Yeti Update

[RSoxNo1]

Nice!

What that video does remind me of more then anything is how ambitious the attraction really was. It may just be a "coaster" but the overall vision is what was so intrigueing.

We haven't seen anything close to this scale in Florida since. No, a cute singing omnimover is nice, but it isn't ambitious. We sure don't seem to see anything of this scale on the near horizon either. Avatar is just too far out and too sketchy at this point to get excited...

Everest was both a huge success and failure. No question that it drastically drove attendance to a lagging underbelly park. Huge gains. The park is far better with it then before.

It has failed because not only is it broken, but it has failed to maintain the popularity. Sure it has a line, but how often does that long beautiful queue get all filled up? Not often.

I also think it failed in the sense of scaring the suits. Everest was a huge project with new wildly expensive tech, and the star of the show never really worked. I think the failure of the big expensive never been done before yeti is the reason we get a safe Mermaid omnimover instead of the next groundbreaking ride tech.

Sacred safe by disco yeti.

Everest gave that park a 1 million guest attendance boost. That's pretty substantial. As to it's popularity - I think it's more a function of people disliking the park as a whole, and that being the only substantial addition in 6 years. For many people it's the only thing they do in that park.

It's also a pretty efficient attraction which helps.

I think now would be the perfect time to not only fix the Yeti, but plus the whole attraction as well. They could add some extra animatronics for ambience, tighten up the storyline, add an actual showscene where the broken trackswitch occurs, and perhaps add an onboard sound system(memorable music is something this attraction sorely lacks).

Everest 2.0 would be a welcome addition to Animal Kingdom.

I agree. I think this is the best way to "sell" a 6 month refurb.

 

[G00fyDad]

Guess what? That's his internal structure and the "sled" that moves is his torso.

The movement of the sled in that video is EXACTLY the way his upper body would move during the ride.

Watch how he moves at the end of that same video. That is the same way he moved on the ride. The "sled" was just his internal mechanism that gave movement to his upper body. The lower portion was always stationary and never moved.

And I never said he came out kicking at people. But the sled DID move him out toward the ride vehicle. You disagreed and were shown to be wrong. Case closed.

 

[Bolna]

Watch this video then come back and try telling me that he isn't on a sled or slide.

Pay close attention to the 6:12 mark. :wave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4BS2r2osks

The thing that really got me in this video was the obvious pride these people had about their product. It did not come off as false excitement as so many of the newer Disney Parks Blog articles and videos have, but a true believe in doing something great. I can't imagine how these people who worked on the Yeti must feel about its current state.

Also, since they tested it so extensively in the lab, how could it create those problems once installed? I understand that the Yeti is heavy and that it moves, but those are typical forces that have to be taken into consideration when building a structure. They can build houses that withstand earthquakes, why not a structure supporting the Yeti?

 

[AEfx]

I was there during CM previews and rode half a dozen times. I went back and rode a couple of times before the Yeti stopped functioning.

I can tell you that the short glimpse didn't allow me to appreciate how much movement the thing was capable of. Almost like the designers were scared if you looked at him too long you'd see the seams in the costume.

The idea behind allowing you only a glimpse of Yeti is interesting, but the execution of the idea is questionable.

What I've been saying for YEARS.

The real reason they don't fix it is because most people don't notice because you could barely see him anyway.

People seem to remember it being much more than it actually was. It was a poor design decision in the first place.

It was very dark in that spot to begin with, you are flying by so fast, and it's at a portion where many people had to squint or have their eyes closed anyway.

 

[GrumpyFan]

The real reason they don't fix it is because most people don't notice because you could barely see him anyway.

It was very dark in that spot to begin with, you are flying by so fast, and it's at a portion where many people had to squint or have their eyes closed anyway.

I somehow doubt that's the real reason. I think its more an issue of not wanting to lose money when guests leave the park after only 3 or 4 hours. Expedition Everest is a big draw for that park, and without another equally big attraction to draw and keep guests in the park, they will lose money and guest satisfaction will go down. In the 3-4 years since the Yeti has been broken, the park has continued to increase in number of guests in the park. In fact, last year, AK was the only park that increased in attendance at WDW.

I do agree though that the extremely short glimpse of the big guy taking a swipe at you as you passed by was both exhilarating and frustrating as the ride came to a quick end immediately after. It just seems to me his placement might have been better right before or right after the big drop, like when you pass back thru the mountain after the drop.

 

[TP2000]

What I've been saying for YEARS.

The real reason they don't fix it is because most people don't notice because you could barely see him anyway.

People seem to remember it being much more than it actually was. It was a poor design decision in the first place.

It was very dark in that spot to begin with, you are flying by so fast, and it's at a portion where many people had to squint or have their eyes closed anyway.

Thanks. That's a really good summary of this situation, and I agree with you.

While it's a shame the thing doesn't work any more, I never could get too worked up about it. You fly by at such a speed it makes very little difference whether he has animated features or not.

 

[djkidkaz]

Its not because of the short time you see him, its because of the fact its a headliner attraction at the park and it needs the ride running to keep people in the park since there is so little else to do.

 

[fractal]

Thanks. That's a really good summary of this situation, and I agree with you.

While it's a shame the thing doesn't work any more, I never could get too worked up about it. You fly by at such a speed it makes very little difference whether he has animated features or not.

I completely disagree - it makes a huge difference.

 

[Todd H]

I completely disagree - it makes a huge difference.

I'm with you. Rode it numerous times back when it first opened and a huge Yeti lunging at you was pretty hard to miss even when traveling at a pretty good clip. Not sure why people keep saying this.

 

[ctxak98]

I'm with you. Rode it numerous times back when it first opened and a huge Yeti lunging at you was pretty hard to miss even when traveling at a pretty good clip. Not sure why people keep saying this.

I have to agree with you too! there is no way you could miss him!. and its not that disney didnt want to you to miss the yeti, Its a rollercoaster, they usually are always moving especially newer more intense ones. This already has a show scene with the yeti shadow and then the end figure was supposed to make you think"wait was that realy real?" and make you want to ride it again to see it once more. CLEVER CLEVER design in my eyes.

 

[montyz81]

My friend works in Imagineering and he agrees that nothing is broken on the Yeti. The problem is the structure and they cannot run it without creating damage to the structure so they stopped running it. I am told there is no plans to fix it so it can be run.

This reminds me of the turntable in Imagination. It was always breaking down. The easiest way to fix it was to weld it so it wouldn't move and change the entire attraction. Although this most likely will not be the fate of the entire ride, it does appear to be the fate of the actual animatronic. Rehab will just make it permanently stationary.

 

[freediverdude]

Watch this video then come back and try telling me that he isn't on a sled or slide.

Pay close attention to the 6:12 mark. :wave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4BS2r2osks

Wow. I did not realize that there was a humongous machine behind the yeti pushing the whole thing out at you like that. I have seen the A mode, and thought the arm coming out at you was amazing, but I didn't realize the machinery behind it was that large. I can't believe all that machinery is back there and all of it is turned off. Talk about a waste.

 

[Princess_Minnie]

I had the luck to ride Everest in one of it's first weeks of public operation and I must say, I think the Yeti moving made a big difference. It just doesn't have the same impact as it does set in Disco Mode.

Everest is truly one of my favorite rides in WDW, and the Yeti being broken doesn't affect that feeling. BUT, I would love to see the Yeti move again, because it really was an exciting climax to the ride. The Yeti came so close to the car, and it was truly spectacular because the Imagineers had it fully lit to show off their work. It was REAL, it made the ride REAL.

So I disagree with those that say that you fly by too quick to notice the Yeti. Do you fly by the Dino bones in BTMR too fast to get their effect? No. Same with Everest. I'm not mad at Disney because they haven't fixed the Yeti; I'm actually more disappointed FOR them, because their work isn't being shown to its full potential. There was so much work put into the Yeti, I want to see it work for them, almost more than I want it to work for us.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I had the luck to ride Everest in one of it's first weeks of public operation and I must say, I think the Yeti moving made a big difference. It just doesn't have the same impact as it does set in Disco Mode.

Everest is truly one of my favorite rides in WDW, and the Yeti being broken doesn't affect that feeling. BUT, I would love to see the Yeti move again, because it really was an exciting climax to the ride. The Yeti came so close to the car, and it was truly spectacular because the Imagineers had it fully lit to show off their work. It was REAL, it made the ride REAL.

So I disagree with those that say that you fly by too quick to notice the Yeti. Do you fly by the Dino bones in BTMR too fast to get their effect? No. Same with Everest. I'm not mad at Disney because they haven't fixed the Yeti; I'm actually more disappointed FOR them, because their work isn't being shown to its full potential. There was so much work put into the Yeti, I want to see it work for them, almost more than I want it to work for us.

You make it seem as though TDO must be disappointed that the yeti doesn't work. I don't think they care (they may even be happy that it is broken since they don't have to pay to maintain him).

I feel bad for Joe Rohde...and for us guests. Of course, if they can't keep a bird on a stick and simple waterfalls working, how can we expect something as enormously complex as the yeti to work?

I think we are stuck with the Yetiquin. Maybe they can start dressing him in seasonal outfits...i.e. give him a box of chocolates to hold in February; easter bunny ears and a bucket of colored eggs for easter; give him a bucket of sand and board shorts for the summer; dress him as Jack Skellington in October; reindeer antlers and a red nose at Christmas.

 

[Princess_Minnie]

You make it seem as though TDO must be disappointed that the yeti doesn't work. I don't think they care (they may even be happy that it is broken since they don't have to pay to maintain him).

I feel bad for Joe Rohde...and for us guests. Of course, if they can't keep a bird on a stick and simple waterfalls working, how can we expect something as enormously complex as the yeti to work?

I think we are stuck with the Yetiquin. Maybe they can start dressing him in seasonal outfits...i.e. give him a box of chocolates to hold in February; easter bunny ears and a bucket of colored eggs for easter; give him a bucket of sand and board shorts for the summer; dress him as Jack Skellington in October; reindeer antlers and a red nose at Christmas.

Maybe TDO isn't concerned but I feel bad for all the Imagineers directly involved with the Yeti project. I'm sure Joe Rohde never thought that his massive AA would end up hanging over the track like a manequin for years with nothing done about it.

And even if they did dress him up (hilarious by the way) we wouldn't be able to see it because I can hardly see him just with the strobes!

 

[bcoachable]

Ya know... I was thinking..
What would Rockin Roller coaster be without the Aerosmith music blarring in your ears as you went through the ride? It would still be good, but think about how much better it is with the music...

And The Tower of Terror with out the doors opening up as you awaited your next plunge? Well, that would'nt ruin the ride.. but wow, doesn't that glimpse out on to the park kind of put the icing on the cake for what would normally just be another parachute drop as well?

For me, that is what has happend here with the Yeti...
Still a cool coaster, but cool like Six Flags cool, not WDW Awesome cool...

Come on TDO, lets find an appropriate time and pull the trigger on the fix!

 

[RSoxNo1]

Ya know... I was thinking..
What would Rockin Roller coaster be without the Aerosmith music blarring in your ears as you went through the ride? It would still be good, but think about how much better it is with the music...

And The Tower of Terror with out the doors opening up as you awaited your next plunge? Well, that would'nt ruin the ride.. but wow, doesn't that glimpse out on to the park kind of put the icing on the cake for what would normally just be another parachute drop as well?

For me, that is what has happend here with the Yeti...
Still a cool coaster, but cool like Six Flags cool, not WDW Awesome cool...

Come on TDO, lets find an appropriate time and pull the trigger on the fix!

Last trip, my friends were on a Test Track vehicle that had no audio. They were given the option of riding again as a result. That's the type of show difference that's happening without the Yeti. Admittedly it's not throughout the entire ride but it's still significant.

 

[ctxak98]

They really should fix the yeti. I think once avatar is finally completed( and I know a lot of people dont want it to be) that they will try and come up with a plan to fix him. They dont have enough to do in the park right now to just close don the ride. But then again before everest there were all those years of just dinosaur, Kali, and Kilamanjaro Safaris. Maybe they could just take it down for a while? how long would it be to fix it?:veryconfu

 

[Princess_Minnie]

Ya know... I was thinking..
What would Rockin Roller coaster be without the Aerosmith music blarring in your ears as you went through the ride? It would still be good, but think about how much better it is with the music...

And The Tower of Terror with out the doors opening up as you awaited your next plunge? Well, that would'nt ruin the ride.. but wow, doesn't that glimpse out on to the park kind of put the icing on the cake for what would normally just be another parachute drop as well?

For me, that is what has happend here with the Yeti...
Still a cool coaster, but cool like Six Flags cool, not WDW Awesome cool...

Come on TDO, lets find an appropriate time and pull the trigger on the fix!

Oh I just LOVE this description! I have actually ridden the Rock n' Roller Coaster without the music, and let me tell you it RUINS the ride! Not in the way that the Yeti not working affects Everest, but the point is, it affects the ride.

 

[the-reason14]

Ya know... I was thinking..
What would Rockin Roller coaster be without the Aerosmith music blarring in your ears as you went through the ride? It would still be good, but think about how much better it is with the music...

And The Tower of Terror with out the doors opening up as you awaited your next plunge? Well, that would'nt ruin the ride.. but wow, doesn't that glimpse out on to the park kind of put the icing on the cake for what would normally just be another parachute drop as well?

For me, that is what has happend here with the Yeti...
Still a cool coaster, but cool like Six Flags cool, not WDW Awesome cool...

Come on TDO, lets find an appropriate time and pull the trigger on the fix!

I would love to be able to ride Rockin coaster without music. I wish they had a button that you could press to disable it. Ya, I know it's part of the ride, but still. And I don't think I've ever seen a six flags coaster as heavily themed as E:E with or without a working yeti. Disney definitely needs a solution but E:E is above and beyond any six flags coaster when it comes to theming.