New AK ride...looks like a blast!

[Colleen A.]

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (April 22, 2003) -- Legend holds that high in the Himalayan Mountains lives an enormous creature that fiercely guards the route to Mount Everest.

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

Walt Disney World guests will discover for themselves the fearsome legend of the yeti when Expedition EVEREST opens in 2006 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. The new thrill attraction was announced today during the park’s 5th anniversary festivities at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

“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 folklore of the mysterious yeti.”

In Expedition EVEREST, guests board an old mountain railway destined for the foot of Mount Everest. The train rolls through thick bamboo forests, past thundering waterfalls, along shimmering glacier fields and climbs higher and higher through the snow-capped peaks.

But suddenly the track ends in a gnarled mass of twisted metal and the thrills intensify as the train races both forward and backward through mountain caverns and icy canyons and guests head for an inevitable face-to-muzzle showdown with the mysterious yeti -- known to some as the abominable snowman.

Expedition EVEREST will be located in the Asia section of the theme park. At nearly 200 feet high, it will be the tallest mountain in Florida. Expedition EVEREST will feature Disney’s FASTPASS, an innovative system -- offered at no charge to park guests -- designed to reduce wait times at popular attractions in all four Walt Disney World theme parks.

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

 

[Saffron]

Ooooh! That sounds so exciting! I hope I get up my courage to ride it.

 

[mom2boys]

Can't wait to ride it. It will help me lure DH back to AK.

 

[helenabear]

Oh wow! THat does sound cool

 

[Disney Daniel]

Sounds great.

 

[GeorgeG]

Sounds interesting. I hope I get to try it soon.

 

[Princess Michelle]

Sounds like a winner to me! Only 3 more years to go and the way time seems to be flying here lately when it gets here I'll be like "has it been 3 years already".

 

[Cindy B]

So its not a coaster? How high does it go? What type of track?

Train,, what type of train?

It sounds neat, but hopefully not disappointing.

 

[Cindy B]

There's a lengthy discussion on this on the Disney News and Rumours Board (complete with concept art)..



200 Feet! Yes! That would be a coaster, and a fairly decent size one at that....(I mean not 400 feet like CP's Dragster... but not too shabby!)


http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=360807

 

[#1 Disney Fan]

Sounds cool....................... except for the fact that the thought of actually riding it scares the beejeebers out of me!

 

[Cindy B]

200 Feet... thats nothing really... just 20 stories... I like the backwards type action as well.

 

[cinmell]

Sounds fun and gives me something to look forward to!

 

[becka]

Sounds like a great ride!!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

On my Backstage Safari tour a week or so ago, they pointed out the construction site, at that time a huge berm, that could be seen from backstage, and lots of constrction equipment.

http://laughingplace.com/News-ID10016230.asp?Headline=1&Date=4/22/2003&Section=

 

[Patrick IL.]

2006?? I am having trouble waiting for Mission Space to open LOL Looks like a great new ride

 

[Poohbear123]

Sounds like FUN to me! Where in the Park is this going to Open? What Part?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Around area between Rafiki's Planet Watch and Kali.

http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/akmap.html

 

[Poohbear123]

Thanks Dan!

 

[MAC3]

Thank God it doesn't open until 2006. We're taking next year off and I think it's going to be a hard enough addiction to give up.

Do they have Disney Addicts Anonymous? I'm gonna need help!

 

[MerryPoppins]

I think we need to plan a trip.