Expedition Everest (Updates!) [Warning: SPOILERS]

[AwallaceUNC]

The biggest buzz around Animal Kingdom right now (if not WDW as a whole), is of course the construction of WDW's fourth mountain coaster, Expedition: Everest. Disney has just released the 2nd piece of concept art. Here it is, courtesy of wdwmagic.com:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/everest_ridesystem.htm (scroll down just a little)

It looks really incredible! I'm hoping to be down there for soft openings a few weeks before the actual premiere. This concept art is beautiful and I hope it translates to reality in much the same way. From what I've seen of the construction site, it looks as though it will.

-Aaron

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Is it just me, or do the vehicles look very simular to the ones from, "The Mummy" at Universal Studios!

Either way, it looks awesome so far! I can't wait!

[Raydawggie]

Sweeeeeeeet. I can't wait to see the Yeti! I always get so excited when a new ride is about to open in WDW!

[Loomis]

All the more incentive for me to get down to Florida one day (during non-hurricane season I hope)!

It looks like an insane version of the Matterhorn!

[Kram Nebuer]

Leaving the realms of college math hw, it's Kram Nebuer!

Okay, I just had to come back for a bit because:
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad we have a Disney Theme Parks forum now!!! YAY!!!!!

Anyhow...

Those pics were awesome, aaron! thanx for posting! I'm glad animal kingdom is getting such a great attraction. It already has a lot of cool stuff but it seems like not many people go there or rate it as a good park. Maybe now people will come for EE and also see the other great stuff in the park. (I recommend the Maharajah Jungle Trek; I never went in previous years and when I finally did it was totally awesome! great for any animal lover)

Here are some somewhat recent pics of EE construction progress. So far it looks pretty awesome!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v340/ ... CN0750.jpg

that curving track looks exciting!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v340/ ... CN0751.jpg

(these were taken the end of july)

[Fidget1234]

Oh i cant wait for this one! DAK is already an awesome park- & this will make it even better, somehow this theme park has become the "neglected" one amongst many tourists. They'll go to the other three disney theme parks but skip this one...def the most beautiful one.

[AwallaceUNC]

WDWMagic has the just-released specs on Expedition: Everest, including a 112 foot drop! Really great info here:

A perilous journey aboard a runaway train through the Himalayan mountains. Adventurous riders push deep into the lair of the feared yeti, guardian of the forbidden mountain. En route, they encounter torn tracks, spiral backwards through the fog into an ice cavern and dart into and out of the mountain in a high-speed adventure.

Mountain Peak: At just under 200 feet, the tallest "mountain" in Florida and one of 18 mountains created by Disney Imagineers.

Chilling Thrills: A careening adventure including a 112-foot drop, plus frightening encounters with the mystical yeti.

Length: Nearly a mile of track as riders encounter harrowing twists, tight turns and drops.

Ride Vehicle: Modeled after an aging, steam-engine tea train; 34 passengers per train.

Yeti, Guardian of the Mountain: The mammoth-sized Audio-Animatronics yeti has a potential thrust, in all of its hydraulic cylinders combined, of slightly over 259,000 pounds force -- potentially more instantaneous power than a 747-400 airliner.

Forced Perspective: To create the sense of an enormous mountain range, Imagineers painted a "mural" of shadows across the face of the mountains. The range, glaciers and valleys is a canvas of rockwork, carvings and painting creating a forced perspective where closer-in objects have a massive look while appliqués trick the eye into perceiving far off objects.

Steelwork: 1,800 tons of steel were used in the mountain structure. That is about six times the amount of steel used in a traditional office building of this size.

Hillary Step: The 1953 famous final ascent of Sir Edmund Hillary is represented in Disney's man-made mountain. The coloring of Mount Everest differs from the rest of the mountain range because at more than 29,000 feet elevation, hurricane-force winds often blow the snow off its peak, revealing a raw sheet of rock.

Mountain Make-up: The mountain is crafted with more than 3,000 pre-fabricated "chips" created from 25,000 individually computer-molded pieces of steel.

Color Palette: 2,000 gallons of stain and paint were used on the rockwork and throughout the village. The color scheme has ritual meaning to the Himalayan culture.

Artisans at Work: Artists from Imagineering used hammers, chainsaws and blowtorches to "age" wood and buildings in the village, giving them the appearance of being longstanding parts of the landscape.
Creating the Himalayan Environment in Florida: More than 900 bamboo plants, 10 species of trees and 110 species of shrubs are being nurtured and planted to re-create the lowlands surrounding Mount Everest.

Authentic Detail: Some 2,000 handcrafted items from Asia are evident in the props, cabinetry and architectural ornamentation.

Height Restriction: 44 inches.

Seating: 17 rows of seating two abreast.

Restraint: Lap bar

Disney's FASTPASS: Expedition Everest features Disney's FASTPASS, the innovative system which allows guests, at no additional charge, to avoid lengthy waiting in line.

http://wdwmagic.com/everest_facts_figures.htm

I really can't wait for this! I hope the drop isn't too intense

-Aaron

[AwallaceUNC]

And now a description of the ride-through and the backstory! This sounds like it's going to be an amazing attraction, and a coaster worthy of the Disney Mountain category!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Ancient legend holds that high in the Himalayan Mountains lives an enormous creature that fiercely guards the route to Mount Everest.

Now that legend roars dramatically to life at Disney's Animal Kingdom in a new runaway train adventure that combines coaster-like thrills with the excitement of a close encounter of the hairy kind.

Expedition Everest is part of the 18-month "Happiest Celebration on Earth," the jubilee honoring 50 years of Disney theme parks and commemorating the 1955 opening of Disneyland. The celebration began May 5, 2005, with the launch of the largest lineup of new shows and attractions and continues through 2006.

Walt Disney World guests will discover for themselves the fearsome lore of the yeti when Expedition Everest peaks in early 2006 at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. Aboard out-of-control railcars screaming forward and backward, white-knuckle adventurers swoop into the unknown, braving twists, turns and drops inside and outside a mighty mountain leading to an unforgettable encounter.

"Expedition Everest adds a new dimension to our storytelling in Disney's Animal Kingdom," said Joe Rohde, executive designer at Walt Disney Imagineering and lead designer of the park. "It's a thrilling adventure themed to the tradition of the mysterious yeti."

The story begins when guests are transported to a distant world of exploration and the mythical village of Serka Zong. A canopy of prayer flags, an ornamental monastery, intricately carved totems, and a garden of stone carvings of the yeti clutching the mountain immerse guests in a far-off realm. The yeti's role as protector of the sacred mountain is reinforced in this detailed environment rich in culture and tradition.

"The Himalayan culture is full of ritualized architecture encouraging great harmony and structure," Rohde said. "The colors of the village, the carved animal heads on the doors, the totems -- it's all very symbolic and authentic."

Despite forewarnings, the proprietors of Himalayan Escapes tour company entice explorers to embark on a rugged train journey to the mystical Everest. First stop is Norbu and Bob's booking office to obtain permits, and then it's off to Tashi's General Store and Bar for needed supplies for the journey.

Next, explorers pass through an old tea warehouse that houses an elaborate museum run by Professor Pumba Dorjay, a conservation biologist who believes the yeti's existence is grounded in fact. The richly designed yeti museum showcases artifacts reflecting Nepalese culture, plus a history of the Himalayas and tales of the yeti. Photos show sherpas and others who have conquered the summit.

Now equipped to conquer the mountain, trekkers board the Anandapur Rail Service. This aging 34-passenger industrial railway, which was once used to transport tea, is now destined for the foot of Mount Everest.

As the steam train rolls through thick bamboo forests and fern groves up the first hill through a fortress, ritualized music signals riders to dangers ahead. En route a cluster of sacred yeti totems and a massive yeti mural crafted on the rockwork gives further warning to turn back.

The train continues across a teetering bridge into the mountain, dives into shimmering glacier valleys and then climbs up through the snow-capped peaks.

Skulking silhouettes and shadows of the lurking yeti, coupled with startling special effects and climate variations, enhance the attraction as the steam train darts in and out of the picturesque mountain range.

But suddenly the train screeches to a halt near a gnarled mass of twisted metal. In a fit of rage, the yeti has torn apart the track. The thrills intensify as the runaway train moves both forward and backward through darkened mountain caverns and icy canyons and guests head for an inevitable face-to-muzzle showdown with the towering yeti -- known to some as the abominable snowman.

The train accelerates at speeds up to 50 mph into a fog of spiral curves taking mountaineers down a 112-foot plummet to escape the wrath of the powerful yeti.

"Seeing the yeti will really startle the guests because it is so real, so convincing," said Rohde. "It is the most mammoth and sophisticated Audio-Animatronics figure ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering."

Expedition Everest, towering at nearly 200 feet high and occupying a 6.2-acre site, will be located in the Asia section of the theme park. It is one of 18 mountain attractions created by Walt Disney Imagineering at Disney theme parks worldwide.

Expedition Everest will feature Disney's FASTPASS -- offered at no charge to park guests -- designed to reduce wait times at popular attractions in all four Walt Disney World theme parks. Expedition Everest will have a height restriction of 44 inches.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is a 500-acre theme park where the exciting worlds of wild and whimsical creatures come to life on an authentic African safari, in an Asian rain forest, on a trip back in time to the age of the dinosaurs and in other attractions and shows brimming with stories about animals and encounters with favorite Disney characters.

http://wdwmagic.com/everest_ridesystem.htm

-Aaron

[Loomis]

Wow, that sounds pretty intense. Especially considering the Splash Mountain drop is only 52 feet!

Speaking of which, I just noticed these photos of Everest has gone up on Mousplanet (I'll link to it so as to save their bandwidth):

http://albums.mouseplanet.com/WDWAKEver ... ennett.jpg

http://albums.mouseplanet.com/WDWAKEver ... ennett.jpg

http://albums.mouseplanet.com/WDWAKEver ... ennett.jpg

Even better, go here:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/parkupdates/ ... 051108.htm

[AwallaceUNC]

More pictures here: http://wdwmagic.com/beastly.htm (there's an update about the grand opening event on that link too).

This thing is looking all but finished! Woohoo! It really is beautiful and adds so much to the DAK skyline.

-Aaron

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

WOW! This LOOKS BETTER THAN I IMAGINED!

But it does look intense, it might be Disney's most intense ride since "Rockin Roller Coaster"!

Looks like another WDW trip 2006!

[brownie]

When in 2006 is it opening? I'm too lazy to read everything there.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to returning to Disney World so I can go on this ride!

[AwallaceUNC]

^April. Soft openings will probably begin sometime in February.

-Aaron

[Disney-Fan]

The first original Disney attraction in years worthy of the Disney name (DisneySea attractions excluded). I'm sure this ride will live up to the hype. It's just a shame I won't be there to experience it.

[AwallaceUNC]

The official logo for the attraction can be seen here.

I don't know -- not that it's the most important thing in the world, but it looks a little too Universal for me.

-Aaron

[Grunches]

I can't wait to ride this! It is going to be awesome!

[GhostHost]

hopefully it will last a lot longer than RandRcoaster does. You know, it would be nice for it to be over 2 minutes long, but nearly a mile of track isn't too bad.

[Loomis]

Everest Storyline Walk-Through here:

http://www.magicalmountain.net/WDWNewsD ... ewsID=1041

[Just Myself]

Quick question- what's a soft opening?

[AwallaceUNC]

^Disney attractions often run for guests for a few weeks or so before the official opening. It isn't announced or scheduled, nor does it show up on the Times Guides. If you're hanging out around the attraction at the right time, however, imagineers and/or cast members will come out and let you test out the attraction and give them your feedback. That's the gyst (is that how that's spelled, btw?), anyways.

-Aaron