What is Expedition Everest?

[Spectroman2003]

In simple terms, can someone please tell me what Expedition Eversest is? I keep hearing all this stuff but nothing really confirmed. I'm thinking it's kindof like a Jurassic Park type thing or is it a rollercoaster or what? Can I please just have a simple answer not some long drawn out technical thing.

 

[CTXRover]

In short, its a rollercoaster that travels both forward and backwards through the caverns and canyons of a 200 foot recreation of the mountain Everest at a top speed reaching 55 MPH (the entire ride is not at this speed...just a portion of it). During the trip you will come face to face with a Yeti, the mythical creature that guards the entrance to the mountain. A Yeti is often known as an abominable snowman and supposedly in the ride he gets pretty ticked off that we are entering his domain and he will attack the tracks and supposedly push or throw the train off course (hence the backwards part). The Yeti will be brought to life as one of most advanced and largest audio-animatronics to date.

The press release from Disney:

Legend holds that high in the Himalayan Mountains lives an enormous creature that fiercely guards the route to Mount Everest.

Now that legend comes dramatically to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in a new high-speed train adventure that combines coaster-like thrills with the excitement of a close encounter of the hairy kind.

Walt Disney World guests will discover for themselves the fearsome legend of the yeti when Expedition EVEREST opens in 2006 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. The new thrill attraction was announced today during the park’s 5th anniversary festivities at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

“Expedition EVEREST adds a new dimension to our storytelling in Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” said Joe Rohde, executive designer at Walt Disney Imagineering and lead designer of the park. “It’s a thrilling adventure themed to the folklore of the mysterious yeti.”

In Expedition EVEREST, guests board an old mountain railway destined for the foot of Mount Everest. The train rolls through thick bamboo forests, past thundering waterfalls, along shimmering glacier fields and climbs higher and higher through the snow-capped peaks.

But suddenly the track ends in a gnarled mass of twisted metal and the thrills intensify as the train races both forward and backward through mountain caverns and icy canyons and guests head for an inevitable face-to-muzzle showdown with the mysterious yeti -- known to some as the abominable snowman.

Expedition EVEREST will be located in the Asia section of the theme park. At nearly 200 feet high, it will be the tallest mountain in Florida. Expedition EVEREST will feature Disney’s FASTPASS, an innovative system -- offered at no charge to park guests -- designed to reduce wait times at popular attractions in all four Walt Disney World theme parks.

 

[BG Rugger]

Yeah, what he said :animwink:

 

[Kramjam33]

They say it will reach a top speed of 50-55 mph. It will open in 2006, and it should be really really neat.

 

[wdwmagic]

There is also quite extensive coverage on this site at http://www.wdwmagic.com/beastly.htm