Expedition Everest, Yeti is not the only problem

[wijkowski]

EE sort of typifies everything which has become wrong with Disney. They have lost their way. They aren't paying as much attention to the details--something which made them great to begin with--and it's depressing.

I think EE worked properly for like a day before the Yetti broke down. I don't think they've ever fixed it so it worked for more than a day at a time. Since the Yetti is THE central character (if you will) for this attraction, it's hardly a minor detail. You'd think they would get it right.

All of the other things mentioned, while they're minor, the minor details are what sets Disney apart from the competition. Anyone can go to Islands of Adventure for better rides. But, if you want a better experience, Disney has them beaten although not as badly as they have in the past--and it's not because they've gotten better at Islands of Adventure (other than the Harry Potter thing).

It's a shame really.

Rick - great post and sadly true. I rode EE within the first few months with all effects working and it was fantastic. The train pulling into the station "exhausting" steam was a perfect example of what separates Disney from the rest of the crop - the little details creating total immersion.

Local theme parks across the US are always trying to one-up each other with the "tallest" or fastest" roller coaster. They are fine, but show me another park that can design and build something akin to Tower of Terror or Haunted Mansion with all the details we love.

It is concerning to see the small things in disrepair or something so minor as the designs on napkins disappear.

Ron

 

[kaligal]

I agree one hundred percent with you, it is the little things, that set Disney apart, if they don't work, you can go to any amusement park for a thrill ride. In fact Cedar Point is the park for thrill rides.

Oh, how I love me some Millenium Force. Let me count the ways.

Disney cannot and doesn't even try to compete with other parks on the quality of their thrill rides. They focus on details and keep the rides wimpy enough that almost anyone can ride them. There is nothing wrong with that. I love Disney for what it is. I can ride real thrill rides elsewhere.

But they need to keep those details because if they don't, people will start thinking about the rides themselves...and there are many, many parks with better coasters and rides (like Millenium Force!) That's MHO, anyway.

 

[disneylooper]

Oh, how I love me some Millenium Force. Let me count the ways.

Disney cannot and doesn't even try to compete with other parks on the quality of their thrill rides. They focus on details and keep the rides wimpy enough that almost anyone can ride them. There is nothing wrong with that. I love Disney for what it is. I can ride real thrill rides elsewhere.

But they need to keep those details because if they don't, people will start thinking about the rides themselves...and there are many, many parks with better coasters and rides (like Millenium Force!) That's MHO, anyway.

I agree, that is why the little details in the Disney Parks are so important.

 

[ScarletFire]

If you don't think the Yeti Effect at the end of the ride needs to be fixed, then you probably don't remember it correctly. It was amazing! So life Like, and it made the end of the ride just as exciting as the anticipation at the beginning. Most Importantly It completed the story the ride queue was leading up to...the Legend of the Yeti, Hikers missing or find evidence of Yeti, shrine to the yeti, Erie feeling at top of mountain, encounter with yeti Silhouette, and Finally Larger Than life Attack just missed and your safe! The story and effects are what make the ride a disney ride, any theme park can put in a better coaster that EE.

I remember it correctly! YES!! Fix the Yeti!!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Minnie]

Rick - great post and sadly true. I rode EE within the first few months with all effects working and it was fantastic. The train pulling into the station "exhausting" steam was a perfect example of what separates Disney from the rest of the crop - the little details creating total immersion.

Local theme parks across the US are always trying to one-up each other with the "tallest" or fastest" roller coaster. They are fine, but show me another park that can design and build something akin to Tower of Terror or Haunted Mansion with all the details we love.

It is concerning to see the small things in disrepair or something so minor as the designs on napkins disappear.

Ron

Completely agree with this - we are return visitors to WDW for the details - no where else in the "world" has the total experience

 

[prfctlyximprfct]

I can't imagine being one of those imagineers that worked so hard on this project, seeing it being ran this way. I watched one of those youtube videos showing how proud they were of the final project, it made me so sad!!

I think if the Yeti is to ever to be restored to it's former glory, it'll be after Avatarland opens. They'd need other crowd-loving attractions in order to shutdown Everest for a little. I don't wanna wait until 2016,

Watch this to see the great people who made this ride.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9U-7IjeZzY
Poor yeti, sitting in the dark now

 

[madcat]

Okay I just went back and watched a youtube video of EE when all of the effects were working (We rode it for the first time like this) and it really does make a difference. Is the ride still great now? Sure but there is still a different feeling about it. All in all, isnt EE still a pretty new ride to no thave a lot of the effects qorking on it? I know that we have to take into account the number of times that it runs in a day but...

 

[wendy1974]

I rode the ride a few times the year it opened when the Yeti was in her working, arm swiping state. And have ridden it dozens of times since. Since I know what it's SUPPOSED robe like I think I does make a difference in the experience. WDW is all about theming, one of the reasons we pay so much for tickets to their parks...and continue to pay even as they go up on admission. I don't think it's "whining" to demand all of a rides effects are working at least 75% of the time. But instead of complaining to our family, friends, the Dis Boards the best thing anyone can do that shares this sentiment is write/ email / call / stop at Guest Relations in AK and make it known you're disappointed. The squeaky wheel gets the oil

 

[GadgetRick]

I don't have inside information so I cannot say with certainty. but that is what I read here on the board. I do know from personal experience that addendums happen on every construction project. I cannot tell you how many times stairs have had to be reconfigured or modified onsite because of a change by the owner, architect, designer, etc that never made it back to the structural engineer.

What I read that the structure was designed and the moving yeti was nit part of the plan. When those who came up with the uses for the moving yeti added it, it was either after the structure was done, or the change never made it back to the structural team. The moving yeti created a stress point that want planned. Again, this is information that I read here on DIS, so I can't be positive it is true. But my 20 years experience in the construction industry and dealing with changes among GC's, architects, engineers, and all of the subcontractors, I can certainly see it happening.

Edited--read post below this one.

 

[GadgetRick]

The yeti's movement wasn't a last-minute idea. There was a glitch in the engineering software somewhere. Disney is still trying to figure this out. When they figure out what went wrong then they can fix it.

Read this: http://micechat.com/forums/walt-disney-world-resort/151710-broken-yeti-expedition-everest-mystery-solved.html
It explains things much better than I can.

Ok, that would make more sense then. If they used some proprietary (or new) software incorrectly, I can now understand how they could have screwed up.

Seems like it's more about them not allowing the concrete to cure long enough before building on top of it.

 

[sephorachick]

I never knew that most of those things even existed (or were supposed to exist).

hah same here

 

[Walleandeva2011]

Rode it several times last month and I could barely even see the yeti. It wasn't even disco yeti, it was more like obscure yeti.

@ disco yetti. I understand what you're saying, I almost got a seizure in the last portion of the ride. I picturing him in there with platform shoes with goldfish in them

 

[Seeker615]

I have to agree that details make all the difference in these rides.

When I was IOA last year we rode the Harry Potter ride and it was simply amazing! All the details were incredible. Later that day we rode again and the dragon was not working properly. He roared and we saw the light-bulb that made the fire breathing dragon effect. The fog was not working so the effect was totally a fail this time around.

It also happened on Jurassic Park. It seemed the first time we rode nothing was working properly. The long neck dino was stuck and it's neck was at a weird angle, the spitting dino's were not spitting and it appeared the timing was off on the whole ride. We rode it the next day and it was like a different ride. Everything was "on" and it was a total blast!

We pay good money to get the "experience" and we should expect the experience. I understand if an effect is down for a bit but they need to stay on top of these things before they get out of hand.

 

[Rickrollercoaster]

THE BIRD IS BACK!


I'm so happy.

 

[maddiebee]

THE BIRD IS BACK!


I'm so happy.

Did they actually take out the broken track part, or was that just so they could fix the bird?

 

[freediverdude]

Does it still look like a bird on a stick, lol. On another note, some effects also get removed because of complaints too. Like another poster talked about Harry Potter, well that ride used to have the most amazing mist effect right in front of a dementor that made it look like your life force was being taken, just like in the movies. Sometime during that first summer, they got enough complaints that "it was too scary for my little 4 year old Timmy who shouldn't be riding anyway" that the effect was taken out.

 

[kaybird]

Did they actually take out the broken track part, or was that just so they could fix the bird?

Think there are several things going on. I'm thrilled that the bird is back, also noticed new prayer flags!

 

[luisov]

A theme park is a LOT more difficult to maintain than most of you think. Let alone 4 theme parks, two water parks, lots of resorts and what not. Like really, it's not as easy as going during the night and replacing the fog machine. If they close the ride for a refurb, many people would complain about one of their faves being closed during their trip.

I'm one of those who thinks details are important, but I can't expect the parks to look impeccable when I know how difficult it actually is to maintain a good theme park.

 

[larryz]

A theme park is a LOT more difficult to maintain than most of you think. Let alone 4 theme parks, two water parks, lots of resorts and what not.

Well, that's why they charge people $95 per day on single day tickets -- to help pay for the maintainers. Right?

Or do they charge that much so Iger can have his annual bonus...?

 

[ArwenMarie]

A theme park is a LOT more difficult to maintain than most of you think. Let alone 4 theme parks, two water parks, lots of resorts and what not. Like really, it's not as easy as going during the night and replacing the fog machine. If they close the ride for a refurb, many people would complain about one of their faves being closed during their trip.

I'm one of those who thinks details are important, but I can't expect the parks to look impeccable when I know how difficult it actually is to maintain a good theme park.

Especially in a park that has so few rides as it is...