Yeti is indeed being fixed! Update 8/4/2014

[AEfx]

I agree with what you say, but, in spite of all the publicity, as you say, you go by that part so fast that even if they did or didn't know it was broken, they might not know what "working" meant. Therefore, I have to stand by my statement that most guests do not even know that it hasn't been working. The strobes probably did the illusion job quite well. We have to remember that as board people we have discussed this problem as if we had just had some catastrophic thing happen to us, others do not get into that much detail.

I think the point is, not that they knew it wasn't "working" or not - but that something was "missing" in general. The big build up through the ride to something that is pretty difficult to see and easy to miss.

So while they may not know the technical details, even though it's still ridden as a great coaster - I have no doubt a lot of guests go "huh?" after it all wondering if they missed something or wondering what the big fuss about the Yeti all through the queue, etc. was all about.

(Cue someone jumping in and saying "well there are always long lines" - which is true - but this is AK we are talking about, which has a severe lack of rides to begin with.)

 

[xstech25]

I was thinking a while ago that whilst the general consensus seemed to be that Everest would close once Avatar was open with the expected attendance boost would it not make sense to close the ride before the influx of guests?

I agree you definitely don't want your biggest & most popular coaster closed right after a huge new area in the park opens, that thing needs to be open to accommodate the large crowds. If they are actually going to do a huge rehab to Everest they've got to bite the bullet and do it sometime in the next 2 years.

 

[Mawg]

I've never seen A mode except for on TV and videos, I'm looking forward to someday seeing it. But, If the decision was to not fix it and wait until a long enough refurb is needed for the overall attraction, then I say good decision. It's not worth having the ride down in a park with very few E tickets just to fix something that most people would not notice. I'm hopeful that the decision to not fix it was never about money and more about keeping guests happy.

 

[hokielutz]

I've never seen A mode except for on TV and videos, I'm looking forward to someday seeing it. But, If the decision was to not fix it and wait until a long enough refurb is needed for the overall attraction, then I say good decision. It's not worth having the ride down in a park with very few E tickets just to fix something that most people would not notice. I'm hopeful that the decision to not fix it was never about money and more about keeping guests happy.

This guest was happy when it first opened. Seeing the Yeti lunge for the train car passengers was amazing and it lived up to the promotional hype.....
Then he blew a tire and sat idle in disco mode after a year or so of working. Then I was unhappy. So unhappy I wrote letters, e-mails to the Disney Co, Local media outlets, chat boards, and anyone who might listen.
Yet despite all the articles, news stories, web pages, and personal complaints about the poor show of EE... nothing was done to make the AK's guests happy.

Here's to hoping they are finally going to repair what is supposed to be a premier attraction.

 

[Mawg]

This guest was happy when it first opened. Seeing the Yeti lunge for the train car passengers was amazing and it lived up to the promotional hype.....
Then he blew a tire and sat idle in disco mode after a year or so of working. Then I was unhappy. So unhappy I wrote letters, e-mails to the Disney Co, Local media outlets, chat boards, and anyone who might listen.
Yet despite all the articles, news stories, web pages, and personal complaints about the poor show of EE... nothing was done to make the AK's guests happy.

Here's to hoping they are finally going to repair what is supposed to be a premier attraction.

It's a bad management decision for Disney to bring down an attraction for a few months for a few unhappy guests at the expense of many more unhappy guests. This would be like expecting Disney to not doing Hub work while you are there or to make sure a Mine Coaster is open in time for your trip. They have to stay focused on the greater majority of the guests or greater good of the company for the future.

I have never experienced A mode, but Everest is still one of my favorite attractions as well as my whole family. I'm sure this is true for many, many others. Is it really worth fixing at the expense of all those people not being able to enjoy it. Now, if a refurb is needed anyways, fix away! Can't wait to see it!

 

[GeneralZod]

It's a bad management decision for Disney to bring down an attraction for a few months for a few unhappy guests at the expense of many more unhappy guests. This would be like expecting Disney to not doing Hub work while you are there or to make sure a Mine Coaster is open in time for your trip. They have to stay focused on the greater majority of the guests or greater good of the company for the future.

I have never experienced A mode, but Everest is still one of my favorite attractions as well as my whole family. I'm sure this is true for many, many others. Is it really worth fixing at the expense of all those people not being able to enjoy it. Now, if a refurb is needed anyways, fix away! Can't wait to see it!

No offense, but this basically invalidates your statement. If an key showpiece of your ride is non-functional, then you immediately close the ride and fix it. Show above all else.

 

[raymusiccity]

I think the point is, not that they knew it wasn't "working" or not - but that something was "missing" in general. The big build up through the ride to something that is pretty difficult to see and easy to miss.

So while they may not know the technical details, even though it's still ridden as a great coaster - I have no doubt a lot of guests go "huh?" after it all wondering if they missed something or wondering what the big fuss about the Yeti all through the queue, etc. was all about.

(Cue someone jumping in and saying "well there are always long lines" - which is true - but this is AK we are talking about, which has a severe lack of rides to begin with.)

You're right about how difficult it is to see and easy to miss.

If only they could slow the ride down as you're approaching the real Yeti.....then it would really be dramatic. You really blow by him too fast to appreciate how massive he really is.

 

[RayTheFirefly]

I think the point is, not that they knew it wasn't "working" or not - but that something was "missing" in general. The big build up through the ride to something that is pretty difficult to see and easy to miss.

So while they may not know the technical details, even though it's still ridden as a great coaster - I have no doubt a lot of guests go "huh?" after it all wondering if they missed something or wondering what the big fuss about the Yeti all through the queue, etc. was all about.

(Cue someone jumping in and saying "well there are always long lines" - which is true - but this is AK we are talking about, which has a severe lack of rides to begin with.)

I disagree. I think the yeti's impact is very noticeable, and I think guests who don't feel closure or a climax in the build up are the types that might not "get" a lot of rides, IMO. It's very obvious to me that you barely escape without getting ripped apart by the yeti at the end. I mean it's huge and roaring. Maybe if there was a bit more strategic lighting... but otherwise I think his impact is perfect.

 

[Mawg]

No offense, but this basically invalidates your statement. If an key showpiece of your ride is non-functional, then you immediately close the ride and fix it. Show above all else.

No offense taken, it's a discussion board where everyone is title to their opinion. Whether we agree or agree to disagree, it's just fun to have the discussion with others that enjoy the same thing.

I would normally agree with you, show before all else. But if it means no show at all for a long period of time that has to be weighted in the decision as well. We all can agree there are serious problems in Animal Kingdom with it being seen as not a full day park. How many people do you think have decided not to go to Animal Kingdom because the Yeti is not working? Now, how many people do you think would decide not to go to Animal Kingdom if Everest were closed. Less people at Animal Kingdom means more people at other parks. My opinion is still that waiting to fix it at the right time is a good management decision. If they choose to still not fix it when they have a chance, bad management decision.

The new motto of WDW, should be show before all else but the show must go on.

 

[psuchad]

Not to mention the train brakes approximately five feet past the thing.

I would love to see them move the brake section back.

 

[Magenta Panther]

No offense, but this basically invalidates your statement. If an key showpiece of your ride is non-functional, then you immediately close the ride and fix it. Show above all else.

Hell, yes. People willing to settle for a broken ride as long as said ride goes REAL FAST are part of the problem IMO.

 

[Magenta Panther]

No offense taken, it's a discussion board where everyone is title to their opinion. Whether we agree or agree to disagree, it's just fun to have the discussion with others that enjoy the same thing.

I would normally agree with you, show before all else. But if it means no show at all for a long period of time that has to be weighted in the decision as well. We all can agree there are serious problems in Animal Kingdom with it being seen as not a full day park. How many people do you think have decided not to go to Animal Kingdom because the Yeti is not working? Now, how many people do you think would decide not to go to Animal Kingdom if Everest were closed. Less people at Animal Kingdom means more people at other parks. My opinion is still that waiting to fix it at the right time is a good management decision. If they choose to still not fix it when they have a chance, bad management decision.

The new motto of WDW, should be show before all else but the show must go on.

I have not been back to AK for the last 3 visits, and YES, the broken yeti was a factor. Without it, the Everest ride is just a buildup to a letdown. Maybe YOU'RE willing to settle for less, but I'm not. What makes the ride so great anyway? Because it has lots of fake rockwork, a now-pointless queue, and EVEN GOES BACKWARDS OMIGOD!!!

 

[marni1971]

Read the quote in my signature.

 

[hokielutz]

It's a bad management decision for Disney to bring down an attraction for a few months for a few unhappy guests at the expense of many more unhappy guests. This would be like expecting Disney to not doing Hub work while you are there or to make sure a Mine Coaster is open in time for your trip. They have to stay focused on the greater majority of the guests or greater good of the company for the future.

I have never experienced A mode, but Everest is still one of my favorite attractions as well as my whole family. I'm sure this is true for many, many others. Is it really worth fixing at the expense of all those people not being able to enjoy it. Now, if a refurb is needed anyways, fix away! Can't wait to see it!

Now to flip this on its head.... its not exactly fair for those thousands of visitors who haven't seen the Yeti in A mode, to forever be denied the thrill that many fans enjoyed during the Yeti's first year.

 

[Mawg]

I have not been back to AK for the last 3 visits, and YES, the broken yeti was a factor. Without it, the Everest ride is just a buildup to a letdown. Maybe YOU'RE willing to settle for less, but I'm not. What makes the ride so great anyway? Because it has lots of fake rockwork, a now-pointless queue, and EVEN GOES BACKWARDS OMIGOD!!!

Yeah, my kids really get a kick out of it going backwards and the screen trick with him tearing up the track and even at the end when they say look there he is. We will probably like it even more when the whole thing is working and may feel the same way you do now if it is broken once we experience it. But, you don't miss what you don't know and most guests don't know.

 

[flyerjab]

Maybe if there was a bit more strategic lighting... but otherwise I think his impact is perfect.

Oh...over the past 8 years I would say that they definitely nailed the strategic lighting.

 

[Mawg]

Now to flip this on its head.... its not exactly fair for those thousands of visitors who haven't seen the Yeti in A mode, to forever be denied the thrill that many fans enjoyed during the Yeti's first year.

Most people only get to experience WDW once in a lifetime, it's not fair to them to never get to experience Everest at all. Hey, I agree that show is important and if something can be fixed in a short amount of time (a few days) it should be done immediately. If the fix is going to take a long time and you can come up with other solutions like a "B" mode, then wait until you have the time planned.

It seems like we are going to disagree on this, and I'm fine with that. It's important to you, I get it. But we can agree on one thing, we are both excited to see that it is going to get fixed.

 

[ctxak98]

It's a bad management decision for Disney to bring down an attraction for a few months for a few unhappy guests at the expense of many more unhappy guests. This would be like expecting Disney to not doing Hub work while you are there or to make sure a Mine Coaster is open in time for your trip. They have to stay focused on the greater majority of the guests or greater good of the company for the future.

I have never experienced A mode, but Everest is still one of my favorite attractions as well as my whole family. I'm sure this is true for many, many others. Is it really worth fixing at the expense of all those people not being able to enjoy it. Now, if a refurb is needed anyways, fix away! Can't wait to see it!

I understand where you are coming from, but the attraction in general needs a refurb bad anyways! The most effects haven't worked in years so I would hope they would fix that! Everything needs a paint touch up, maybe an update to the projection and of course the Yeti himself.

Trust me with all of this done it will really be your favorite attraction in the park. It will be worth the wait!

 

[ctxak98]

Okay so quick question, I was there twice the year it first opened in 2006 and then again in spring 2007 and right away in June 2007 again. Now I remember the Yeti working all four of those trips!

When did the yeti officially go offline?! I know it worked my last trip in 2007 and it might not of been Full A mode, but it was still moving at that time. All I know is that the next time I went in spring 2008 it was disco time!

 

[RayTheFirefly]

Oh...over the past 8 years I would say that they definitely nailed the strategic lighting.

Ok, I asked for that one