Expedition Everest Disney World is a runaway train coaster in a mountain. One can consider it a hybrid of Big Thunder Mountain and Disneyland’s Matterhorn.
The coaster embodies carefully constructed details. This thrill ride takes guests through the Forbidden snowy Mountains to escape the Expedition Everest Yeti.
The ride locates at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park’s Asia section.
[table id=10 /]
History of Expedition Everest Disney World Ride
Expedition Everest Disney World ride was officially announced for the first time on April 22, 2003.
The legendary Joe Rhode was one of the Imagineers for the ride. The Imagineers spent six years designing this ride. Additionally, they took trips to the Himalayas for their research.
The grand opening of this legendary ride was held on April 7, 2006. It was immediately popular and declared a classic thrill ride for the Animal Kingdom. This is one of the tallest rides at Disney World, with the Expedition Everest height being 199.5 feet.
Expedition Everest Ride Queue
The queue route for Expedition Everest is one of the best at Disney and is an absolute delight to travel through. The line moves through the Yeti, tour company office, outdoor shrines, a museum reporting Yeti evidence and sightings, and a lot more.
The line ends at the train platform, and guests need to board the attraction from there. The outdoor and the indoor queue work well in giving the guests a taste of the culture of the place.
View this post on Instagram
Ride vehicles of Expedition Everest Disney World
Expedition Everest vehicles carry up to four to six passengers in every car, with two people seated in every row. They can carry up to a total strength of 34 people at one go.
All seats have a protective hard plastic layer covering the seat. Additionally, the seats have a lap bar that the guests can slide down and hold onto during the ride.
Ride experience for Expedition Everest
The ride begins slow but changes its pace once it hits torn tracks. The train suddenly jerks backward and then swiftly darts into the mountains. Here one can experience the Yeti wreaking havoc.
From here on, the train moves forward and goes in and out of the mountain, carefully avoiding the Yeti. To enjoy the best ride experience bag the front seats of the ride. This will allow you to get a closer and more detailed look at everything. The best time to enjoy this ride in its complete glory would be after sunset in the dark. This is because the ride appears more sinister and thrilling after dark.
The ride moves at the maximum speed of 50 mph. This ride makes sudden jerks and is intense at some turns. However, it can also be surprisingly smooth occasionally and is not as jerky as Magic Kingdom coasters.
The thrill levels for this ride oscillate somewhere in between the thrill for Rock n’ Roller Coaster and Big Thunder Mountain. It climbs hills, takes sudden turns. It does not have inversions or loops but has high-speed plummets.
Once the ride ends, guests can spot the Yeti leaning over the tracks. The Yeti makes a quick peek, so if the guests are not attentive, they will overlook the Yeti. Once, the Yeti had held his arms up and moved past the guests scaring them. However, this event has not repeated itself for a long time. Now the Yeti is stationary and known as ‘Disco Yeti.’
Animal Kingdom Expedition Everest specifications
Guests need to transfer from their wheelchairs, and service animals are not allowed here. This ride does not encourage people with health conditions such as high blood pressure, motion sickness, back or neck problems, or any other state affected by the ride.
This list includes pregnant women as well. Guests must be a minimum of 44 inches to board the ride. Bad weather can affect Expedition Everest Disney World ride. Therefore, guests are advised to stay away from it in such situations. There is also an Expedition Everest movie that this ride inspired.
