When Shane and I were running WDW47 we joked that this would be the one day where a ride broke down and we were evacuated… thus destroying our hopes for success.
Both of us have been to the parks innumerable times… we have ridden more rides than we can count. I have been to every Disney park in the world and yet after riding these rides for decades, hundreds and hundreds of times, neither of us had ever been evacuated from a ride. Not a big ride, not a small ride, just no ride.
Sure, we have had break-downs where we sit for ten minutes before it starts up but never before had we been asked to get up, step out of the ride vehicle and be escorted back stage and out of an attraction.
Fortunately we made it through WDW47 without that happening but sure enough 2 days later is did happen! Unlike Shane who got to rest and forget about the parks while he recovered from the epic run I was still on vacation with my family, and that meant going on all the rides again!
Expedition Everest Secret Phone
After riding 48 rides in one day frankly I really did not want to go on any more for quite a while… and I also had a fairly serious foot injury… and yet here I was walking the parks and riding the rides over and over for three more days.
On Tuesday we made our way to Animal Kingdom. My daughter was very excited to finally be tall enough to ride Expedition Everest. We boarded the vehicle and made it through the slow peaceful beginning, scaled the hill climb and saw the yeti-mangled tracks. We roared backwards through darkness and came to a stop at the ride’s apex. The animation of the yeti played perfectly and then… we sat there.
And we sat there. And we sat there. After a while it became obvious that we were not going anywhere. They kept chiming in on the P.A. telling us that our expedition would resume shortly and then it did not. After about 20 minutes (which would have been crippling during WDW47) the lights came on and we were told to sit tight and someone would be along to escort us out. And then we sat for a lot longer.
I guess because we were at the very top of the ride we were the last to get evacuated. They did eventually come and one by one unlocked the restraints and had us step out to the left. Then we all walked single file through a hidden door and down 17 flights of stairs! The inside of the mountain is extremely clean and organized, much more so than other attractions I have seen back stage (I used to work there). It was huge inside. At the bottom we curved around a bend and the rockwork started once again as we walked beside the tracks and back to the station.
We were given fast passes to return later and once we did we had the unique experience of riding Expedition Everest exactly one and a half times.
Check out the video:
I got my first evac on test track last jan. Right after bursting through the doors to the outside, it just ground to a halt. Trip highlight for sure.
I remember getting evacuated from the People Mover at Disneyland when I was about 7 years old. I think that was the first and last time I ever got to do a Disney evacuation.
Six Flags’ La Ronde in Montreal is under a blackout as of now. Three coasters and a boat ride at least have passengers not in the unloading dock.
I wish they would fix that darn Yeti
I have almost given up hope.
they could at least turn some damn lights on so you can see the thing, even if it doesn’t move, it’s better than just a pitch black room at the end, what an anticlimax for such an otherwise awesome ride
I remember the first time I rode it I saw nothing, I remember thinking “wait a minute, where the hell was the yeti?”, only after repeated rides and looking closely did I managed to see it for a split second, I had no idea what was going on, I didn’t learn the damn thing was broken until I got home and checked the internet
(fyi, yeah I know about the strobe light, but maybe it too was broken because it barely flashed at all)
The strobe light sucks, barely works and was never a good idea.
They spent huge money and all sorts of hype on the yeti. Even when it worked it was difficult to see. I am sure that was the intent, did you see it or not? Is it real? But come on… People want to see it.
They should light it for sure. Fixing it is apparently not an option.
I’m no expert, but I also don’t see why they can’t just rip the thing out and put in a different kind of animatronic that wont crack the foundation
either way, a ride about a Yeti with no actual Yeti is a piss poor situation and tarnishes what is otherwise a great ride
I agree on both counts.
When they built it they made a huge deal about the forces of the yeti mechanics and how they needed three independent structures: the mountain, the tracks and the yeti supports. None touch each other and therefore it all works. Only it doesn’t.
So they knew this may happen an unfortunately they failed. Ok that sucks but now fix it!
Remove the old yeti and forget the idea of some crazy fast arm swinging thing. Build a more traditional new one that just roars at you and call it a day. It was a good try, we forgive you. But don’t just leave it broken and in essence missing!
Yea, I know from an operational point of view closing this ride for months would suck, but not as much as keeping it open as is.
You know, I’ve never really thought about it, but in the countless times I’ve visited the six American parks (mostly the Anaheim ones, though), I’ve only ever been evaced from a ride twice, and both times were in the exact same spot: the Burrows Lament scene on Disneyland’s Splash Mountain.
The closest we’ve ever come besides that was when they shut down the Dumbo spinner at Disneyland to chew out my dad for turning around to take pictures of us in the car behid him. After that they resumed the ride, but we all found it rather amusing.
How is your foot? Not serious I hope!
I’ll live but as it turns out I somehow fractured my toe during WDW 47 so the second half of it was run with a broken toe. Now it’s like a science experiement going on down there… but in a few months it shoudl be fine and I’ll be ready to go! Thanks for asking.
What time was this around? My sister and aunt went on the ride a little bit after 10 and they had to wait in line for over 70 minutes because of a breakdown.
I don’t recall the exact time but I think it was later than that, more like 1:00 ish
We were removed from Rock and Roller Coaster… Just before the first loop!!!!
The first loop is almost immediately after the launch. Must have been a short ride!
And a back-breaking stop, since the first loop is essentially right after that catapult launch (or whatever it’s called)