The Yeti on Everest: Honestly, when's the last time...

[Laugh O. Grams]

...it was actually operational?? The past couple years, Disney has had the heavy duty strobe on every single time. Last time I think I remember the big guy actually taking a swipe at the car I was on was the first year Everest was open. Can anybody report an operational, strobe light-free Yeti experience in the past year or have they simply given up?

 

[LaurenT]

A long, long time ago....
(I can still remember how that Yeti used to make me smile...)

 

[LaurenT]

A long, long time ago....
(I can still remember how that Yeti used to make me smile...)

 

[TangaroaTiki]

We rode EE during the soft-opening phase and it was the only time I can remember it working. While I wish they would fix it - I ride EE for the roller coaster not the the Yeti.

 

[Disney_Dawg]

2007

&

 

[LilyWDW]

...it was actually operational?? The past couple years, Disney has had the heavy duty strobe on every single time. Last time I think I remember the big guy actually taking a swipe at the car I was on was the first year Everest was open. Can anybody report an operational, strobe light-free Yeti experience in the past year or have they simply given up?

It's been quite awhile... and I wouldn't expect it to be fixed in the near future. EE is a HUGE part of dealing with the crowds at AK. It's one of only a few headliners for that park. As such, Disney will do anything it can to not close it down until there is no other option. My guess is that the Yeti will not be fixed until an extensive refurb of the ride is needed. While the Yeti is awesome, it is not required for the ride to operate.

 

[cmurray234]

We rode EE during the soft-opening phase and it was the only time I can remember it working. While I wish they would fix it - I ride EE for the roller coaster not the the Yeti.

Us too. We were there the February before it opened officially. It worked then and not once for us since.

 

[mouseaddictoldschool]

A long, long time ago....
(I can still remember how that Yeti used to make me smile...)

LaurenT, you win one free internet! I'll have that song in my head all day now!!

 

[DisneyDetective]

i have never known the yeti to work on the Everest ride.

 

[Robo]

 

[vcgirl925]

From what i've gathered, in order to fix the yeti they'd have to do work to the actual structure of the building. That it's not a yeti problem but a structural problem about how the yeti is attached to the building? I'm sure someone knows better than i. But i'm assuming that because of this it would take a major shut down of EE for weeks/months and major work.

 

[LilyWDW]

From what i've gathered, in order to fix the yeti they'd have to do work to the actual structure of the building. That it's not a yeti problem but a structural problem about how the yeti is attached to the building? I'm sure someone knows better than i. But i'm assuming that because of this it would take a major shut down of EE for weeks/months and major work.

Yes. The weight of the yeti plus the movement ended up being too much for the structure. It has ended up cracking the foundation it is on. What this means is that in order to fix the yeti, they would have to do structural fixes which is not something that can just be done and still have the ride operational.

 

[IWannaBeAMousketeer]

So what actually happens with the Yeti on the ride? Can you still see him, does he just stand there? My DD8 doesn't want to ride because she is afraid of the Yeti, would this non-operational status make it less scary for her? We've never ridden and only have seen it on YouTube videos and Disney travel specials.

 

[vcgirl925]

So what actually happens with the Yeti on the ride? Can you still see him, does he just stand there? My DD8 doesn't want to ride because she is afraid of the Yeti, would this non-operational status make it less scary for her? We've never ridden and only have seen it on YouTube videos and Disney travel specials.

You can see him and they usually have strobe lights flickering on him to give him the effect of motion. But he isn't actually moving. He used to swipe at the car as you went by.

 

[wendy1974]

Last time I saw the Yeti actually moving was October 2006. By the time I went back September 2009 the arm swipe had long stopped.

 

[Kevin_W]

So what actually happens with the Yeti on the ride? Can you still see him, does he just stand there? My DD8 doesn't want to ride because she is afraid of the Yeti, would this non-operational status make it less scary for her? We've never ridden and only have seen it on YouTube videos and Disney travel specials.

I wouldn't worry about being scared - I barely even noticed the Yeti when I rode it. And I heard other first time riders asking about it since the theme of the ride builds up to seeing the Yeti and yet he is easy to miss. (I sat in the very last seat the two times I rode. Perhaps he is easier to see farther up the train.)

 

[Robo]

Last time I saw the Yeti actually moving was October 2006. By the time I went back September 2009 the arm swipe had long stopped.

Well, THERE'S your PROBLEM!

 

[SaraJayne]

Last time I saw the swipe was Jan of 08.

 

[psac]

For the question about the Yeti being scary, it's really not at all. There's also a scene of an animated Yeti siluette jumping around. Not really that scary. The ride itself: One heck of a scary coaster!! Not for the feint of heart. My favorite coaster in WDW for sure.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

We rode EE during the soft-opening phase and it was the only time I can remember it working. While I wish they would fix it - I ride EE for the roller coaster not the the Yeti.

Oh no doubt the ride is still fun...it's just hearing the growl and seeing that monstrous arm swinging towards the cars was really a great effect. It's too bad it can't be easily fixed, because I think that without the full experience, current riders are missing out a bit.