Yeti Repaired

W

WDW Insider

New Member
Original Poster
Hey all,

Just wanted to report to you that the yeti animatronic in Expedition Everest has been receiving major rehabbing after hours, and stress tests have allowed for the Yeti to begin running in a new A mode again. I say "new A mode" because the motion has been slightly altered so that less force is applied to the structure. Still, with the technical difficulties we've had with that particular showpiece, I doubt many of you have seen the former A mode enough times to know the difference now. For the forseeable future, I am told that the yeti will be running in the new A mode on a limited basis so that should any similar problems arise, we can spot those and make necessary corrections before we get back into a major expense situation like we've had.

In other news, the Hall of Presidents is getting ready to reopen after a large-scale soft opening (think actually open, just not officially). I detailed the changes in a previous post, and I think all the info is already out there for those of you interested. Luxo Jr. is now performing in Disney's Hollywood Studios, so drop on by and see that. I think his nighttime holiday act has yet to be programmed, but other than that he's done. The next phase of Pixar Studios expansion is now within the year range of beginning - time to extend the area to Studio Catering.

I guess that's all for now.
 
EPCOTPluto

EPCOTPluto

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info! It will be great to see the Yeti work again!

yeti_w_logoa.jpg


WDW Insider said:
I think his nighttime holiday act has yet to be programmed, but other than that he's done. The next phase of Pixar Studios expansion is now within the year range of beginning - time to extend the area to Studio Catering.
Click to expand...

Really Interesting! It'll be nice to see Luxo Jr. with different acts to represent holidays. :)

I wonder if this means the end of something over there...
Backlot Tour? HISTK Movie Set Adventure? Maybe the "Hot Set" where Wicket's Warehouse was? Over speculating? :lol:
 
Shere_Khan

Shere_Khan

Well-Known Member
That really makes me happy. Hopefully we will be able to see it in September.

I was so disappointed last Oct. I had seen the yeti on my very first ride back in Feb 2007 so I was very excited to show my mom and cousin when we went Oct 08. We rode Everest only once that trip. I told them both where to look and when, but neither of them saw the yeti at all and I just briefly could make him out but only because I knew exactly where.
 
W

WDW Insider

New Member
Original Poster
By the way, work on the Yeti has been one of our best kept secrets (imho) since I don't know of any internet leaks about the corrective work. He's been receiving extensive work after hours since about mid-January. It's been fun to read the so-called "experts" claiming all sorts of bad news while the Yeti is repaired without their knowledge. And with his motion changed to more of a swoop, he should be a creaure with much less issues =)
 
Captain Chaos

Captain Chaos

Well-Known Member
What's the new A mode??? Should we assume his arm won't be swiping down at the train?? Or if it is, it won't be sweeping much??? Either way, B mode stunk. Glad yeti got the fixing he needed...

Nevermind.. you answered me in the post above... it is a swoop... nice job!!!!
 
Thurp

Thurp

Member
This is great news. I've ridden Everest with first timers several times and they almost seem to miss the Yeti because of the stupid strobe lights.
 
juan

juan

Well-Known Member
Considering the yeti nearly flipped a crane when it was testing in CA, I would think that they would have analyzed the stresses a little better so they wouldn't have gotten to this position. Anyways, it good to see him coming back into action.
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
juan said:
Considering the yeti nearly flipped a crane when it was testing in CA, I would think that they would have analyzed the stresses a little better so they wouldn't have gotten to this position. Anyways, it good to see him coming back into action.
Click to expand...

It's always easy to "monday morning imagineer" but remember, nothing like this had ever been done before so there has to be a certain ammount of a learning curve. It's great news though. I feared Mr Yeti was NRTS. :lookaroun
 
B

Brian Noble

Well-Known Member
I would think that they would have analyzed the stresses a little better so they wouldn't have gotten to this position.
Click to expand...
As a professor in an engineering college...you can do all the simulations and calculations you want, but when you're building something that more or less hasn't been done before, it's hard to get it exactly right unless you build one to throw away first. Always you have to make simplifying assumptions vs. really building it for real. Sometimes, one of those assumptions comes back to bite you.

It's one thing to build Yet Another Four Lane Bridge, where the bad assumptions are mostly well-known. This is another.
 
juan

juan

Well-Known Member
Brian Noble said:
As a professor in an engineering college...you can do all the simulations and calculations you want, but when you're building something that more or less hasn't been done before, it's hard to get it exactly right unless you build one to throw away first. Always you have to make simplifying assumptions vs. really building it for real. Sometimes, one of those assumptions comes back to bite you.

It's one thing to build Yet Another Four Lane Bridge, where the bad assumptions are mostly well-known. This is another.
Click to expand...

With 2 engineering degrees myself, I completely agree. I was just noting that they already knew the yeti had extreme force lifting its crane and they even designed the ride as three structures (yeti, mountain, rollercoaster) to eliminate the force interactions between each of them. Even though it had never been done before, I would have thought that they would have been prepared for something like this. "Hey guys, this yeti is really powerful and exerts huge forces. We may have issues with stress in the future. Let's be prepared to fix it and analyze it over time so it doesn't become a problem."
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
:D

Heard about this almost a year ago.... and can`t wait for September, our 3rd trip since Everest opened, to finally see the thing moving.

Some things you just can`t talk about.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom