Who went to the E:E preview and what did you think???!!!

[Sylvester McBean]

I'm assuming WDW is going to place a camera setup for ride photos, I believe that's going to be the same queue where we picked up the lanyards. did anyone see any areas where they might mount the cameras?

 

[freediverdude]

I went Friday and Sunday- great ride! This ride shows those imagineers can still make something great. Lots of detail, a storyline, thrilling, but not too intense for most people. A couple of comments.....as you drive around the parking lot to park, you can actually see the back of the mountain, and they should have themed that side too, you can see it's just a bare brown building on the back. That could still be remedied though. And what's up with the pins all gone by the end of Thurs/early Friday? Practically everybody who came on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday could not get a passholder pin (not the free one, but the passholder-only one). Not all of us can get Thursday morning off of work to insure that we get a pin. I suspect there was some pin resale/Ebay type hoarding going on here. Also on Sunday I missed the first blast of cold mist as you go into the mountain, that seemed to be turned off. Wonder if they are planning on keeping that or turning it off.

 

[JandJ]

AK was more crowded than I've seen it since it opened! DH and I didn't get there Saturday until 3:30 (left home late, problem with my pass at the gate, directed to the wrong line, etc.) and we waited 80 minutes in standby but it was worth it! I thought the ride was awesome, best thing Disney has done in a long time
DH has been to Everest (no, he didn't climb it!) and he said the buildings and such outside the ride are pretty authentic looking, including the unfinished roofs, the barrels on top of the roofs, the lights, the equipment for sale/rent. He did say though that the hanging peppers on a couple of the buildings were out of place and the locals don't believe in a Yeti.
I thought the silhouette of the Yeti was more frightening than the "real" thing.

 

[Peepster]

Wow! Did we have a great time at the preview. Yes, chaos reigned but the CM's will figure it out. Isn't that what we're there for...to practice? The theming, the mechanics, the "imagination" of this attraction is fantastic. And though I, too, have aged eyes, I see NO way the Yeti is close to touching anyone. Was lucky to get in 7 rides...think it will be many years before I tire of this one! It makes me feel 10 years old again! And BTW, CM's said the photos should be ready to go soon, but don't know where they will be snapped.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'm assuming WDW is going to place a camera setup for ride photos, I believe that's going to be the same queue where we picked up the lanyards. did anyone see any areas where they might mount the cameras?

I talked to a CM. There will be photos taken as you come out on the big drop. Some kinks are still being worked out.

Lilygator, yep that was taken from Flame Tree. Yummy lunch, too.

 

[TinkGirl]

We were there at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. It sounds like we picked the right day! We were amoung the crowds happily marching toward EE. After going through all the ID checkpoints, the line for the ride wasn't bad. By late morning, the wait was 20 minutes. By the afternoon, it was practically a walk-on. My husband and I rode it 8 times, and our kids went for 10. Awesome and fun experience! We wanted to keep going, but our jelly legs said no! I don't want to spoil the ride for anyone, but if you look around as you go way, way, up you can see the tall landmarks from the other parks. Also, I did think the Yeti was scary-looking. My kids held their hands up the whole time and didn't touch it. It looks like it's going to whack you on the head.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

we got there yesterday at 8:45. the wait for the ID check was at least 20 minutes, and the standby was an hour. we got FP's before getting in standby and walked right on. we walked out at 10:30 after ride number 2 and the standby was 2 hours. it was 2 hours until we left around 2:30 and went to MGM. it's going to change the crowds at AK forever.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

we got there yesterday at 8:45. the wait for the ID check was at least 20 minutes, and the standby was an hour. we got FP's before getting in standby and walked right on. we walked out at 10:30 after ride number 2 and the standby was 2 hours. it was 2 hours until we left around 2:30 and went to MGM. it's going to change the crowds at AK forever.

Woah those first 15 minutes really made a difference. We got to AK around 8:30, ID check took about 10 minutes, stand-by line was 20 minutes. Three of us got in line, we sent the other member of our party to get the fast passes.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yesterday they were running a single riders line, wait time around 20-30 minutes for that. I waited in standby once with some friends and we were in that line for an hour and a half.

I videoed the ride. The big yeti goes by too fast and is just a big blur. The silhouette shows up well. I think the big one is not as close as he appears to be.

 

[hsmamato2]

I know what you mean. My family also loves the serenity of AK, so it was very odd to hear screaming as we were walking through the park (during the cast member preview).

I love Ak usually, but decided after the BIG crowds last Thursday, I only love it when it's like it normally is...quiet and relaxing! have to say it was a stinky park experience due to the # of crowds and lines everywhere,we stayed in the park for5 hrs and rode 2 rides, everest was one of them.... and let me tell you, it's tough being a cast member! I stayed outside w/little guy- heard many igmos verbally abusing the sorkers when they weren't allowing them in without id's...they had to drag one guy out, he snuck in....

 

[DVC-Don]

I went with a buddy on Thursday the 26th. Rode twice within an hour and the ride is awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JessiMommy]

Thanks. That likely nixes it for her - she'd have nightmares for weeks. He really didn't look close to me, but that could be my aged eyes.

Warning: Teeny Spoiler in my last sentence...

Well you could always tell her when to close her eyes. My 5 year old daughter was terrifified of the Yeti and almost didn't ride. I felt so bad for her because she loves thrill rides. She'll ride a coaster with her arms held way up all the way through but is terrified of HM go figure! Ha ha! Anyway, Daddy bought her a cute stuffed Yeti to ride with her & we told her when to close her eyes. She chose to take a quick look & then she closed her eyes. She then proceeded to ride 3 more times (with arms held high) this trip. I can tell you that the cave you enter right after the big drop contains the BIG Yeti so anyone who needs to give a kid a heads up can do so.

 

[otownguy]

We went yesterday (Sunday), got there around 11:00 and all fastpasses were gone and standby was 2+ hours. Said oh well and enjoyed the rest of the day (park was the most crowded I have ever seen). Decided at about 4:00 to just check it out and walked right in to a 15 minute wait and nobody at the lanyard line (score). Loved the ride though thought it was a bit short. Tried to reach up to touch Yeti the second time and not even close. One thing I do not understand, earlier post said it was closer in the front, how could that be? It would be the same distance from the track no matter where you sat. The views from the top are awesome and the queue is one of the best. Also looking up at it from a distance when it was cloudy out was very surreal like you were really looking at Everest. Definitely adds to the AK park. But thats just my opinion I could be wrong

 

[JessiMommy]

as you drive around the parking lot to park, you can actually see the back of the mountain, and they should have themed that side too, you can see it's just a bare brown building on the back. That could still be remedied though.

My family wondered about that too. As great as EE looks from most angles that rear view looks bad. Maybe they are expecting tree growth to hide it? Anyone know?

 

[sodaseller]

Warning: Teeny Spoiler in my last sentence...

Well you could always tell her when to close her eyes. My 5 year old daughter was terrifified of the Yeti and almost didn't ride. I felt so bad for her because she loves thrill rides. She'll ride a coaster with her arms held way up all the way through but is terrified of HM go figure! Ha ha! Anyway, Daddy bought her a cute stuffed Yeti to ride with her & we told her when to close her eyes. She chose to take a quick look & then she closed her eyes. She then proceeded to ride 3 more times (with arms held high) this trip. I can tell you that the cave you enter right after the big drop contains the BIG Yeti so anyone who needs to give a kid a heads up can do so.

Thanks - Our daughters sound exactly alike. That is what we still may do. I was reasonably confident based on my one ride Saturday that I could tell her when to close her eyes

 

[Shells9]

as you drive around the parking lot to park, you can actually see the back of the mountain, and they should have themed that side too, you can see it's just a bare brown building on the back.

I totally agree! Sticks right out there like a sore thumb and needs to be themed. Couldn't agree more!

 

[cranbiz]

You know, The incomplete theming was the first thing that I noticed on the way in to AK Friday afternoon. So unDisneylike.

That being said, what a ride! DB and I made a quick trip to pick up a car in Tampa this weekend and had to go. We got to AK on Friday at about 4PM after checking into ASMu and rode E:E 4 times in a row, there were no lines and no waits. If we didn't have an ADR fot BOMA at 5pm, we would have continued to ride until closing. Now Saturday was a different story. AK was a zoo (no pun intended) CM's were parking cars on the grass and all lots were full. DB and I arrived at 9:00am and started to wait in the line going thru Asia. After about 5 minutes, we headed to Dinoland and the line there was MUCH shorter. Fastpass line was about 20 minutes, but a CM came along and handed out FP's to those of us who already had our lanyards. He gave us 2 each and would'nt you know, they were for 9:20. Went on in and rode it twice. Came out and figured out that the FP line was walk up and only the lanyard line was the long one so we went thru the FP line 2 more times.

Went to Dinosaur and got right on but just as we were returning with the Iguanadon, the ride stoped and we were evacuated from it! OK so we weren't going to ride again for a while, went to the Safari, FP'ed it and then waited in the standby line. Ride Safari twice in a row and it was FP time at E:E. Went to Asia and the CM's there were only letting in passholders with Fastpasses. No problem , went thru and rode 2 more times. Bought DW a refridgerator Yeti (so I'm not completely in the doghouse) and myself a E:E pin. Standby times were 40 minutes at 9am and well over 2 1/2 hours at 1pm.

I'm not a huge coaster fan (unlike DB who is) but I thouroughly enjoyed Everest. There were enough spiral turns and drops to keep both of us happy and the backwards part was great and with the almost vertical part to the Yeti's cavern (sillouette) was a new experience for me. We rode from 2nd row, 3rd row8th row and 14th row and thought each place had it's merits and each area gave a slightly different ride experience.

I highly recommend it and think that it will be well worth the wait. The queue themeing is just sooo detailed and that was just from the little time we spent in there. There are several hidden mickeys on this attraction, we only found a couple.

 

[Dizzy4Dizney]

We got there Sunday about 12:00. I was in a knee "sling" (bad sprain from a slip on the ice) and had a handicap pass, but they said I had to wait in the two hour standby line. I said I couldn't stand that long so I said thanks and went to get on my ECV to head home. One of the CM's came running up to me and gave me a ticket to get on right away. DH was VERY happy and I was very greatful for to that CM. The ride was cool.

 

[luvdisneytoo]

Can anyone ride it now? I know that we went almost three years ago and Mission Space hadn't officially opened yet and they were letting people ride it. I hope so. We will be there President's week.

 

[mom23boys]

My family (DH, DS 11 and DS 7) plus five friends went on it on Sunday.

They loved it. The highlight of our trip. I couldn't get myself to go. It looked too scary for me.

I was worried about DS 7 and my friends DD 6 but they thought it was great.