Can anyone confirm? The yeti is working again?

[Nixie]

Doesn't it seem odd that they would install a huge animatronic in such a way? I've seen commentary that the animatronics can be quite complex and need a fair amount of maintenance and yet the yeti is so hard to get to apparently.

Anyway, the ride is still a blast even with a stationary yeti.

The Yeti is different than most animatronics because it's mechanisms for movement and such are housed behind her in her "back". Most animatronics the mechanisms are housed in their legs and under their feet. They couldn't do this with the Yeti because of the sheer weight of the whole thing. She woulda crushed her own machinery. (Hope that makes sense.)

 

[ScaryTales]

Disco Yeti until major refurb.

 

[Potterholic85]

Can I just say...

I love the name Betty the Yeti. That will forever be the yeti's name for me, now!

 

[Merida DunBroch]

Doubt a major refurb will happen anytime soon; would require a major haul of one of AK's most popular attractions. If that was down for a long time I could see many not wishing to go to AK. Disney prob doesn't wanna miss out on the money they rake in, and thus no refurb for a while Disco Yeti was on when I went in April.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

I've always wondered why they don't just have him swing his arm at the passing train or something. Moving a couple hundred pound arm seems like it wouldn't put much force on the structure vs moving a multi ton animatronic. I've watched the youtube disco yeti videos and it just seems like that can't be the best Disney can come up with, even for a temporary fix.

Is the base so damaged that no movement at all is possible?

 

[Zeppelin]

we rode EE three times on Tuesday morning and he was working fine...

 

[mesaboy2]

we rode EE three times on Tuesday morning and he was working fine...

She took a huge swipe at you as you rushed past in the last tunnel? I'm thinking no.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Can I just say...

I love the name Betty the Yeti. That will forever be the yeti's name for me, now!

Except that's not the yeti's name. Nor is he a female. Yet people on the DIS continue to insist that he is.

 

[Zeppelin]

She took a huge swipe at you as you rushed past in the last tunnel? I'm thinking no.

not me- my daughter sitting next to me....

 

[Nixie]

I've always wondered why they don't just have him swing his arm at the passing train or something. Moving a couple hundred pound arm seems like it wouldn't put much force on the structure vs moving a multi ton animatronic. I've watched the youtube disco yeti videos and it just seems like that can't be the best Disney can come up with, even for a temporary fix.

Is the base so damaged that no movement at all is possible?

The whole yeti's is sitting on a "boom" for lack of a better way of describing it. It's movement originates from there, not its feet. The actual movement used to slide the whole yeti out a little bit (like leaning towards the coaster), and then the arm would come down and swipe. No one knows for certain where this thing is broken cept Disney, but if it is where the base of this "boom" is attached, the swinging of the arm could be enough stress to break the whole yeti off and have around 4 tons of animatronic come crashing down. Same if the actual boom itself is cracked. The swinging of the heavy arm could cause enough stress to snap the whole thing.

(This is an over simplification of the whole thing, but gives you a picture of why it isn't a good idea to swing the arm if there are stress cracks else where. I don't really think the whole thing is just supported by the boom, but it could cause some major infrastructure instability depending on how much the yeti is intragrated into the rest of the structure.)

 

[1000HappyWishes]

we rode EE three times on Tuesday morning and he was working fine...

I doubt this. Have you ridden it when the Yeti was fully-functioning? The Yeti simply *can't* work properly. The effects on the Yeti most likely made you believe that it swung at you.

 

[SqueekieKitty]

Except that's not the yeti's name. Nor is he a female. Yet people on the DIS continue to insist that he is.

When we were at AK two weeks ago my son was doing the Wilderness Explorer book, where they get stickers at different spots for different animals and such. They very explicitly told him that the yeti in Expedition Everest's name is Betty. So Disney themselves are perpetuating this.

 

[Postal68]

what's the difference? The ride is the coaster. Whether the Yeti is working or not has no direct impact on the operation of the ride. It is an "enhancement". I've rbeen on it when the Yeti was working correctly and the way it works now. Didn't change the ride for better or worse either way in my mind.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

When we were at AK two weeks ago my son was doing the Wilderness Explorer book, where they get stickers at different spots for different animals and such. They very explicitly told him that the yeti in Expedition Everest's name is Betty. So Disney themselves are perpetuating this.

Yes, supposedly that's where this whole "Betty the Yeti" business began. Disney CMs often tell guests unauthorized stories. Sometimes those stories are eventually accepted by the Disney company. But that's not so in this case. The yeti is officially a male and is not named Betty.

 

[KTSMOM]

We were there on Thursday and what I saw was basically just a glimpse of the Yeti. There was a strobe of light that flashed on the Yeti and then it went dark. No movement at all from the Yeti. Still a fantastic ride.

 

[Punzie]

I can't believe people see the little shadow animation and think that's an animatronic that is working! Wow maybe this is why disney doesn't have to fix Betty (and I'm calling it that since it is such a button issue for some )

Which brings up a question - if people just flat out aren't even seeing her can't they do something to make her more noticable like a big roar at the end that would scare the crap out of unsuspecting riders and bring attention to her? Maybe a gust of wind with the road (idk if that is possible) in addition to the strobes that seems like it may be doing well enough to fool people into believing movement...


My friend is a dvc and her son obsessed with sasquatches. So they rode a Ton and never realized the yeti was there until I told her!

I knew bc of being on here and where to watch for it. I think if you don't realize if you can miss it and seems kind of a waste.
Also why is she sometimes just dark no strobes?

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I can't believe people see the little shadow animation and think that's an animatronic that is working! Wow maybe this is why disney doesn't have to fix Betty (and I'm calling it that since it is such a button issue for some )

Not a button issue. It's just that people come to the DIS to get accurate information. I'm merely trying to provide it.

 

[Punzie]

Not sure that information is pertinent enough to need to be accurate. What is the name then

 

[mom2rtk]

My friend is a dvc and her son obsessed with sasquatches. So they rode a Ton and never realized the yeti was there until I told her!

I knew bc of being on here and where to watch for it. I think if you don't realize if you can miss it and seems kind of a waste.
Also why is she sometimes just dark no strobes?

Tell her to open her eyes next time.

 

[jimmysmom74]

My DS at the time 4.5 y/o insisted he was a big boy and wanted to go on EE. He made the height requirement and was so excited when we got on....until we saw the yeti. Thank god it didn't move or swing his/her arm at him. His face was already buried in my DH's armpit, not a place I would want to be in 90s florida heat. It's a great ride with/without the yeti attack. And DS says he thinks he can handle it this year at 6 y/o.