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When Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, it offered few attractions for Guests that could be considered thrill rides. Disney’s solution? Expand the mountain range of Walt Disney World Resort with Expedition Everest!
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In 2011, it was listed as the most expensive roller coaster in the world until it was dethroned by Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
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But as this year marks the 25th anniversary of Animal Kingdom, let’s explore some secrets, facts, and trivia surrounding the now-classic coaster.
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Secrets
Everest is not…Everest
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Despite popular belief, it is not modeled after the actual Mount Everest. It is, in fact, a fictional mountain created by Imagineers to incorporate the Yeti storyline.
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Yeti…Broken for Years
The original version of the complex Yeti animatronic only functioned properly few months. Due to a split in the Yeti’s frame, the animatronic has been operating on its B-mode setting to prevent further and permanent damage. Since the Yeti cannot perform its originally intended dramatic movements, a strobe light attempts to create the illusion of movement. This has earned him the nickname Disco Yeti.
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Not Built By Disney
The ride was constructed by Vekoma, a famous roller coaster and ride manufacturer. Vekoma has built roller coasters for Six Flags theme parks, Universal Studios, and other Disney rides (Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and The Barnstormer, among other Disney rides across the globe).
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Long Wait, Short Ride
It has the second-shortest ride time in Animal Kingdom. Number #1 is Triceratops Spin.
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Facts
At its construction, it was the 18th mountain-themed attraction built at a Disney Park.
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It’s one of only a handful of attractions at Walt Disney World to offer a Single Rider line.
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It was not the first “backward” moving attraction at Disney. The first was Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril: Backwards! at Disneyland Resort Paris. To draw more excitement over the Park’s Indiana Jones roller coaster, the theme Park turned the cars and ran them backward.
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It is one of the most recent major Disney attractions not tied to an existing Intellectual Property or film series such as Marvel, Star Wars, or Toy Story.
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Its main drop is 80 feet – nearly 30 feet farther than you fall on Splash Mountain (Tiana’s Bayou Adventure).
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Trivia
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How Tall is the Attraction?
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Answer: 199.5 feet (six inches taller than the Tower of Terror). It is the tallest attraction at any Walt Disney World Park.
What Year Did the Ride Open?
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Answer: The Expedition Everest ride opened in 2006.
How Fast Does it Go?
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Expedition Everest reaches a top speed of 50 mph.
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How Big is the Yeti?
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He is 25 feet tall and weighs around 4 tons.
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Expedition Everest is one of the most thrilling rides Walt Disney World offers. So next time you’re in line and admiring the many intricate details sprinkled throughout the queue at Everest base camp, share some of your knowledge about the forbidden mountain and its monstrous inhabitant with others!
