Expedition Everest.....Fix the open spaces?

[DisneyJunkie]

Since EE has been open, I'm sure most people have seen that when the train goes backwards through the mountain you can plainly see open space on either side of the train that allow you to peer a little inside the mountain itself. I wish WDW would go ahead and do something to keep the backwards part of the ride in complete darkness. Anyone else? Or does it not bother you much?

 

[Timekeeper]

Most guests don't notice this, or give it much thought, unless you're a "DisneyJunkie." :lookaroun But yes, I am familiar with what you're describing, and it seems akin to turning around and looking backwards on any ride at WDW. You'll notice the scenic lights, cables, speakers, etc. Most attractions are designed for a "normal" forward-facing perspective. Yes, there are an infinite number of options that could be added to meticulously disguise the mechanical elements, but then how much is enough?

For EE, I can't speak as to how much of the "light leak" illumination is required safety lighting (such as EXIT signage), versus how much of it could simply be turned off. But as for the white-light illumination that us "junkies" have all seen, it seems to me that a lot of it could be simply turned off or "flagged" as we say in the film industry.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I might be off on this. But, I thought it was due to all 3 elements not touching each other (Mountain-Track-Yeti) I Believe it was mentioned in the Discovery Channel special about it. Which is why you see the minimal gaps in the helix inside rhe mountain.

 

[AEfx]

I might be off on this. But, I thought it was due to all 3 elements not touching each other (Mountain-Track-Yeti) I Believe it was mentioned in the Discovery Channel special about it. Which is why you see the minimal gaps in the helix inside rhe mountain.

Which they could cover with black fabric to make it more convincing.

What the OP is pointing out is just one of the poor design decisions made with this attraction. It boggles my mind that this ride has the Guinness World Record as the most expensive coaster ever built, and it's pretty much the most half-assed job I could imagine of an attraction that is still running.

They spent 10x the effort on the queue instead of theming the actual ride itself (you know, the reason for the queue to exist?), and the main feature of the attraction that the entire thing supposedly builds up to has been broken almost since it opened.

But YAY! - most expensive coaster ever. :hammer:

 

[kap91]

Thank you for bringing this up. I'm glad someone else feels this way. The light leaks during that scene have always been my biggest beef with Everest. You should not be able to see the superstructure of the mountain. I'm always surprised when people seem to blow it off too when if on thunder or splash one 2 inch piece of rockwork is missing they complain forever. The structure of Everest is plainly visible during multiple parts of the backwards helix you don't have to do anything other than keep your eyes open to see it. You see it for several seconds too and it takes up a large portion of your field of view, especially if you don't keep your head or eyes perfectly straight (and even then it's visible). I've never understood why it hasn't been fixed. All it would take is a couple rolls of black fabric and they'd be set. But I guess they used all that up on the sse descent.

 

[marni1971]

It's just bad show. Seeing the outline of steel support beams inside a "mountain" is the icing on the cake for an attraction that has lost over half it's original effects.

 

[mikeymouse]

Does anyone have a photo of this section of track? I tried to picture it (no pun intended) by looking at construction pics, but can't.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Does anyone have a photo of this section of track? I tried to picture it (no pun intended) by looking at construction pics, but can't.

Photo's are quiet difficult for that...However for example Youtube front POV's show it..Like this one starting at 1:25.
[youtube]a1E6fgIFHsQ[/youtube]

 

[imagineer boy]

They could at the very least put some curtains up. Because that truly is bad show.

 

[jjharvpro]

Seeing the track inside doesn't necessarily ruin the whole ride for me (though I do wish they would simply cover it up). It's still an impressive attraction with all the detail in the queue and mountain. But watching old videos like the one already posted here just shows how much more amazing EE was when it opened. That Yeti looked AWESOME! And the cool waterfall effects just plussed it up. First time I rode it was in 2007.

What amazed me at Disneyland and made me smile was that even though Matterhorn was closed for refurb (back in August during the Expo), all the waterfall effects were on. It was closed, but the mountain still seemed "alive", if you will.

 

[Polydweller]

They could at the very least put some curtains up. Because that truly is bad show.

Really, that's bad show? Never bothered me once and I doubt your typical guest has any problem with the ride either. Curtains would be worse. Think of the new Spaceship earth until they got the new star field effect working in the decent. Curtains would be a bad show.

 

[MickeyPeace]

They video showed complete darkness in the backwards section. I have ridden this attraction many times and have never been aware of this problem. I'm sure most others aren't aware of it either.

 

[Fantasmic]

They video showed complete darkness in the backwards section. I have ridden this attraction many times and have never been aware of this problem. I'm sure most others aren't aware of it either.

Yup, can't say I've ever noticed!

 

[Disneylover1302]

I have never realized this but, my friend who just returned back from Disney actually mentioned it! I agree that they can put up black curtains to cover up the spots.

However, a majority of the riders don't realize/point the spaces out like me.

 

[Scuttle]

Since EE has been open, I'm sure most people have seen that when the train goes backwards through the mountain you can plainly see open space on either side of the train that allow you to peer a little inside the mountain itself. I wish WDW would go ahead and do something to keep the backwards part of the ride in complete darkness. Anyone else? Or does it not bother you much?

Of course, especially when sitting on the left. I really don't think it's that big of deal though. It doesn't hinder my ride experience at all. There are much greater issues with Everest to worry about.

 

[Timekeeper]

Really, that's bad show? Never bothered me once and I doubt your typical guest has any problem with the ride either. Curtains would be worse. Think of the new Spaceship earth until they got the new star field effect working in the decent. Curtains would be a bad show.

I couldn't agree more. :sohappy:

First, let's look at the "audience" of these message boards. We've got a bunch of disciples of Disney that are - as many will readily admit - obsessed with the WDW parks. After all, they are here, on these boards, spending hours of their life simply expressing their opinions about this stuff. They are the ones noticing two inch gaps in rock facades. And they are in the minority when it comes to the hundreds of thousands of guests that ride the WDW attractions. Disciples know the backstories, developments, challenges, and other "credits" behind any given attraction, whereas the other 99% of average guests do not. This audience (these message boards) is a much, much, much more critical audience. They often suggest how they would have done things. But alas, they are not imagineers. If they were, we'd have hundreds of versions of each attraction.

Second, black curtains, or simply complete blackness alone, has also been criticized. Not everyone here was a fan of the black curtains that were put up in the 5th dimension scene in the ToT. And not everyone here is a fan of the "scenes" of complete darkness in Dinosaur. Also, I don't recall ever reading complaints about how the track and other structural elements are visible in Space Mountain.

Opinions are just that, opinions, which is why they are all over the place. This just proves the age-old-adage, "You can't please all of the people all of the time."

 

[DisneyJunkie]

Of course, especially when sitting on the left. I really don't think it's that big of deal though. It doesn't hinder my ride experience at all. There are much greater issues with Everest to worry about.

Actually it's very noticeable, on either side of the car....more-so the left side. I'd say that's the only real issue with Everest. I couldn't care less whether the animatronic Yet moved or not. By the time you get to that point of the ride you're moving so quickly past it, whether it's animated or not doesn't make much difference.

 

[Hoop Raeb]

Always bothered me and it's very noticable, even from my first ride. I've always thought, "that's weird, is that intentional?" Maybe complete darkness on a sunny day is very difficult. Do they need air vents to allow for the air pressure of a fast moving train?

 

[imagineer boy]

Really, that's bad show? Never bothered me once and I doubt your typical guest has any problem with the ride either. Curtains would be worse. Think of the new Spaceship earth until they got the new star field effect working in the decent. Curtains would be a bad show.

It would be so dark that you wouldn't see the curtains. And it would at least block the light showing the support beams.

 

[jlevis]

...

Opinions are just that, opinions, which is why they are all over the place. This just proves the age-old-adage, "You can't please all of the people all of the time."

Yeah!!! I was really upset on our last visit when at Flights of Wonder in AK the eagle evacuated all over the stage. There should have been a curtain there.