Yeti Problems...A big "uh-oh"?

[easy]

Originally Posted by SummerInFL

So what you're all saying is.....we now have the Matterhorn? Sorry, couldn't resist.

It essentially is a less thrilling Matterhorn, yes. And it only took 50 years to clone it.

[danyoung]

Originally Posted by easy

It essentially is a less thrilling Matterhorn, yes. And it only took 50 years to clone it.

Seriously? You think the Matterhorn is MORE thrilling than Everest? Seriously?

[SomethingWicked451]

As much as I love the Matterhorn, it's about as thrilling as a wheelchair ride.

[planodisney]

I long for the day that they change the track and ride vehicles for Matterhorn.

The ride could be both faster, and not kill your back.

[Peabody]

Yeti is still down for the count. I heard a rumor that it could easily be until the holidays until he's up and running again. I guess that would make sense if he truely cracked his foundation. Anyone hear anything else? I'm sure anxious to see it work...it's a nice coaster and all but the stobe light just doesn't do much!

[disneyfann121]

I love the Matterhorn, but c'mon, Everest rules.

[geoffa]

At least I come off Everest without bruising!

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by PeoplemoverMatt

What's more desirable? Take the ride down temporarily so the star attraction operates with its star AA actually working right? Or keep the ride operating with its star AA looking embarassingly broken?

Embarrassingly broken? Do people ride the Matterhorn and get off thinking the same?

Most guests would not even know the different.. the event happens so quickly most don't even realize what is going on.

Originally Posted by Phonedave

As somone who went to college to be a "concrete guy" (but no longer does it) that should not be the case.

As we know.. its probably some failure that is misinterpreted as its passed from one laymen to another. It could be something as simple as where the steel is mounted.. the steel itself could be fatiguing.. etc. Until we have a educated person or detailed report from the inside, we're just guessing.

[iPod]

Yeti was in lameeee 'b mode' for our ride this past trip. I think we were at the AK on August 7th and it was very obvious for someone like me who only gets down once a year. Fix it Disney, you brought the steam in the station back!!!

[Peabody]

Call me crazy, but I think the Yeti may have a new "show" since he's going to be down for so long. (As was implied that they were going to do above.)

Every time I've seen him (which is always B mode) he was almost impossible to see through a few flashes. In fact I wondered if those who didn't know him would miss him.

Friday the strobes were still on, but he was also dimly lit. In addition, his red-eyes lit up (which was not the case before). And, call me crazy, I think his head might have moved , but there was clearly no "lunging" to his body. While this doesn't compare to video I've seen of the "A" mode, this was much better then what I saw before!

[halltd]

My friends just got back from DAK for their first visit and said Everest sucked. The Yeti wasn't even lit up. They said it was a total disappointment because there was only the "shadow of a Yeti projected onto the wall".

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Picking up a slightly different tack...

I should start out by stating right off the bat that I've never been to DAK.

That being said, I've noticed that a lot of people have implied that Expedition Everest was the selling point of the whole park, and that the park wouldn't really be worthwhile without it.

As I said, I've never been there, but...I always thought that the animals themselves were supposed to be the big draw, and that the park was supposed to be a souped-up zoo, Disney-style, with rides and attractions added in.

Under this pretense, a thrill-ride based on a mythological beast shouldn't be so important as some are making it out to be. Am I wrong?

If I am right about the initial intent of the park, and EE really has become the be-all, end-all of the park's appeal, then that's a pretty sad statement.

"What, the kids aren't digging the idea of learning about exotic animals from far off places, and seeing them in person in a way that only Disney can provide? Hmmmm....okay, give them a thrill-ride with a robotic Yeti."

It's certainly possible that I'm naive (or just plain wrong) about the importance of the live animals in the park, but the fact that it's not called Yeti Kingdom, or Fantasy Monster Island (Featuring Some Real Animals Too) would seem to indicate otherwise.

I'm not claiming to be absolutely right, or that anyone else is absolutely wrong. Just tossing out some food for thought.

[halltd]

I don't think EE is the end all and be all of DAK. Actually, I loved the park even before EE went in. It just adds to the experience for me. I love the park for the animals, landscape, awesome shows, fun rides, and the sheer size/effort that went into the planning and creation of the park. Keep in mind, that land used to be a flat cow pasture. Each and every plant and tree was planted in the park. It's a stunning acheivement to say the least.

That being said, the "typical theme park tourist" doesn't "get" DAK. They want rides, attractions and more rides and attractions. When they don't see them, they leave after a half of a day and think they did the entire park. My friend that went recently said "the park absolutely sucked and I will never return." In his defense though, he said the way the animals are presented at Busch Tampa and the Miami Metro Zoo are far superior to DAK. Since I haven't been to either of those parks recently, I can't really say he was out of line. I'll have to check them out and make the decision for myself.

Regardless, DAK is still my favorite of the parks in Florida.

[Jerren]

For me EE and the yeti are part of the experience not the end all be all of the AK experience. The parks theming is incredible and if I had to pick the one must see attraction in that park I think it would be Kilimanjaro Safari and not EE. While I think EE is one of, if not the best, roller coaster in WDW we don't go to WDW for thrill rides we go for the magic. (after all most of us can get thrill rides a lot closer and cheaper to home.) Which in turn is what I think most of us are upset about with the yetti not being in full A mode swiping at the cars, that is something you will not find anywhere else, and hence the mountain has lost alot of it's magic in the process. (Still a good ride though)

AK is "notazu" and it's not an amusement park it's something different blending some of the best elements of both with some of the most detailed Imagineering ever created in the parks. Even Disney has trouble defining it so lets not be too hasty to judge yet, after all the park is far from finished.

[danyoung]

I agree with most of what Brad said. For me, I don't think the big Yeti is that huge of a deal on EE. Course, I've never seen it in B mode, so my opinion might change in about 8 weeks. But for me the yeti goes by so quickly that it really isn't that important to the thrill of the ride, which has become my favorite coaster anywhere.