Disney World's Expedition Everest closing for lengthy refurbishment in 2022

16 days ago in "Expedition Everest"

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Posted: Wednesday September 8, 2021 1:28pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom is scheduled to be closed for a multi-month refurbishment in early 2022.

Expedition Everest overview

The rollercoaster will be closed from January 4 2022 until mid-April 2022. Unfortunately the closure will not see any improvements to the show, or a repair of the Yeti animatronic figure. Work will take place on the ride control system.

Expedition Everest overview

View current and upcoming Walt Disney World refurbishments.

Expedition Everest overview

Discuss on the Forums

Tom Morrow6 days ago

Lifts are block zones on all modern coasters. Everest has 8 block zones: load -> lift A (small) -> lift B (big) -> broken tracks track switch -> shadow projection track switch -> flat section before yeti figure -. hold before unload - unload

SoFloMagic7 days ago

If they run 5 is the lift functioning as a block zone? Trying to figure out where else it would be.

peter114357 days ago

I’m telling you. The attraction was designed from the get-go to run with 4 trains. Changes were made to accommodate a 5th. This includes the variable speed lift which does accommodate the 5th train. You can easily tell if they are running 4 or 5 trains because at 5 trains the lift will slow considerably about half way up the incline. If you rode in may of 2006 they were only running 4 trains

Tom Morrow7 days ago

It's been discussed for years that it initially ran with four trains for a bit before adding a 5th. They actually had to order a 6th train to be built because Disney likes to have one as a spare. The train maintenance bay on Everest only has slots for 5 trains (4 in operation and 1 spare originally). Now, since they typically have 6 available if none are under refurbishment, all 6 can not fit in the bay and one must sit outside or in the load station overnight. As I explained in my post, all these years the ride control system has been "overridden" (in a safe way) to run five trains as it is not capable of resuming motion automatically after a cascade backup. This results in only 16 seconds of delay at load or unload on already very short dispatch interval before it initiates an alarm, requiring the control room operator to constantly reset these alarms. How could you even know, as a guest, that there were five trains? You can never see all five at once.

Jones147 days ago

Yes, but it was most visible when you were going towards the broken track scene. It helped conceal the track switch from view, making the drop backwards into the mountain more of a surprise. Riders would emerge from the mist to see the broken track, only to fall backwards through the same mist, but this time going through the interior of the mountain.

doctornick7 days ago

Can someone post a video of the steam (at load, right)? I'm wondering if this is one of those things I've seen but didn't realize. So, the mist at the mountain is at the cave entrance after you enter going backwards?

Rich Brownn8 days ago

The steam was working today!!!

SoFloMagic8 days ago

Im sure someone has better info than I, but from my recollection, it was working when the parks first reopened ( I feel like it wasn't when they closed) , then stopped sometime in the past year or so? I was there last week and it wasn't running but today it was. Bird on a stick I had never seen before until the parks reopened and it was working. I feel like it stopped working sometime over the summer but is back now. Of course I'm not there daily so who knows.

MagicHappens19718 days ago

I have ridden Everest more times then I can count and have never seen any steam. When did they stop using it?

Master Yoda8 days ago

The problem with them is there is some evidence that they can negatively affect respiratory issues. Most of the research only points to problems with people that are repeatedly exposed (eg theater workers), but all it takes is one Karen to get an ambulance chaser to claim that her one trip on E:E caused her asthma and file suit.

RollerCoaster8 days ago

I completely disagree. The Yeti in action made this attraction. To this day my first ride was one experience that I have never forgotten. I fortunately got to ride the attractions a lot during my initial visit and more with the Yeti in action during a second visit. Without the A mode experience, you've got nothing more than a mediocre roller coaster with two many left helices and a bunch of strobe lights at the finale.