How long has Expedition Everest looked like this?

[Scuttle]

Ok, you all seem to going a little too far in the complaining. If it had been clear cut and left barren I could understand, but the new plants are in place and growing. This is no different than when a new park opens and the foliage just hasn't grown in. How long was the Magic Kingdom like this before it's foliage filled in the gaps? Sometimes you all seem to complain out of pure boredom, pathetic.

How are we pathetic? TDO is the one who is pathetic not us. Sorry we care about the "Disney Difference" which is falling by the wayside. Right now we have one of the best themed queue's at WDW with authentic artifacts from Asia and now the very first thing you see when you get on the coaster is that!? Simply stunning!!! Anyone who defends TDO on this manner is a moronic troll.

 

[Figment2005]

You act as though Disney does these things with the intention of ing off it's customers. Disney saw a problem and took action to solve it, and for a period backstage will be visible for a few seconds as the train leaves the loading dock. Stop taking everything Disney does personally and you will have a far better time.

 

[kap91]

Wow. I'm usually pretty opposed to the ridiculous criticism tdo gets here, but that is bad and there really isn't any excuse for it. Here's hoping its something they couldn't complete in one night and that a replacement will be in place soon.

 

[Zac Skellington]

Ok, you all seem to going a little too far in the complaining. If it had been clear cut and left barren I could understand, but the new plants are in place and growing. This is no different than when a new park opens and the foliage just hasn't grown in...

I rode this attraction when it was but a month old, and I assure you it NEVER looked like this mess!!! Don't believe me, try YouTube...

 

[lazyboy97o]

You act as though Disney does these things with the intention of ing off it's customers. Disney saw a problem and took action to solve it, and for a period backstage will be visible for a few seconds as the train leaves the loading dock. Stop taking everything Disney does personally and you will have a far better time.

Disney's Four Keys
1. Safety
2. Courtesy
3. Show
4. Efficiency

If this truly was a safety matter, then yes, the change was warranted. However, it was done in a manner that emphasized Efficiency and not Courtesy or Show. The assumption is that it is "good enough" and we are too stupid notice or care.

 

[Lee]

Seriously, this whole fear of something falling is just silly.
What's next, defoliate the Jungle Cruise? Close the Treehouse? No more dangling pirate foot?

BTW...haven't heard of any such thing happening at Disneyland...

 

[Marco226]

I'm just gonna take a wild guess to try and make sense out of why they would take out the bamboo walls in EE and Kali... Maybe it was to prepare for the tropical storm/hurricane Isaac? It was originally predicted to go up Florida. I know it made a last minute turn into the gulf, but maybe TDO wanted to trim some foliage so that it didn't destroy the tracks? I'm just totally guessing, and yes, I agree that the view of the car storage is kinda.. uhm.. blah

 

[GrumpyFan]

I noticed this last week. It completely ruins the show and the whole notion that you're supposed to be in the Himalayas or at the least somewhere in Asia! Bad show, TDO! Also, I rode E:E twice, and the the first time didn't even see the Yeti.

 

[CTXRover]

WOW! Disheartening for sure. I'm usually pretty understanding, but that is horrible and takes you immediately out of the illusion of being in Asia. The concrete walls and holding bay were never intended to be seen by the guest and are clearly backstage things now clearly visible. I only hope that it is a short term while they plant new plants in there soon to hide the backstage areas. As long as there is a plan beyond "cut out the bamboo", it'll be ok. They should put up a scrim at least unless it is a quick turnover. I'll take a wait and see approach, but it better be fixed soon.

 

[FabulousFigment]

Sadly, I am not surprised by this kind of thing anymore. I wonder how much extra it would have actually cost them to put in some more mature plants or trees. Sad.

 

[GrumpyFan]

What's sad about this, if the reasons are true, is that they could have easily erected some kind of restraining line to hold the bamboo and keep it from falling.
Again, this is just bad show, very Six Flags-like. Ugh!

 

[rioriz]

Actually I could definitely believe this to be true but you run the risk of any tree branch falling on guest all the time!

 

[lazyboy97o]

What's sad about this, if the reasons are true, is that they could have easily erected some kind of restraining line to hold the bamboo and keep it from falling.
Again, this is just bad show, very Six Flags-like. Ugh!

It is not even Six Flags quality. Here at Six Flags Over Georgia there is a lot of bamboo at our raft ride, Thunder River.

 

[bdearl41]

I am sure in a matter of weeks this issue will be resolved on both rides. Probably some form of broadleaf foilage will takes its place which is safer. It does not look good, and I agree, Disney prides themself in having things look good, but at the same time, safety is very important. I am sure they either have a plan, or are working on a plan for both Kali and EE.

 

[Skyway]

I'll give Disney the benefit of the doubt on this one.

This certainly wasn't "cheap", as they're often accused (it's cheaper to leave it, put up chain link fences, etc) And they can't be criticized for past safety oversights (DL BTMRR) and then criticized for going overboard on this issue.

The danger, I assume is not so much the bamboo directly falling on someone, but rather the risk that it will fall and block the path of a self-propelled ride vehicle, causing injury during a collision. Neither Kali or Everest can stop a vehicle outside brake zones.

They have probably never had this concern on Jungle Cruise (or the RR) because the vehicles are driven by a human who can stop it in time to avoid a collision.

Also, give Disney some credit. This is the company that spends thousands of dollars making custom-decorated tarps when they paint buildings. Obviously they see what you all see. An just like the complaints about the "ugly green walls" of the Dumbo tent before it was landscaped, this may call for a little patience. It's really ridiculous to expect them to tear out bamboo and replace it within days.

Now if it looks this same way a month from now....


(I don't quite understand the bamboo connection to the Tree of Life branches falling. The ToL seems to be a structural integrity issue versus wind-blown plants)

 

[Michigan Guy]

I find this whole thing rather bewildering.

There are new plantings so I assume all the ugly backstage areas will eventually be hidden in time, but why was such drastic clear cutting even necessary?

A big fake tree built in the late 90's drops a small branch, and therefore all the living bamboo needs to be ripped out in certain areas. This bizarre logic make me wonder if a restroom toilet in Epcot overflows all the fountains in Future World need to be drained.

I'm no horticulturalist, but is bamboo a hazardous plant? It's fast growing I know, but is it prone to toppling over?

 

[Master Yoda]

I find this whole thing rather bewildering.

There are new plantings so I assume all the ugly backstage areas will eventually be hidden in time, but why was such drastic clear cutting even necessary?

A big fake tree built in the late 90's drops a small branch, and therefore all the living bamboo needs to be ripped out in certain areas. This bizarre logic make me wonder if a restroom toilet in Epcot overflows all the fountains in Future World need to be drained.

I'm no horticulturalist, but is bamboo a hazardous plant? It's fast growing I know, but is it prone to toppling over?

It is possible. One good thing about bamboo is that it grows quickly, but this is also a bit of a problem if you only want it in a restricted area. Bamboo can take over an area really quick. If you do no not give it a wide berth, it can go into areas you do not want rather quickly.

My mom had planted bamboo on her back fence with the idea of making about a 1' deep border to block out the view from the neighbors yard. Inside of just a few years it have formed about a 4' deep impenetrable wall that would not stop expanding.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Stop over reacting about the ride vehicle building. Just about every roller coaster ride I have been on in my life u usually end up riding through those areas or next to them. It's just rediculous what you people complain about on here sometimes...

Yes because if it is good enough for, um, Six Flags, then hell, it is good enough for Disney!!!!!

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

..for a period backstage will be visible for a few seconds as the train leaves the loading dock.

And that's the problem. Backstage is just that, backstage. It should never be seen by guests. That's like saying it's okay to do a set change with the house lights up during a Broadway show. You'll only see backstage for a few seconds.

Side note: Is the netting still up under the Tree of Life? Have they resumed using the regular queue and entrance for It's Tough to Be a Bug? I believe it was rerouted for a while, but don't remember if it was ever restored.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

I was wondering the same thing. A more permanent (but costly) solution would be to screen off the area with more rockwork or perhaps a facade of a Himalayan village. Here's hoping that something suitable comes ASAP.

Everest is kinda built whacky, they've got this great immersive queue, and then just plain old landscaping between that and the mountain. It's never even been close to the "jungle" type landscaping they put into Adventureland (at least in Disneyland), which looks wild, yet is really maintained by horticulture.

Normally, they'd have larger plants ready to go if they needed to replant a berm-type area that hides infrastructure, though over the last decade they've sometimes gone with planting small stuff and waiting for it to grow. While horticulture does a great job around Epcot, especially during the flower & garden festival, the area around Everest has been particularly uncared for for years.