Roller Coaster Review: Expedition Everest

[Brian Fein]

Roller Coaster: Expedition Everest

Location: Orlando, FL

Park: Disney's Animal Kingdon

Opening: April, 2006

Premise:  You're a member of a hiking exepdition in the Himilaya Mountains ins Tibet.  You are warned of tales of the dangersous Yeti, or the Abominable Snowman.  Yet, you and your team are daring enough to set out to conquer Mount Everest, despite the tales of the horrid creature.

Rating: A+++

I've been on many roller coasters, mostly all the ones in Florida, and I really think this one tops them all.  This was available to Disney Annual Pass-holders as a preview this weekend, and I was fortunate enough to ride this bad boy three times.  It has all the best parts of alot of the coasters, plus some very clever innovation.  Being an Engi-nerd, I'm a sucker for innovative and cleverly designed ideas. 

The coaster takes you up a huge hill, preparing for your 80-foot drop.  But when you get to the top of "Everest", the Yeti has broken the tracks.  The coaster then goes backwards down the hill, through the darkness, pulling heavy G's all the way.  Once this is done, the coaster backs into a cave, where you see a silhouette of the Yeti breaking more tracks!  Then, all hell breaks loose!

The ride features the big double lateral loop as seen on Kumba at Busch Gardens.  Everest lasts about 2 minutes total, but does not have any loops or upside-down features.  This ride probably pulls more G's than any other in Florida and the whole going backwards thing is something I've never experienced on a roller coaster.

Highly recommended you check this puppy out when it opens this spring!

[CF DolFan]

Ok ... so how long did you have to wait for youer first ride on Saturday? 3 hours? We went back Sunday morning. We waited at the front gate until 8:30. Then they allowed us to race up to the turn in front of the Tree of Life until 8:45 and finally we could race up to the firstr check point for the ride. They started checking passes at 9:00. It was at that point we grabbed fast passes and raced to the line. We rode it the first time by 9:15 and then waited in line for almost 1.5 hours to do it again. Once we got off we used our fast passes to ride it a third time.

Crazy ... but it was kind of funny to see grown ups acting so silly. One guy took out his wife and his own self as they were trying to jump a bench and go behind a concession stand.  It was quite amusing in fast speed.


The ride ...

The first ride (we rode in the middle) was crazy as you have no idea what is going to happen next. I think this is the biggest selling point for this ride. The second trip (we rode in the back) was cool because I focused more on everything going on and the scenery. The third time (we rode up front)  made me sick to my stomach. It was also the first time I rode on the right side.

There are some cool "home" videos which show the ride in it's entirety but you obviously don't get the same effect. Here is one of those videos.

 http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22001

It's 3 min 50 sec but you have to register to the site to view it. They only ask for an email address I think but if want to see it you'll have to follow the rules.

[Dave Gray]

From the video, I can't help but think that that looks kind of weak.  ...the ride looks cool, technologically, but there doesn't seem to be much thrill to it.  Maybe the camera didn't do it justice, but it looks to be rather low intensity.

[CF DolFan]

From the video, I can't help but think that that looks kind of weak.  ...the ride looks cool, technologically, but there doesn't seem to be much thrill to it.  Maybe the camera didn't do it justice, but it looks to be rather low intensity.

I think the drops and inclines are really lessoned by the camera. Possibly ewven the speed. Like I said, I think the big selling point is not knowing what will happen next. Like the Hulk ride at Universal, I think after the first ride it kind of looses it's zing. Backwards in the dark was a different thrill for sure. I'd list it as maybe a top five Disney World ride. It does seem to pull some Gs.

[Dave Gray]

So, it takes you up to the top of that peak, where the tracks are busted (that looks pretty cool, by the way).  Then it drops you backwards....but then, do you switch tracks and go down a seperate way or something?

It reminds me of a ride I went on at Six Flags over Georgia.  It send you through a loop and then the tracks just ended...then you went backwards down the same slope and through the loop.  ...not quite as showy as this one, though.

You said that it was a top 5 disney ride: ...name them.

[Brian Fein]

The video doesn't do it justice.  You have to feel the G's...

CF - We waited in the 20 minute line (where we saw you guys), then waited 1 hr 10 minutes in the big line and rode it 2 more times after that within 40 minutes of getting off the first time.

The secret - GO AS SINGLE RIDERS.  We got Single rider passes, and the single rider line moves 100 times faster (and it 100 times shorter).

We did it 3 times in the span of 2 and a half hours from getting in line.

[Brian Fein]

Here's another video - not sure if its the same one or not...

http://www.mousegeeks.com/EEpagefinal.html

[CF DolFan]

Here's another video - not sure if its the same one or not...

http://www.mousegeeks.com/EEpagefinal.html

No it's different. I saw that one too. That was the other one I was thinking about but couldn't remember where I saw it.  Some of it is better while some of it is darker and harder to make out details.

Dave you said to list the top five rides .... I think that is a good idea.  I'll think about it for a while and make a top 10 list in another thread. If someone else beats me to it I'll just  post mine on their thread.