Up until a few years ago, Animal Kingdom was widely regarded the worst of the Disney parks. People criticized it for lacking that Disney charm, enough attractions, and many other complaints, but the most frequent complaint typically revolved around the lack of a true thrill ride. Sure the park had Kali and Dinsoaur, and heck, it even had Primeval Whirl, but it just lacked that iconic thriller like Test Track, Splash and Space Mountain, or Tower of Terror. But that all changed in 2006 when Disney in collaboration with Vekoma created a new legendary thriller that will surly be a Disney classic for years to come that would allow riders to embark on a perilous expedition through the world’s largest and most famous mountain. And with that I give you none other than Expedition Everest.
Towering above Asia just as well, the real Everest does, words can not truly describe how incredible the mountain looks. In my opinion, it is by far the best looking of all the Disney mountains ever constructed! Quite a compliment huh? I mean they’ve created some beauties like Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, but this one is just in a league of its own. Each and every snowcap and rock is placed perfectly; so much in fact that I reckon Disney teleported the real thing from Asia to Orlando and then hired Wayne Szalinski to shrink it down a bit, but by no means is it small. Even more impressive is that Everest looks even more amazing in the evening with the eerie and mysterious glow the mountain has.
And that’s just the exterior! The ride’s queue is unbelievably well themed as well. Most Disney queues feature a pretty significant amount of theming that really make any wait more bearable and sometimes even enjoyable. Well, Disney really outdid themselves with this one, and in fact, I really would consider the queue more of a museum! Scattered throughout the queue and especially during the final half, are a cornucopia of historical artifacts pertaining to the legend of the Yeti or the death-defying sport of mountain-climbing. The sheer amount of effort put into the queue is simply unbelievable, and in fact, I even intentionally skipped getting fastpasses for this incredible attraction in order to better take in all the detail!
You may be wondering about lines since it’s far and away the park’s most popular and noteworthy attraction, but don’t worry at all. Typically I saw waits around 30-40 minutes or so, which is definitely worth it, but if you aren’t really one who enjoys waiting to taking in a museum, Fastpass is an option, or better yet, I recommend utilizing the single rider queue featured on this attraction. I used it about 3-4 times, and the longest wait I had from it was about 10 minutes. But whatever line you choose, you will definitely be moving as this is simply a capacity machine that just devours people at a very impressive rate! One final note before venturing into the ride itself, the trains are incredibly comfortable thanks to their non-restrictive lap-bars and copious leg room.
The ride itself really can be divided into four sections. Beginning the ride is a swift and silent dual lift system carrying trains to Everest’s summit. In between the small and main lifts are a few innocent looking turns that actually provide a few weak laterals, but they’re a nice little surprise that sets the tone for what’s to follow on the much larger, more extreme elements of the ride. The main lift is simply colossal and even passes through the mountain, giving great views of the entire picturesque park. It’s just like a photograph! Yes, it’s that beautiful, but it’s not too long before riders are careening through the many caverns of Everest.
Immediately riders reach a dead end, only to reverse directions and plunge down a very sudden, swooping drop in complete darkness treating all riders to some very powerful laterals, especially for front seat riders. The sheer power of that helix is surprisingly intense for a Disney coaster, and while it lacked any real size, the abruptness and forces really make that one of the ride’s most memorable moments. Following that the train just slowly meanders towards the ride’s third and final section. An extra helix or drop would have enhanced my experience even more, but it really isn’t all that major of a deterrent in my opinion.
The final third begins with the first encounter with the Yeti, which is very well done I might add with the help of some simply beautiful CGI that really maintains the ominous tone present throughout the attraction. He immediately rips up the track resulting in the train rolling forwards over Everest’s largest and very picturesque plunge treating back seat riders to some nice air thanks to the sheer size and steepness of the drop. Here your picture is taken as well, so smile. Subsequently riders are treated to some laterals via a giant S-hill through the mountain before plunging into a fast and surprisingly intense helix. I was expecting it to be actually pretty tame, but boy was I wrong as that thing provides some pretty powerful Gs for the entire train that was a very pleasant surprise. Sure it’s not Intamin hyper coaster Gs, but they are still pretty significant, especially for a family coaster.
Last but not least is a final swooping drop and the climatic finale- the epic encounter with the almighty Yeti. Now I was skeptical at first about the Yeti animatronic and if it would live up to the tremendous hype it has been receiving, and it was a mixed bag for me. I can definitely confirm that it is truly the best-looking animatronic Disney has ever made as it just looks so lifelike and really shows what Disney is capable of creating. However, when I rode this past summer the Yeti was extremely difficult to see due to a horrid strobe light effect and unfortunately the Yeti was not moving (therefore the use of the strobes). Still, the sheer amount of detail absolutely blew me away, but I was somewhat disappointed that the Yeti wasn’t moving and I hope Disney can restore this beast to his former glory rapidly.
Expedition Everest simply is an absolute achievement in all aspects! From the mind-blowing theming to the sensational ride itself, Everest really is an incredible attraction. Despite its immense size, Everest really is more of a family coaster than the major thrill ride I originally anticipated it to be, but in no way should that deter you from riding as it is easily one of the best, all-around coaster experiences I’ve had in a while. Now I know that the comparisons between this and Big Thunder Mountain are inevitable by some, but this is simply in a league of its own. Expedition Everest is simply an attraction you shouldn’t even think to miss, as not only is it Animal Kingdom’s best attraction, but it’s also the best coaster offered anywhere in Walt Disney World!
|