Apart from it's the one animatronic of the ride.
And the one the plot - and advertising - revolves around.
And it's 22mph.
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Expedition Everest effects status watch
- Thread starter wdwmagic
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And the one the plot - and advertising - revolves around.
And it's 22mph.
Again, couldn't disagree more. For those of us who saw it 10 years ago and remember it clearly, that yeti was the absolute climax of the ride, and the fabric that held together the attraction. I don't think those of us who saw the working yeti would at all be inclined to liken it to one of dozens of AAs from Splash Mountain or Pirates.
danyoung56
Well-Known Member
Ummm, this is a prime case of "speak for yourself", Ralphlaw. I rode many times with a working yeti, and while I hate that he's broken and look forward to the day he's fixed, EE is still one of my favorite rides in WDW.
nor'easter
Well-Known Member
They can't even get Bird on a Stick to work consistently.
po1998
Well-Known Member
Hard to believe it has been that long. Maybe that has led to imagineers(or more so TDO) being gun shy about AA's in future attractions.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but what were they thinking about with that kind of investment in an AA that you go flying by in a couple of seconds, and if I remember right, even when it was working, many guests never even noticed it.
I'm not saying it's worthless, but I am saying that the fundamental theming and epic nature of the attraction has been missing for 10 years. It was my favorite attraction of any park anywhere when it was in A mode. It is far down on my list now, well below Soarin', Test Track, the new Star Tours, Midway Mania, and Dwarf's Mine Train. Given the choice of EE or a good spot to watch Illuminations, I'd take Illuminations every time. What boggles is the number of yeti souvenirs they still sell even though a truly visible and working yeti did not exist for so long. Even the idea of a yeti can sell merch. Imagine how much more merch a working yet would sell.
pax_65
Well-Known Member
I like this post because it gets to my point about how most people don't understand what they're missing. Maybe it's because so few people experienced A-mode. Or maybe they remember A-mode and just sorta imagine it as they zoom by the Yeti. I dunno. But the bottom line is, there's not a huge uproar about fixing the Yeti so it's not a big priority to Disney.
For me, it's the difference between a "must do E-Ticket" attraction (like Splash, Soarin' or Tower of Terror) and a thrilling secondary attraction like maybe Dinosaur. I'm with Martin - we frequently skip EE now especially if the line is long. But if the Yeti was functioning, we wouldn't miss it.
I think what makes the comparisons so difficult is that EE is such a unique attraction. Trust me, the Yeti swiping at the train IS THE HIGH POINT of the attraction. So while the comparison of the big drop at Splash isn't exactly right (since EE still functions as a ride and Splash without the drop probably wouldn't), it's not totally wrong either.
Maybe it's like doing Space Mountain with the lights on. Space becomes more like an average coaster. Still fun to ride but nowhere near as thrilling.
Incomudro
Well-Known Member
Space with the lights on would be like doing EE with interior lights on.
I agree the Yeti should be fixed, and I hop it does get fixed.
But it is almost literally located at the last section of the ride and riders pass him at a high rate of speed.
They've experienced nearly the entire ride by that point: viewed Everest as they entered the park, walked through an amazing cue, rode through the foothills, spanned the pass between the mountains, reached the broken track, plummeted backwards - where many people believe they are going upside down, reached the area where the animated Yeti tears up the track and send you in the other direction...
This ride functions on so many levels and takes you on a journey.
Assuming it worked for the last ten years, that yeti would have been an amazing draw and merch seller for the park. It raised the bar for future attractions dramatically. Dips, inversions and plummets would not have been enough for any future coaster. EE, for one briefing shining moment, took the coaster experience to a whole new level. But, they apparently pushed it too far, building something that didn't actually work long-term. And consider that the yeti might have justified a raise in ticket prices by even one dollar. That's $10 million at AK alone every year. An across-the-board dollar raise would have meant something like $50 million per year. AK and Studios have always seen the lowest attendance of the 4 parks. A working yeti would have enhanced the popularity of AK, again justifying potential price rises that would definitely have made the yeti profitable. It also would have given Disney the confidence to push more envelopes. Right now, imagine the chilling effect of innovation now that Joe Rohde's pet has been dead for 10 years. Who in their right mind will innovate that far again?
When it was in A mode, it would have been very hard to not notice it. Some people who close their eyes on coasters might have missed it, but I think it would have been impossible to have missed it with open eyes when the yeti was in full A mode.
pax_65
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it's an imperfect analogy too.
Here's another one, also not perfect. I've only ridden Mummy at Universal once, so I don't remember every detail. I know that I really enjoyed it and my memory is that it's a pretty fun coaster. But the #1 thing I really remember, what was totally unique, was the "ending" (I'm being intentionally vague, if you haven't ridden and don't know what I'm referring to, go ride it!). For me, this made the coaster unique and just blew me away - I was laughing and telling everyone about it for the rest of our vacation.
I agree there are many cool elements to EE that people may walk away remembering, but if the Yeti was in A mode that would be the #1 thing they would remember.
danyoung56
Well-Known Member
Again, while I wish the yeti was working, I think you overestimate his importance to the attraction, and to the park as a whole. A working yeti would mean one less thing for us uber Disney fans to complain about. But I don't see that it would make that much difference in the popularity of the park.
8/19 and 8/23: Yeti was illuminated and had strobe. Interesting note: my 12 year-old who has ridden Everest a few times in the past (infrequently though...this is our third trip in the last 5 years) got off the ride and immediately asked if they added that "huge Yeti" and commented on how cool it looked. So the lighting is working.
I agree. I prefer the current version to the old disco-only Yeti.
I agree. I prefer the current version to the old disco-only Yeti.
PizzaPlanet
Well-Known Member
Was it working circa summer 2006? If so, then I definitely saw it. I seem to remember, but can't say for sure.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
If TDO ever regains its self-respect and gets the Yeti working again, I think the ride's timing needs to be changed too. The train should temporarily "break down" in front of the Yeti figure long enough for everyone to get a good look at him, and then depart at the ride's highest speed. That would be a great climax to the ride and push it above a second-rate heavily-themed coaster.
For my part, after my initial 4 times riding it at AK (all 4 times were an attempt to see the Yeti), I haven't bothered with the thing. The queue is meaningless now and boring. The ride itself is nothing special. Those whose criteria for a fun ride is "it goes real fast, hurr hurr" are welcome to EE, but I won't ride it again until the Yeti is fixed.
For my part, after my initial 4 times riding it at AK (all 4 times were an attempt to see the Yeti), I haven't bothered with the thing. The queue is meaningless now and boring. The ride itself is nothing special. Those whose criteria for a fun ride is "it goes real fast, hurr hurr" are welcome to EE, but I won't ride it again until the Yeti is fixed.
SourcererMark79
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
So, Disco Yeti returns via guest participation?
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
No, fully animated Yeti returns via guest demand!
SourcererMark79
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
In its current form, by slowing the ride there, guests would take out their phones and via flash photography, the disco yeti returns.
MatthewWho13
Well-Known Member
I remember seeing the Yeti in A mode when I went on a CM preview at night after the park closed. First off the lighting at night made it something but thats besides the point. The sheer menacing size and how fast it moved and how close it looked littleraly frightened me in a way. You at that point understood the power of the Yeti, the story was built up from all the points in the queue... from the cultural references to the lore of the Yeti. Now its just like, woo great coaster but the Yeti just standing there frozen in time takes away the "Wow", and "Holy crap!!" factor of a "Finale"