Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

As a roller coaster, Expedition Everest is just OK. And as a themed dark ride, the attraction would be just OK without the coaster elements. However, the combination of the coaster, which is integral to the ride’s story, and the attraction’s lavish, immersive environment, creates a welcome addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

• Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy! and 10=Yikes!): 6 for fairly intense positive G-forces, backward coaster motion, and darkness.
• Coaster type: Indoor/outdoor steel
• Top speed: 50 mph
• Height: 112 feet
• Drop: 80 feet
• Height restriction: 44 inches
• This is one of Disney World’s most popular attractions.

Could You Handle Expedition Everest?

Expedition Everest does not have any inversions, does not soar to nosebleed heights, and reaches a relatively tame top speed of 50 mph. Disney considers it a “family” attraction. Nevertheless, while it is more aggressive than Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain, it remains less intense than high-thrill coasters such as Sea World’s Mako or Manta.

Moreover, Expedition Everest reverses direction and races backwards (in the dark, no less), delivers some formidable positive G-forces, and feels way more out of control because of the sections in the dark. If you can handle the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney-MGM Studios, you’ll manage to face the Yeti. Therefore, if you’re unsure, we advise you to hold on tightly to the rider next to you and join the expedition.

What Is It With Disney and Mountains?

The ride’s 200-foot “mountain” commands the skyline at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and looms large throughout the resort. By using forced perspective, it appears much taller.

Joe Rohde, executive designer at Walt Disney Imagineering, says that Disney often bases its attractions on mountains because they help give stories their power. “Mountains are pregnant with meaning,” he says. “They are a primal mythic concept.” Speaking of myths, Expedition Everest combines the lure of tackling the legendary mountain with the powerful myth of the yeti, Everest’s abominable snowman protector.

The attraction casts guests in the role of explorers as they trek to the fictional Nepalese village of Serka Zong. The richly themed area is filled with bright prayer flags, indigenous plants, weathered buildings, and artifacts that Rohde and his team developed based on their extensive research in Asia around Mount Everest. The bustling air of adventure and anticipation in the village is punctuated by warnings about the yeti.

The queue line meanders through the booking and permit offices of the Himalayan Escapes tour company, a pagoda-style shrine brimming with Yeti totems, a general store, and the Yeti Museum. This makeshift exhibit offers evidence of the importance that the Yeti plays in art and culture as well as the reverence and fear that he inspires.

Expedition Everest Will Put Hair on Your Chest

When the queue is packed, ride ops may not give guests the choice of seats. Nevertheless, the first car offers unobstructed views, while those in the rear provide the most intense ride. From our experience, the next-to-last row, number 16, is prime seating for thrill-seekers.

The ride starts innocently with a pass through bamboo trees and ferns filled with twittering birds. The train climbs the lift hill and passes a huge yeti mural etched into the rock wall. According to Rohde, Disney collaborated with the coaster’s manufacturer, Vekoma, to create a unique sound experience that would not compromise the tea train theme.

The train takes a small dive into the mountain, emerges to the sight of twisted, impassable track, and stops on the incline. The Yeti, apparently angered by the violation of his sacred ground, unleashes his wrath. With nowhere to go, the train hesitates, shudders, and proceeds backward into the mountain.

You’ll Flip Over Expedition Everest

Unbeknownst to riders, a piece of switch track flips, sending the train deep into the mountain. Expedition Everest’s design represents a breakthrough in coaster technology with its two high-speed track switches.

The coaster hurtles backward into the mountain’s dark void, and the positive G-forces push the lap bars into riders as they experience a strange sensation racing blindly backwards. Riders’ thrill tolerances and coaster savvy will determine the mix of excitement and trepidation.

Yeti Encounter

The train screeches to a halt again, this time on a decline, and a shadow image of the Yeti is seen ripping up another section of the track. The train then plunges down the front of the mountain, providing a brief moment where riders believe they are headed for disaster. However, the coaster quickly shifts into high-speed, banked-curve action.

Before returning to the station, the coaster makes one last pass through the mountain, where an enormous Yeti is supposed to take a swipe at riders. This animatronic figure, which was once Disney’s largest and most sophisticated, sadly stopped working shortly after the ride opened.

With the Animal Kingdom now open at night, visitors can enjoy the dramatic lighting against the evening sky. When the train ascends the lift hill, it casts eerie shadows, enhancing the thrilling experience.

Expedition Everest remains a significant attraction at Disney World, contributing to its reputation as a top destination for thrill-seekers and families alike.