop by some twisted up tracks and you see a "Plastic" bird. Good god, why? Why? Couldn't we have a Yeti pop up, menace you and tear up some more tracks? That would be cool, but a BIRD? Ugh. We now have the backwards portion. Nice, in all the best part of the ride really. As I can go on BTTM and do a helix on that. Of course, what would the ride be without the "Yeti so big he's not even connected to the building" okay, well. Yea, it was NOT scary. In fact, I did not ask myself "Is this real?" no, I asked myself, "How much did we pay for that?" Oh wait; there was also a projection of a Yeti. Forgot about that, I've seen Ren and Stimpy cartoons that fit better than that did. Why was there a Yeti shadow there? Was there a hole in the wall that let light in? What about at 5pm in the winter when it's dark out? What casts the light for that Shadow effect? Get my drift. At least over at Splash it's a fireplace. Again, couldn't we have had a really cool Yeti figure? Heck, it would have enough time to really "SCARE" you to scream like a girl. But no. Gift shop: Yea, well done. Looks great, but we all knew that would be the case. That's where the money is made, so of course it's going to be good. So that's it. My review. I bet plenty of Disney fans won't like it. To bad, you see this ride could have been great. I mean it, really freaking good. But, again we get a so-so eh, okay ride. Don't wait more than 45 mins for it; you'll hate yourself in the morning.
Not a bad ride. Considering how much money was poured into it, its a fair experience. I wonder if they spent another 50 million they could have added some length to the track -- maybe have it skirt out over the lake area a little or make the outside helix a bit larger or more involved (figure 8?). Its a pretty amazing attraction from a technical perspective as it employs some new tricks. Its a very exciting ride but has little depth to it. Somehow touring a museum or supply shop before riding isn't as exciting as pretending to be in space or the wild west (has Disney milked all possible themes?) I hope its a popular ride for AK's sake and I hope they get the queue worked out as its really bad (in terms of capacity) right now. It would have been great to have the queue extend somehow around the backside of the mountain as well (but there is track to maintenance in the way). Maybe a tunnel or underground queue back there? Its just that at 30 minutes away, you area already on the main path, that kinda sucks. I think they should expand the queue somehow -- spend another 3-5 million on that. Be in ice caves or something. Over all the attraction is fine for what it is -- an E ticket.
rode Everest yesterday during AK cast preview and am providing this very detailed report. note: This is very detailed in terms of track layout, and even though much is known about the layout of the ride, this could be a spoiler for some, so beware. First off, the queue is nice but overhyped. If you like the queue at Kali River Rapids, you'll like this too, very similar in my opinion. But it is less spectacular or "magical" than say Dueling Dragons at IOA but interesting nonetheless. As there wasnt much line during this preview, i didnt linger to soak it all in. Im sure it is more interesting if you are forced to wait in it. As for the ride, very very cool and an instant Disney classic. More than the Mummy, Everest reminds me of thunder mountain, as it is a trainride mostly outside. The thrill level is certainly greater than Big Thunder Mtn though. As others have said, the train toots as it leaves the station and you are off on the journey. A clever trick provides a puff of steam that seems to come from the back of the train. The track banks to the right for the 1st lift hill (small, about Barn Stormer size if that). The train goes down a short dip banking to the left and we have a calm outside section of the ride with another small dip. The area is freshly landscaped and we hear bird noises coming from speakers. We bank to the left again and up the main lift we go, through the Yeti shrine and to the mountain. The lift is very smooth and extremely quiet after the initial hooking on of the train to the lift chain. Once the train clears the lift, we are "in the mountain" but still outside (kind of on the moutain I guess, not in it). We bank to the left again and go up an incline to see mangled tracks. The train stops and an eagle-like bird appears. The pause is about 10-15 seconds while the track behind us (the switchgate) repositions. Meanwhile, we hear ominous sound effects. Next, the train takes off backwards and we go inside the mountain into darkness, banking back and to the left. This section is longer than the Mummy backwards section, about 20-25 seconds long I'd say. It creates good forces, as we careen in the dark seemingly up a banked hill. Finally, the train comes to rest in the mountain and again the track switchgate resets (this time in front of us). Up above, a shadowy Yeti figure is projected (very sharp and crisp). He tears up some track and darts off in a King Kong-like manner as our train darts forward too. The train flies out of the mountain over the big drop and then back into the mountain. Once inside, there is another small banked dip to the right before racing out the back of the mountain for some tight banked left turns. A few seconds later we are back in the mountain for the finale. The train plunges back into darkness, slows a tad before picking up speed for this final scene. The train banks back to the right and we see the very tall Yeti up ahead. He is brown in color and quickly we realize we are headed right under him. The Yeti swoops his arm right at the front cars of the train, very quick and very scary if you are in the front. He re-swoops for the back of the train too. Quickly we leave the mountain and see the unload station ahead. Overall, the ride is extremely cool and fun. The hill is not as big a drop as I expected, literally not much more sensation than the biggest drop of Space Mountain (serious). The backwards section actually is the most thrilling in terms of forces and sensations (heightened by the darkness of it). There is no audio in the cars. The encounter with the Yeti is VERY brief. At first I thought that was lame, but then I realized it kind of preserved the mystery of the Yeti, almost like real explorers who wondered if they really saw what they thought they saw. Anyways, your visual time with this Animotronic is under 5 seconds. Perhaps the coolest part of the ride is the AWESOME view offered by its height. During the first lift hill, if you look out in front of you, you can easily spot AK Lodge and the Highway 192 West area of town. If you turn around on the big lift hill, you can see the Contemporary Resort and Space Mtn in the distance. Around the corner at the mangled track, the front 2 or 3 rows get a GREAT view of Epcot and MGM - any further back in the train cannot see this though. Lastly, on repeat visits, try to sit in the front o get a great view of the switchgate track repositioning (during the projected Yeti sequence just before the big drop). Rather than a traditional switchgate like Norway's, the track flips 180 degrees so that the track you first crossed on is now under the new track, which takes you ina different direction. It is hard to describe but neat to see. (You can also see it if you ride in the back and at the mangled track scene, simply turn around and watch for it). In summary, this ride is a great addition to Animal Kingdom. Disney's single-word description of AK is adventure (MK is fantasy, Epcot is Discovery, etc) and EE absolutely adds to the feeling of adventure at AK. My biggest complaints would be the shortness of the ride (shorter than Big Thunder) and the overhyped queue, which while interesting, just does not live up to the endless hype offered by a certain imagineer.
This ride blew me away. It was everything I hoped for and more. I couldn't belive the attention to detail and just the grand size of it all. The backwards section is cool and all the Yeti effects are really nice. Be sure to look for the falcon at the top of the mountain. It is the funniest thing I've ever seen.
Introduction: This is a review of my riding Expedition: Everest for a promotional filming. The ride is still going through testing procedures and not all elements are running yet. I will update in the future. *SPOILER WARNING* Queuing time: This doesn't really apply to my recent experience with the attraction, as this was a filming and not standard operation. The loading station had a different layout from other attractions, so it should prove to be effective. Audio/music: I'll update on this later, as area music was not running at the time of the filming. The eerie sounds coming from the mountain did add to the overall effect. Queue: Although I didn't see the standby queue, I did get a good look at the overall entrance courtyard. It truly feels like a village in Nepal. I will update on the queue theming when I can, though I've heard that it's one of the best-themed queues in all of Disney. Storyline: You and your team are on your way to climb Mt. Everest, but first you need to cross the Forbidden Mountain, home of the yeti. There is a train that can take you quickly to the other side, but locals warn you: the yeti will be angry if anybody enters his mountain. In the spirit of adventure, your team chooses to take the train..... The ride begins innocently enough- two toots of the whistle, a puff of steam and you're on your way to Mt. Everest. Upon climbing Forbidden Mountain, you pass through a shrine to the yeti. Atop Forbidden Mountain all seems peaceful enough, but something isn't right. Things go dreadfully wrong when you come to a stop- right before a piece of broken track! After a suspenseful pause, your train begins careening into total darkness- BACKWARDS! Once again you come to a stop, only to find that the yeti has torn another train right off the tracks! This time your train plunges forward- out of a cave and straight down the side of the mountain! A sudden curve back inside for a few moments, only to go speeding out of the mountain once more! Your train enters Forbidden Mountain one last time, only to bring you face-to-face with the yeti...... Theming: Although all of the effects weren't working at this time, the theming was quite effective. There are so many details. I particularly enjoyed the steam from the train when it first left the station. Post show/merchandise: I didn't see any type of post show. There is merchandise available at Beastly Bazaar, and the mountain is appearing on some Animal Kingdom t-shirts. Thrill: Although many will say that this ride isn't too thrilling for a roller coaster, I beg to differ. The added theming , effects and story make it so much more than your average thrill ride. Duration: I wouldn't mind if it lasted a bit longer, perhaps involving the yeti more, but more time in the seat may have caused the story lo lag a bit. Kid friendly: This ride isn't violent or rough, so most people should be able to ride with little or no discomfort. Due to the height limit, not all children can ride. I would reccomend letting children who are tall enough try smaller coasters before this one. Overall rating: This is easily one of Disney's best attractions. I had high hopes from the time it first went under construction, and I was not let down. I do hope that all of the effects are working soon. Personal notes: I had two big problems going into this ride- possible motion sickness due to large drops and a broken rib. My fears (and stomach) were quickly settled. The ride was so smooth that the I hardly felt the drops and my rib wasn't bumped or hurt at all. In fact, I spent most of the ride (at least when I wasn't screaming) giggling like a schoolgirl..... I believe this covers everything, and I tried to be as thorough as possible.
After a great tour of the queue, station, and surrounding area, Everest is an amazing Disney masterpiece. Disney builds up an intriguing story and tells it through artifacts and details. There\'s no typical video screen preshow, but the preshow is drawn out through the queue. The story continues all the way to the station where your journey begins. The ride is a fast paced and exciting journey encountering the fearsome yeti. It exits into a bazaar type gift shop. The ride may be a little to intense for younger children. Even if you don\'t ride, I sugest you take in the experience and story regardless. So much effort and theming went into this ride, more than any other Disney attraction. It is an instant classic for countless future visits. EDIT Finally got the chance to ride it fully. All I can say is WOW! This is truly an amazing ride that I\'d be willing to ride over and over again.