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Is the Yeti working?

Walt Disney World: Does anyone know?

From Charles Johnson
Posted March 30, 2009 at 4:24 PM
The last time I rode Expidition Everest (2006) the Yeti was working. Since then I have heard reports that he doesn't anymore.
I am returning to Florida next month and I'm really looking forward to riding Everest again, but I want a working Yeti.
Does anyone know if he's working?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Nate Mitchell
Posted March 30, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Sorry Charlie, Im afraid you will have much disappointment upon riding EE. The said Yeti has been in "B" mode for quite some time (Some refer to it as the "Dance Club Yeti") No idea when, or if, it will ever be returned to working order...Until then, the legend of the forbidden mountain isnt so legendary. Heres hopin :)

From TH Creative
Posted March 30, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Yeah and let's not forget that BROKEN Yeti when it rolls up against MIB in the tourney.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted March 30, 2009 at 5:02 PM
What else has stationary figures supposed to be scary? Oh yeah, the Mummy. Why was that not taken into account when voting?

However, MIB might got down due to CP fans

From James Rao
Posted March 30, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Yeti not broke. Platform broke. Yeti Move. Yeti fall. Disney pay big big. ;)

Check out this thread for details. As I understand it, he won't be fixed until there is a lengthy rehab, and there is nothing planned for Everest in the near future.

Please send an email to Disney expressing your concern. I know I have. Several times.

From Raul Araoz
Posted March 30, 2009 at 6:34 PM
James, is that the same Disney that doesn't seem to care about our little contest? :)

From Doug Kelley
Posted March 30, 2009 at 6:59 PM
I can verify it wasn't moving as of Christmas, 2008. I thought it looked pretty good at the time but didn't know it was supposed to move (hadn't been to WDW in a while)! Now that I know it CAN move, I think it looks pretty lame standing there with strobes on it. :(

From James Rao
Posted March 31, 2009 at 3:41 AM
Raul, as I have said before....getting Disney to care about a small time company like Cedar Fair, is like getting a giant to consider a flea.

Disney is busy running a company that saw 125 million visitors come through their turnstiles in 2007...and probably 110 - 115 million more in 2008. Conversely, Cedar Fair pulls about 20 million to all their parks in one year, with a paltry 3 million going to Cedar Point.

It is like trying to get the aristocracy to sit down to tea with the peasants. Not an easy task.

From Tony Duda
Posted March 31, 2009 at 7:52 PM
I rode Expedition Everest twice today, the second time in the front row, and the Yeti is quite still and it isn't even dance club Yeti. The lights were low and no strobe and one could miss it if not looking closely. The eyes may have been lit but that's about all. The front row really is better.

From Deidre Dennis
Posted March 31, 2009 at 8:31 PM
We went the year Expedition Everest opened when the Yeti was working. Of course we'll be able to compare it when we go again this Summer, but I personally was never impressed with the Yeti, one way or the other.

From James Rao
Posted April 1, 2009 at 6:20 AM
I kindly disagree. When the Yeti is moving, he is awesome. The train cruises up to him, he swings that big arm down, and then you take that final plunge away....awesome moment, IMHO. The best part of the ride. It is the frosting on the cake and the exclamation point at the end of the sentence.

From Deidre Dennis
Posted April 1, 2009 at 9:43 AM
I guess that's why we're all able to have our opinions. I wouldn't NOT ride the attraction because it's not working. The thrill for me is the ride itself, not the Yeti.

From James Rao
Posted April 1, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Oh..I agree. It will take more than a wounded Yeti to keep me off the best Disney coaster. But don't think I won't bust out a move and start singing "Dancing Queen" as I pass the strobes.....

From Andrew Holden
Posted April 1, 2009 at 11:57 AM
I completely agree! Just because the yeti ain't working don't mean that this is not still one FREAKING AWESOME RIDE! I think that the magic of Disney has spoiled us! The Yeti on the Matterhorn doasn't move and I don't hear anyone complaining ;}

From Deidre Dennis
Posted April 1, 2009 at 12:30 PM
James you are HILARIOUS.

I did think of the Yeti on the Matterhorns. He's so corny looking to me, but he sure scared the heck out of my 7 year old nephew this past summer!

I'm sure they'll get it working eventually but if they don't, I'm okay with that, too.

From James Rao
Posted April 1, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Thanks, Deidra. But I think I will keep my day job!

One thing, though, we have to keep pushing Disney to fix the Yeti. Sending email, talking about it here and in other forums, talking with customer service reps, whatever it takes. We pay a premium price to visit the Disney parks, and anything less than a premium product is unacceptable.

Disney WILL fix the Yeti. They know how important it is to the ride, and to the fans - the Yeti is the kind of technical wizardry that sets Disney (and Universal) apart from the rest of the amusement park companies out there. And we cannot let them off the hook, else they will just become another overpriced rip off.

I feel like I should say something dramatic now...like,

WE MUST BE EVER VIGILANT, MY FRIENDS! DO NOT LET THIS TYRANNY GO UNOPPOSED!

Wait... is that Les Miserables playing in the background... I think it is...

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the queues and lines
Is there a ride you long to see?
Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to a moving Yeti!

From James Rao
Posted April 1, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Wow...thank goodness for day jobs.

From Deidre Dennis
Posted April 1, 2009 at 7:27 PM
People have said if/when Disney fixes the Yeti, it will go down for a significant amount of time. So I'll wait to start campaigning for them to fix it when I get back from vacation. :)

From James Rao
Posted April 2, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Dear Disney,

Please fix the Yeti. As I understand this will take some time to accomplish, please fix it sometime after Deidre's vacation, and before mine.

Sincerely,
Your Number One Fans

From Deidre Dennis
Posted April 2, 2009 at 12:09 PM
I LOVE IT.

From Gareth H
Posted April 2, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Unfortunatley, due to the economy, the Yeti, or Arthur as he's known to his friends, was laid off a few months back.

The company that provided his acting skills to Disney could no longer support his large salary and had to lay him off until Obama's new Stimulus package can increase spending.

He can be found walking up and down I-Drive offering pictures of himself, with a polaroid camera, for $10, $5 if you have your own camera.

At night I hear he offers rides in his Gypsy cab, although he has been charged twice by Orlando City Police for operating without a license!

From James Rao
Posted April 2, 2009 at 10:08 PM
ROFLMAO!!! So what you're saying, Gareth, is the Yeti is working all right! He's working his butt off... just not at Expedition Everest!

From Don Neal
Posted April 3, 2009 at 6:21 AM
LOL @ Gareth! I'll see if I can get a photo in June and post it for you all!

From Anne Duncan
Posted October 8, 2010 at 1:02 PM
Any new info on when the Yeti might be refurbished?

From James Koehl
Posted October 8, 2010 at 1:27 PM
When Orlando freezes over.

From Hermione Potter
Posted October 8, 2010 at 3:20 PM
When Disney builds another coaster/thrill ride in Animal Kingdom. It eats too many people into the line to take it down for an extended period of time otherwise.

From Tony Duda
Posted October 11, 2010 at 1:01 PM
I rode Expedition Everest on Sunday Oct. 10 and it was not animated, just strobe lights. It actually was hard to see, they should light it up more, a rider only sees it for 1 second and can easily miss it if not looking.

From Terri Pierce
Posted October 18, 2010 at 2:53 PM
Just got back from Animal Kingdom and no the Yeti was NOT running. Actually, half of my family missed seeing it completely. Keep your eyes open on the last hill.

From Russell Meyer
Posted October 18, 2010 at 5:51 PM
We were there last Friday, and Yeti is still in "Disco Yeti" mode. Unfortunately, if they lit him up more, it would be obvious to everyone riding that he's not actually moving, thus the need for the darker interior and the strobe lights to provide that illusion that the figure is actually moving towards the train.

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