EE refurb. could it be possible? [Archive]

thesplashmountaineer

03-17-2011, 12:53 PM

Now that diney just proved thaqt they can do some refurb without closing an attraction (the hitchhiking ghosts at HM), do you think it could be possible to work on the Yeti without closing expedition everest???

Perhaps they could put a giant screen and use projectors just like the new castle show while they are working to get the Yeti back in A-mode???

I wouldn't mind a screen for a couple of weeks just to be able to experience the yeti working in full effect!:coaster::coaster::coaster:

Mousemates

03-17-2011, 01:12 PM

possible and likely are two different beasts...yes, in a theoretical sense it could be possible. however, I would rate it to be extremely unlikely.

PopPhan

03-17-2011, 01:23 PM

Highly unlikely as the problem with the Yeti has to do with the base it is mounted on. They will probably need to remove the animatronic completely to redo the base support. Since this would probably force them to remove a section of the 'mountain' to remove the Yeti, so that work can proceed, they will undoubtedly put the whole ride in major rehab mode for months to get it done.

Yeah, lots of 'probably's in there, but I am not a structural engineer, not do I have the blueprints for the attraction, so this is all conjecture on my part based on what has been said in the past by others more knowledgeable on the subject.

DizneyFreak2002

03-17-2011, 01:43 PM

The Yeti can be removed without removing the mountain... I believe the issue is MONEY, plain and simple... I'm sure they have ideas and plans on how to fix it... They are just being cheap... The regular guest doesn't know or care about the state if the Yeti, why should Park Ops??? That is their thinking at this time...

Plus, take down the most popular ride in Animal Kingdom without another major E ticket to eat up the crowd, and there is a crowd problem... Another reason they are reluctant to take EE offline to fix the yeti..

I don't know how much I like the screen idea honestly... We all know how much they love screen technology... The screen would be a 20 year temporary replacement...

Plus, screens technology, ie digital projections, will ruin the look of Everest... The one they play already takes a bit away from the "realism"...

ransam

03-17-2011, 02:05 PM

the track, the mountain, and the yedi are not connected. you can remove it w/o taking down the mountain or the track. You might have to close for a day to remove it, but it can be done, at least i think it can. ha

BrerGnat

03-17-2011, 02:09 PM

Doesn't the Yeti have a support structure that goes below ground, like a hundred feet? Wasn't the mountain built around said support structure?

I don't think it's feasible to fix the yeti and not shut down the attraction.

DizneyFreak2002

03-17-2011, 07:10 PM

The Yeti's room is not part of the ride though... If you look at back of the mountain pictures, you can see two big doors that lead into the yeti's showroom... The yeti can be taken apart and removed out these doors, probably over night if they wanted to..

But without a replacement to put there for the time being, the entire attraction would have to go offline, and that is something I doubt they want to do... Like I said, they have plans in place to fix the yeti.. They have plans in place to keep the ride open while the yeti is worked on... They are not moving forward because of money...

Disco yeti is here to stay, unlike Disco Duck.. LoL..

Strmchsr

03-17-2011, 07:11 PM

Just an FYI - they are actually doing it right now. The Yeti is currently dark with a scrim up (at least it was a day or two ago). No word on what is actually being done, though. Don't know if they are looking over the possibility of a future refurb, are actually in process of a fix now, or if they are just doing something else temporary like Disco Yeti. My friends at WDI aren't saying anything at the moment, but I'm anxious to find out.

Allenfow98

03-17-2011, 07:14 PM

well my two cents... i would love to see the yeti fully working. However, we were down in February, and i only had one complaint. as fast as you are flying past the yeti, whether he was moving or not, we couldnt see him at al:mad:l. The only way i even knew he was there, was because i knew where he was. they atleast need to fix the lighting RIGHT NOW. put some strobe lights on it or something. I was with seven people, and only myself and my daughter had ridden the ride before, so we have seen it in working order. There were five others with us who had no idea the Yeti was even there.it was just to dark.:(...It was almost embarrassing because i built up the yeti so much and had so much disappointment.

DizneyFreak2002

03-17-2011, 08:44 PM

JPL

03-17-2011, 09:06 PM

Did not hear about this... If it is behind scrims, then what do the guests see at the end of the ride???

Probably the same thing you see on one of those Discovery Channel Bigfoot shows absolutely nothing ;)

DizneyFreak2002

03-17-2011, 09:53 PM

Probably the same thing you see on one of those Discovery Channel Bigfoot shows absolutely nothing ;)

LOL... Nothing is better than Disco Yeti...

WDWfanatic742

03-17-2011, 09:54 PM

It's news to me, haven't seen this anywhere yet.

Most recent video I could find real quick was recorded on the 13th, and I could see nada in the Yeti room with zero disco lights or anything. So that could mean that it's completely dark, or the guy couldn't hold the darn camera straight :D

RBrooksC

03-18-2011, 07:47 AM

Strmchsr

03-18-2011, 08:16 AM

Most recent video I could find real quick was recorded on the 13th, and I could see nada in the Yeti room with zero disco lights or anything. So that could mean that it's completely dark, or the guy couldn't hold the darn camera straight :D

It's completely dark so that guests can't see the scrim. Not the camera operators fault in that case. :D I tried to find out more details yesterday, but my friends won't say anything yet.

PopPhan

03-18-2011, 08:23 AM

Thanks for the info, Chris! Not getting my hopes up too much, but it would be nice to see a fully functioning Yeti again!!!

WDWfanatic742

03-18-2011, 09:23 AM

Ok, as usual in these posts about the Yeti, somebody writes that Disney is being "cheap." I have a question, would one rather have large amounts of money poured into a Yeti that most people miss, most people don't care about and it not working does not take way from the ride or would you rather Disney spend their money on a Fantasyland refurb and expansions elsewhere in the parks?

It will never be a matter of being cheap. It is a matter of Corporate responsibility to its shareholders to spend their dollars wisely. If the money is better spent elsewhere, then that is where it should be spent.

Without the yeti, there is no story to the ride at all. It's a big mountain with a rollercoaster in and around it. It would be like (first thing I could come up with off the top of my head) Jurassic Park at IoA if the big dinosaur at the end of the ride wasn't there. Yeah 99% of people wouldn't care if it's working or not because all they care about is the ride and not what is around them, but the theming and story is why the 1% of us love Disney rather than Six Flags or whatever.

Here's my thing with it. They built the thing and spent the money on it. Generally you wouldn't want such an investment to go to waste. Someone somewhere didn't do their job if the concrete structure couldn't stand up to the rigors of everyday show for only a couple months after the ride opened. Yeah, the ride could and is running without it because like I said before most wouldn't care and don't even notice. But it's bad show for the rest of us.

Would I want them to spend the money elsewhere and build something new? Absolutely. But if they are going to build something that is THAT integral to the story, I'd like it to work for more than a few months after it opened...

Tygger7

03-18-2011, 09:24 AM

But without a replacement to put there for the time being, the entire attraction would have to go offline, and that is something I doubt they want to do... Like I said, they have plans in place to fix the yeti.. They have plans in place to keep the ride open while the yeti is worked on... They are not moving forward because of money...

Disco yeti is here to stay, unlike Disco Duck.. LoL..

Gee...I thought it was dark because the yeti has a new gig in the tv ad for the GMC Terrain. Not only is the Terrain "yeti-friendly", but if you look closely, the yeti is "family-friendly"..he's holding the little girls hand. :D

WDWdriver

03-18-2011, 09:27 AM

Just an FYI - they are actually doing it right now. The Yeti is currently dark with a scrim up.....

Yep. Something is finally happening. Don't expect a "fully functioning" yeti to emerge, but I think most of us will be happy with the result.

RBrooksC

03-18-2011, 09:50 AM

Without the yeti, there is no story to the ride at all. It's a big mountain with a rollercoaster in and around it. It would be like (first thing I could come up with off the top of my head) Jurassic Park at IoA if the big dinosaur at the end of the ride wasn't there. Yeah 99% of people wouldn't care if it's working or not because all they care about is the ride and not what is around them, but the theming and story is why the 1% of us love Disney rather than Six Flags or whatever.

Here's my thing with it. They built the thing and spent the money on it. Generally you wouldn't want such an investment to go to waste. Someone somewhere didn't do their job if the concrete structure couldn't stand up to the rigors of everyday show for only a couple months after the ride opened. Yeah, the ride could and is running without it because like I said before most wouldn't care and don't even notice. But it's bad show for the rest of us.

Would I want them to spend the money elsewhere and build something new? Absolutely. But if they are going to build something that is THAT integral to the story, I'd like it to work for more than a few months after it opened...

But the Yeti is there. You see the tracks ripped up at the top of the mountain and you see him in the middle of the ride. I mean, with the speed one is going, just have a roar and a static Yeti would suffice.

I can remember being on that ride and almost missing him the first time I saw him. And he was in full-functioning mode when I almost missed him. The story can be told without a Yeti waving his arms at me. If the cost of this project is excessive, I would say funnel the money elsewhere and come back to this at a later date.

MOJoe

03-18-2011, 09:56 AM

Yep. Something is finally happening. Don't expect a "fully functioning" yeti to emerge, but I think most of us will be happy with the result.

Well this is good news, i think. But how can we, those who have enjoyed the ride in its original form, be happy with anything less than a "fully functioning" Yeti? I guess a Disco Yeti is better than none. And a Yeti that moves a little is better than not at all. But really, if the Yeti doesn't swipe his big, hairy hand at me as i rush past, then i'm not as happy as i expect to be.

BrerGnat

03-18-2011, 11:25 AM

My husband summed it up well when he rode E:E for the first time last April.

He said, and I quote: "It was just okay. It's an okay coaster, but where was the yeti? Isn't that supposed to be the whole point of this ride? Without him, it's just an okay coaster...nothing special."

And that was coming from someone who we could consider the "average" Disney visitor. He's likes Disney enough and indulges my obsession, but he's only been to WDW a handful of times. He is nowhere near considered an obsessed WDW fan.

So, glad to hear they are fixing it, if even somewhat. DH said he doesn't even care to ride it again until the yeti is at least doing something.

GothMickey

03-18-2011, 11:36 AM

Ok, as usual in these posts about the Yeti, somebody writes that Disney is being "cheap." I have a question, would one rather have large amounts of money poured into a Yeti that most people miss, most people don't care about and it not working does not take way from the ride or would you rather Disney spend their money on a Fantasyland refurb and expansions elsewhere in the parks?

It will never be a matter of being cheap. It is a matter of Corporate responsibility to its shareholders to spend their dollars wisely. If the money is better spent elsewhere, then that is where it should be spent.

Well, from what I heard, Park Ops was fighting with WDI over, you guessed it. Money. Park Ops, as I heard it, refused to cough up the money to pay for fixing the yeti. WDI refused to cough up the money saying the ride is now Park Ops responsibility. If Park Ops were not being cheap, the yeti would have been fixed as soon as problems were detected. Not several years later. So, yes, it is WDW management being cheap.

I hate to bring up, WHAT WOULD WALT DO, but in this instance, what do you think Walt would do? Everest is marketed as an encounter with the yeti. The commercials for the ride show a yeti swiping down on the train. The ride even had a special television show dedicated to it. Having a broken yeti in all his disco glory for the last few years is a disgrace. All over money.

I am glad to hear something is finally being done. Hopefully upper upper management told TDO to shape up or you'll be shipped out. A fire needs to be lit under this management team. Tom Staggs may be the guy who is finally going to get results. God knows Jay Rasulo was a major failure.

Scar

03-18-2011, 01:06 PM

Imagineer1981

03-18-2011, 02:39 PM

you'd think they could take the AA Yeti out and just make a fake statue version while the fix the AA version, however i heard it was he was ripping away from the supports, not really broken himself

11290

03-18-2011, 02:48 PM

Well, from what I heard, Park Ops was fighting with WDI over, you guessed it. Money. Park Ops, as I heard it, refused to cough up the money to pay for fixing the yeti. WDI refused to cough up the money saying the ride is now Park Ops responsibility. If Park Ops were not being cheap, the yeti would have been fixed as soon as problems were detected. Not several years later. So, yes, it is WDW management being cheap.

I hate to bring up, WHAT WOULD WALT DO, but in this instance, what do you think Walt would do? Everest is marketed as an encounter with the yeti. The commercials for the ride show a yeti swiping down on the train. The ride even had a special television show dedicated to it. Having a broken yeti in all his disco glory for the last few years is a disgrace. All over money.

I am glad to hear something is finally being done. Hopefully upper upper management told TDO to shape up or you'll be shipped out. A fire needs to be lit under this management team. Tom Staggs may be the guy who is finally going to get results. God knows Jay Rasulo was a major failure.

You've got to stop listening to the bus drivers and custodial CM's.

GothMickey

03-18-2011, 03:12 PM

Here's my guess, and it's just a guess:

Disney does want to fix this problem, and they will spend the money. But what they don't want to happen is to spend $XX.XX and then have it break down again in three years. They should take their time and do it right.

That is a great guess and same thing I would assume. I do believe they want the yeti fixed. Of course, WDI wants to make sure the job is done right. I agree, they need to take their time and do it right, even if that means putting up a temporary digital projection screen, like Haunted Mansion has for the Hitchhiking Ghosts at the moment.

GothMickey

03-18-2011, 03:21 PM

You've got to stop listening to the bus drivers and custodial CM's.

Nice try. But this information actually comes from someone who does have legit sources, not a bus driver or frontline cast member. And what did I say in my post that doesn't seem logical? We al know the management team in WDW are cheap. The ride is in Park Ops hands now. They are responsible for the upkeep. They didn't want to pay for fixing the yeti. WDI didn't want to pay. You won't be told that because it is an internal conflict. But someone who has the proper connections has let the cat out of the bag elsewhere. Believe what you want, but this has been one of the biggest reasons the yeti was not fixed sooner.

Again, Glendale has been laying the smackdown on TDO lately. They obviouly have come to realize the cheapness can no longer continue, not with Wizarding World kicking Mickey's backside from here to Kingdom Come. Tom Staggs is the new man in charge of Disney Parks. And he seems to understand what the right business decisions are. If not, Mickey will suffer the fate of many other Avara Kedavra victims.

epceddie

03-18-2011, 10:32 PM

Disney should fix this ASAP. Right now, they're misrepresenting the ride to people who are paying full price for their tickets. With all the surcharges that Disney comes up with (i.e. increased prices for meals on holidays), they never consider giving the public a price break of some kind when their parks don't deliver on what they promise. The Yeti is an embarassment when it comes to Disney's usual high standards.

GrumpyFan

03-19-2011, 12:12 AM

I will be there this time next week. Hoping that whatever they're doing will be finished and we get to see a working yeti.

I wonder though if maybe they're getting him ready for his 5th birthday, April 6th.

Strmchsr

03-19-2011, 08:08 AM

I will be there this time next week. Hoping that whatever they're doing will be finished and we get to see a working yeti.

Well, because they haven't announced this refurb (or said a thing about it) it's impossible to know how long this scrim might be up. It might be a week or a couple of months. No way to know.

DizneyFreak2002

03-19-2011, 05:57 PM

Well, because they haven't announced this refurb (or said a thing about it) it's impossible to know how long this scrim might be up. It might be a week or a couple of months. No way to know.

Take it for what it is worth, but, someone on another site said 1 month??? I think that would put it right in line for the passholder event...

ShinynewJB

03-19-2011, 06:35 PM

It's hardly a thing they can "announce" though, is it?

"Hey guys, we fixed the ride we'd be conning you with for years on end!"

PrettyMinnie

03-19-2011, 11:57 PM

It's hardly a thing they can "announce" though, is it?

"Hey guys, we fixed the ride we'd be conning you with for years on end!"

LOL :funny:

Melanie

03-20-2011, 06:58 AM

Yep. Something is finally happening. Don't expect a "fully functioning" yeti to emerge, but I think most of us will be happy with the result.

Thanks for the info Ron!

Melanie

03-20-2011, 07:00 AM

Take it for what it is worth, but, someone on another site said 1 month??? I think that would put it right in line for the passholder event...

AP event was a few weeks ago. ???

johnO

03-24-2011, 01:02 PM

I'll have to wait until September to see the results...

Goofster

03-24-2011, 01:21 PM

Here's my guess, and it's just a guess:

Disney does want to fix this problem, and they will spend the money. But what they don't want to happen is to spend $XX.XX and then have it break down again in three years. They should take their time and do it right.

I agree with this as well and I think this is the issue. If Disney is going to take the ride down for a major fix, they want to make sure the fix is permanent and done right. I'm not an engineer, so who knows the type of planning and logistics involved in fixing this thing. I am in the group that believes the ride should be fixed, but I'm not blaming Disney for being 'cheap', I just don't think they have a satisfactory fix yet for it.

WDWdriver

03-24-2011, 11:03 PM

A refurbishment is in progress, hidden from view in the darkness behind the scrim. Watch for the yeti to emerge again on April 1st.

Strmchsr

03-25-2011, 08:11 AM

A refurbishment is in progress, hidden from view in the darkness behind the scrim. Watch for the yeti to emerge again on April 1st.

Ron have you heard anything official on how extensive this refurb will be? April 1 doesn't seem long enough to have done anything extensive.

WDWdriver

03-25-2011, 08:48 AM

Ron have you heard anything official on how extensive this refurb will be? April 1 doesn't seem long enough to have done anything extensive.

Chris
The Engineering group is not telling us much, and certainly nothing official. The speculation among the Cast Members is that animation will be restored, but limited. We can expect the yeti to move and perhaps swipe at the trains as before, but the range of motions will be reduced so as to limit stress on the yeti's foundation.

mousetrapper

03-25-2011, 05:21 PM

A refurbishment is in progress, hidden from view in the darkness behind the scrim. Watch for the yeti to emerge again on April 1st.

I hope you're right! We rode E:E when it first opened and it was really one of the most thrilling rides I'd ever been on. It was the combination of the coaster action coupled with the story building toward the actual sighting of the Yeti. I knew what a feat of engineering this was and to see an animatronics figure of that size was just so cool.

We rode again a few years later when the Yeti was a static figure. It was fine, but having had that first experience really made it a bit of a letdown.

I hope to see the Yeti in his (her?) full animatronic glory when we return this November! ;)

EJS-Houston

03-25-2011, 05:52 PM

Here, here! I've only ever seen Disco Yeti and hope to see him in action when I'm there in November. Thanks to all for the updates...especially the encouraging ones!

ShinynewJB

03-25-2011, 07:31 PM

I felt very let down by "disco yeti". Especially seeing as I never got to see the A-mode in action. Any movement would be better than a cheap strobe light. I hope it's fixed up in time for our trip in September. :)

midlifemagic

03-27-2011, 11:13 AM

Just back from a 3/19 - 3/25 stay...no Yeti for our visit - just a brief animated video of an unimposing Yeti. We were very disappointed, especially since we had planned our early morning around the "fast pass dash" to ride EE.

Crow

03-27-2011, 10:31 PM

no sighting of him on this trip...just the part w shadow image

EJS-Houston

03-30-2011, 03:23 PM

no sighting of him on this trip...just the part w shadow image

"Do we think that means he's been removed for repairs?" asked EJ hopefully.

Strmchsr

03-30-2011, 04:35 PM

"Do we think that means he's been removed for repairs?" asked EJ hopefully.

Definitely not removed. Just behind a scrim.

Jared

03-30-2011, 05:21 PM

Chris
The Engineering group is not telling us much, and certainly nothing official. The speculation among the Cast Members is that animation will be restored, but limited. We can expect the yeti to move and perhaps swipe at the trains as before, but the range of motions will be reduced so as to limit stress on the yeti's foundation.
I know you probably don't know much at this point, Ron, but is there any hope of the yeti ever working the way it was intended to ever again? I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but everything I'm hearing suggests that the original "A-mode" has been relegated to Yesterland. (And so soon, I should say.)

Jared

04-01-2011, 10:45 AM

It's April ! Is the yeti back from his vacation?

WDWdriver

04-01-2011, 01:45 PM

It's April ! Is the yeti back from his vacation?

Nope. The restored yeti remains a work in progress. While the scrim was up they removed his skin and fur, leaving a skeletal figure. They decided to remove him completely from the elevated foundation so they could work at ground level. Now the work continues to restore him to his earlier appearance. And, yes, he will move, but with less range of motion.