EE Yeti

[GrumpyFan]

I disagree. I have still yet ride a rollercoaster that actually stops you twice with show elements. The broken track and then the shadow Yeti tearing up the track, 2 great show elements. Even when the Yeti was in A mode, tons of guest missed him and still loved the ride. You will not find that at a Six Flags. Even in B mode the Yeti is huge and an opposing figure, great effect

I have to agree as well. While it's disappointing that the Yeti isn't working as designed, it's still a thrilling ride. But, then I enjoy Goofy's Barnstormer too, so what's that saying.

On a related note, I always thought the placement of the Yeti was bad regardless of whether he's working. You come down a steep drop and he's right there reaching for you, then you immediately exit the mountain and the ride's over. Still fun, but a little bit short.

[BluewaterBrad]

The yeti rocks!!

[DizneyRox]

I have still yet ride a rollercoaster that actually stops you twice with show elements. The broken track and then the shadow Yeti tearing up the track, 2 great show elements.

I've heard great things about the Mummy Ride over at Universal. Seeminly it's tough to beat. I'm looking forward to heading over there later this summer.

[rkwctw]

When we have riden in the past we hardly noticed the Yeti moving at all. If it is broke hopefully it will not be done when we are there in June. With SM and TTA down then as well, it would be a big disappointment.

[Ian]

You know, there's a misconception floating through this thread that I want to clear up.

As far as I'm aware, and research bears this out, WDI built the yeti. It was not subcontracted out to a company that "went out of business." I think someone may have confused the Expedition Everest's yeti with Mission: Space's ride system.

But based on all I've read, the yeti AA was, in fact, built by Disney.

This article seems to support that.

[DizneyRox]

But based on all I've read, the yeti AA was, in fact, built by Disney.

This article seems to support that.

See! I told you they don't have the expertise for something like this!

[JPL]

He was designed by Disney but built by an outsourced company. I will have find the Company name. But I know for a fact the Yeti was not built in house. It was probably more like we need a figure that looks like this and and can do this here are some sketches and a general plan can you build this and make it work.

[lockedoutlogic]

I disagree. I have still yet ride a rollercoaster that actually stops you twice with show elements. The broken track and then the shadow Yeti tearing up the track, 2 great show elements. Even when the Yeti was in A mode, tons of guest missed him and still loved the ride. You will not find that at a Six Flags. Even in B mode the Yeti is huge and an opposing figure, great effect

Because it's better than Big Thunder Mountain....it doesn't make it a world class thrill....

Now you are on the dust.....

It's cool because it has dark portions and switches directions.....but not spectacular....

Coaster technology is way....WAY ahead of this....

Not to say it's "bad"....its still a decent ride....but only that...

And animal kingdom needed a home run...not a bloop single....

Not to mention all the time and money thrown into it......to not have the "guts" of the show available indefinitely or perhaps ever again is not acceptible to me....the consumer

The fact that it is to Disney is an alarming trend.....

Why don't they turn it into a Character meeting spot? how about a pin station? Can they have Cinderella serve food in there? enough light for a girls hair saloon?

you see where i'm at here.....

[GrumpyFan]

Wow Locked, I'm down on Disney right now too because of some of their decisions, but you sound really, really negative! I understand to a degree, but you just sound extremely bitter.

BTW: I think pretty much everybody here, is "on the dust". It's kinda why we come here.

[lockedoutlogic]

Wow Locked, I'm down on Disney right now too because of some of their decisions, but you sound really, really negative! I understand to a degree, but you just sound extremely bitter.

BTW: I think pretty much everybody here, is "on the dust". It's kinda why we come here.

I don't put lipstick on a pi.....

ahhhh....nevermind

The economy is down....many have been hurt unlike previous rollbacks because many more people are invested in markets than even 10-20 years ago....
Central Florida....is under severe stress.....partially because they base almost everything on the frivality we all know and love called "travel"...partly because the financial snakeoil sold to the lower end of the payscale nationwide was shelled out by the gallon in the unwitting florida sun.....as the statistics show. Why anyone could make the same money in 1998 and not qualify a house....then think they could afford one at 3-5 times their annual salary in 2004...I'll never know
The statistics bare this out....

And then you have Disney.....which talks about "tough" times and promptly stops hiring....lays off many with decades of senority....sells week trips at 1/2 price and then complains about profits.....cuts back everything not tied down....has no development/ reinvestment past the obviously advantageous timeshares....outsources an entire guest area....begins "adding" things such as dance parties and balloons....

And all the while....maintains or increases the price of everything in times where obviously spending on travel is the first thing to go....

They can't be trusted here....because they will take away in bad.....give back in good....and jack prices so you are paying much more for what you used to get......well beyond inflation.

Unfortunately....it is an established pattern now....and past is prologue.....

Am I negative? Sure....
Am I wrong?....well....that takes a little more thought.

And just consider this: perhaps those that criticize love it more than those that cheer? just maybe....like many things in life

[GAN]

And then you have Disney.....which talks about "tough" times and promptly stops hiring....lays off many with decades of senority....sells week trips at 1/2 price and then complains about profits.....cuts back everything not tied down....has no development/ reinvestment past the obviously advantageous timeshares....outsources an entire guest area....begins "adding" things such as dance parties and balloons....

And all the while....maintains or increases the price of everything in times where obviously spending on travel is the first thing to go....

.... and how else would they have been able to support Bob Iger's 13.9M bonus?

[Wells]

I disagree. I have still yet ride a rollercoaster that actually stops you twice with show elements. The broken track and then the shadow Yeti tearing up the track, 2 great show elements. Even when the Yeti was in A mode, tons of guest missed him and still loved the ride. You will not find that at a Six Flags. Even in B mode the Yeti is huge and an opposing figure, great effect

Ummm....There are two pre-Everest coasters that come to mind, both at Universal Orlando.
"The amazing adventures of Spiderman" (O.K., I know this is not really a coaster) and "Revenge of the Mummy". Both feature multiple pauses in the ride with elaborate effects.
Anyway, I agree that Everest is still a good show, even without a highly animated Yeti, but I think that this is the crux of the matter. Everest doesn't need an animatronics that generates the "force of a jet engine", just a convincing two second illusion of one. The original design was way over concepted and way under designed....

[Wells]

...And just consider this: perhaps those that criticize love it more than those that cheer? just maybe....like many things in life

...Familiarity breeds contempt?....

[grumpyguy]

hello....the yeti is an integral part of this attraction imo.it's the basis of the whole story line!!to have just a "shadow" on the wall at the end for the climax takes away from the experience for sure.as someone else posted,the smoke and mirrors with a strobe or two" won't cut it at this point,give me animotronics!!

[JPL]

The main feature of the attraction that was hyped was the AA Yeti. Go Back and listen to Joe Rhode talk about the attraction and the Yeti is the Focal point the payoff at the end of the journey. I think one point that is being lost here is this in years past this would have been considered unacceptable show or as most people call it bad show and now it is quickly becoming the norm especially at WDW. Not only has the Yeti ceased to operate but some sfx never worked and they chose to shut them down rather than fix them.

[Ian]

He was designed by Disney but built by an outsourced company. I will have find the Company name. But I know for a fact the Yeti was not built in house. It was probably more like we need a figure that looks like this and and can do this here are some sketches and a general plan can you build this and make it work.

I'd like to see a name if you can produce it, because I spent like 90 minutes yesterday checking through Google, Wikipedia, and pretty much every other resource I could find and I came up with not one single, solitary company name associated with that yeti that didn't start with a "D", end with a "Y", and have an "isne" in the middle.

I'm almost certain they designed and built it.

[Mousemates]

hello....the yeti is an integral part of this attraction imo.it's the basis of the whole story line!!to have just a "shadow" on the wall at the end for the climax takes away from the experience for sure.as someone else posted,the smoke and mirrors with a strobe or two" won't cut it at this point,give me animotronics!!

At disney, its all about the story. If all I wanted was a thrill ride and to see some animals scattered about I could go to Busch Gardens in Tampa and ride Sheikra (or the Williamsburg version The Griffon). The rides at Disney are fun because of the story lines and without the stories the rides are just so-so.

I mean how much fun would space mountain really be if you didn't launch through flashing red lights or turned on the lights in the ride area

or would we really be willing to wait that long to ride what is a very short roller coaster, if not for the story line that goes with RnR...(kind of makes you wonder if the next line of cost-cutting will force them to drop Aerosmith for a more afforable act...say Rick Springfield who was playing a second fiddle casino the last time we drove through Reno...or maybe even a Country coaster with Roy clark and Buck Owens on their way to a Hee Haw reunion).

To me AK was already just a half day park at best (we typically go only during evening EMH so we can ride at night which adds a nice atmosphere to the outdoor rides)....with a scaled back version of EE we might skip the park altogether on most trips...or at least until the mythical beastly/night/kingdom magicly appears.

[GrumpyFan]

Everyone who is displeased with the non-functioning/broken Yeti, should contact guest services and complain. You can do that by sending an email to: [email protected]
or, better still, send an actual letter to any one, or all of the following:

Walt Disney World Guest Communications
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040


Mr. Robert Iger
Chief Executive Officer
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Mr. James A. Rasulo
Chairman
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Meg Crofton
President
The Walt Disney World Resort
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830


Al Weiss
President
Worldwide Operations
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
PO Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Or, you could go to guest services while in the park as well.

Of course, there's no guarantee that anything will come from it, but it can't hurt.

[spoonful of sugar]

part of an article from machinedesign.com:

The yeti performs the same movements for each show and systems engineers had to ensure yeti movements mimic those of a living creature and look real from a wide range of angles. To get the profiles right for all 19 actuators, engineers use a control box built in the 1960s by Disney specifically for "electronic puppeteering."

maybe the control box built in the 1960's has something to do with it, LOL. hello . . . this is 2009.

[DizneyRox]

In addition to the letter writing and phone calls, an online petition has been set up.

Normal place, petition ID: HELPYETI