Problematic Roller Coasters - Expedition Everest - Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest is one of the Walt Disney World's most iconic attractions! This roller coaster helped turn the performance of Disney's Animal Kingdom around, and delivers rides to millions of guests every year! In this video, we discuss the history of the attraction, how it helped Animal Kingdom, and the madness behind its operations! This is yet another crazy Disney roller coaster!
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Channel artwork designed by Casie Jo Johnson! @blockbrakes
Closed Captions by Pineapples Foster Media Services allmylinks.com/pineapples-foster
Video Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:29 - Disney World Expands
03:25 - Disney's Wild Kingdom
07:11 - Designing Expedition Everest
12:26 - Everest is Unleashed
17:52 - Track Switches
19:35 - Block Zones
24:01 - 5 Train Operations
30:22 - Hidden Handrail
31:34 - Yeti
36:26 - Conclusion
Thumbnail Source: disneyworld.disney.go.com/att...
Video Sources:
Coaster Force - • Expedition Everest fro...
Jim Weathers - • Disney's Animal Kingdo...
Disney Parks - disneyworld.disney.go.com/att...
JohnYChen - • 2019 Expedition Everes...
JohnYChen - • 2021 01 01 Expedition ...
JohnYChen - • Expedition Everest at ...
JohnYChen - • 2019 Expedition Everes...
Main Street Art Corner - • The Grand Opening of W...
SoCalAttractions - • [4K] Space Mountain Ri...
Fox 13 Tampa Bay - • From 1989: Disney MGM ...
Zrowny - • 1990 Universal Studios...
2ombieboy's VHS Vault - • Universal studios Isla...
DisneyPark Videos - • Animal Kingdom : The F...
Universal Orlando - • Hollywood Rip Ride Roc...
ATJakee - • Building A Thrill Ride...
ATJakee - • Building A Thrill Ride...
ATJakee - • Building A Thrill Ride...
ATJakee - • Building A Thrill Ride...
ATJakee - • Building A Thrill Ride...
Rare Disney Treasures - • Video
Beyond the Kingdoms - • Expedition Everest (Fu...
Adam Waltemire - • Expedition Everest - S...
Orlando United - • Expedition Everest Tra...
TheInfoMouse - • Stuck on EXPEDITION EV...

[@musickid43]

I once was on this ride when we stopped right before the animatronic yeti. The person next to me was a little confused and scared, so I started explaining block sections. I think that made them want to get off the ride even more.

[@madi7178]

This is why there needs to be t-shirt merch

[@MattMcIrvin]

Now imagining turning to the person to my left and saying "For those of you who are unfamiliar..."

[@HercadosP]

"One of us gotta get off this ride one way or another and I know that won't be me"

[@shoople]

"the fellow guests on this ride may be too lame to enjoy the following information"

[@iamjackscompletelackofsurp9606]

Did you mean block zones?

[@bretsheeley4034]

Disney: "With what's needed, it would take 8 months of shutdown to fix the yeti." Covid-19 has entered the chat. Disney: ".... We're going to pretend we didn't see that."

[@lutherheggs451]

They aren't going to tear down the entire mountain just to make a Yeti's arm move......Its attached to the foundation and WDW wasn't closed that long....It sucks that its broken, but its not the end of the world for something you only see for 5 seconds if that.

[@elssha]

I was actually hoping they'd take the shutdowns to fix up various things at disneyland and their other parks. I went there in October before the pandemic, and a LOT of things were crying out for some love. Even iconic rides like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates and Indiana Jones.

[@h.r.9563]

Ha! Keep their parks top tier or cave to whatever makes the biggest profit as the brand goes down in flames and scandals

[@benedictdwyer2608]

@@h.r.9563 man, I hate capitalism

[@williambrown8249]

There's no room in the budget for that, instead they gotta do a massive retheme of Splash Mountain cuz... you know, social justice... smh

[@themisfitowl2595]

One major lesson that the Yeti taught Disney is to always have a backup for your animatronic figures no matter how big they are. In making Na'vi River Journey in the Pandora section, the shaman animatronic can be removed from the ride if it breaks down and they show a projection in it's place while it's being fixed.

[@fightingfaerie]

Huh, that explains the last time I rode Na'vi River, last month. I had coulda sworn it was an animatronic the last time I rode, but it was a couple years ago.

[@yimeko4302]

I was so confused one trip, because the very 1st time I rode the Na'vi river journey on the Monday there was an animatronic. On Friday we rode it again and it was a projection. I was so confused and thought the 1st time was a fever dream. I have ridden it again since that previous trip and the animatronic was back.

[@ComputerGeek1100]

Rise of the Resistance does this too - there’s a figure of Kylo Ren that can be hidden behind a set piece if he’s broken and a video will play on the screens in the room instead.

[@rckblzr]

Same with Rocket for Guardians of the Galaxy at California Adventure.

[@momoniji6439]

You can't compare that to a 20,000 pound animatronic. There are many issues like he said with not just the Yeti but also the foundation it sits on as well as mechanical parts which would require cranes to disassemble the mountain and track to fix.

[@trimlessthrills6123]

Ryan: For those of you who are unfamiliar, a block zone is a section of the ride that only one train can occupy at a time Viewers: He said it!

[@andrewn8002]

At this point, it's expected for Ryan to explain what a block zone is. 😁So the next time I ride a coaster, I can say: We're approaching the first block zone. 😂

[@thebananacraft7298]

Hmmm feel I’ve heard that before from somewhere.

[@JavaCake]

Yep

[@bikerider1241]

Honestly, why are the parts focusing on block zones so interesting?

[@andrewn8002]

​@@bikerider1241 It's an interesting topic of conversation. Is all. Nothing more, nothing less. The More You Know!

[@Luna-rs5nj]

Seems like a pattern at this point Engineers: it can do 4 cars and run smoothly Park: more trains Engineers: okay but that will make it run slower... Park: NO SLOWER, ONLY MORE TRAINS

[@ElToroRyan]

Hahaha so accurate

[@Aluhcav]

I give you, Heavy Traffic the RIDE! Get ready to move an inch a second!

[@GravitySpace24601]

You see the same thing in road transit. More lanes does not mean more capacity, but people still demand more lanes.

[@ImNotScotish]

EAH OOOH AH AH NO SLOW ONLY TRAIN

[@CAG83]

What surprised me, is that they tried to add the 5th train despite the only benefit being a tiny increase of 68 riders per hour. I could understand if it would have resulted in an increase of 200-300 per hour. But 68 hardly seems worth all of the potential trouble it could cause.

[@TheQuashingoftheTub]

It's so entertaining how much more cultural research Disney puts into their rides than into their movies lol

[@samdp42]

Why did this make my brain hurt?

[@TheQuashingoftheTub]

@@samdp42 Probably because the words "Cultural Research" and "Disney" don't go well together in any situation.

[@xlordpolox]

2020s

[@Rachniax]

Try telling your children the REAL stories that Disney tells, and they stop liking the movies.

[@priyonjoni]

Cultural research that serves sweet and sour chicken in the China portion of Epcot.

[@jaystarr6571]

I came for The Yeti but stayed for the Block Zones.

[@RainbowDemon]

Me its reverse

[@lanceanthony198]

I came in the yeti but stayed in the yeti

[@justinlangosch7523]

@@lanceanthony198 So you broke the yeti...

[@jadensvideos]

@@lanceanthony198 You sicken me

[@benedictdwyer2608]

@@lanceanthony198 OH MY FUCKING GOD YOU CAME IN THE YETI ANIMATRONIC? EWWWWWW🤮

[@lunova6165]

Disney: *Doesn't want to disturb the live animals* Disney: Animal attraction brings in 8.6 million people in one year.

[@McSnezzly]

To be fair, their enclosures are massive

[@peachbat4878]

the fact that joe promised to fix the yeti and then left disney lmaoo rip the disco yeti. disney really let the most expensive coaster in the world to live the rest of it's life in b mode

[@VestedUTuber]

Second most expensive now. Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure dethroned it.

[@EFFEZE]

Mate relying on anyone called Joe to fix anything is a recipe for disaster.

[@nichtsistkostenlos6565]

@A random on the internet Joe Rogan

[@bigboomer1013]

@A random on the internet joe mama (Bad joke sorry. Especially it was all ready answered)

[@averyeml]

I don’t blame him, not like he can force them to spend a stupid amount of money and time in a park with -6 rides to shut down the most popular one just to fix something you see for 5 seconds. The ride itself is so amazing I really didn’t care about disco yeti when I was actually in it. Plus Joe helped make my favorite Disney ride ever, the Guardians tower ride, so I’ll never be mad at him lmao

[@30framespersecond]

I worked at Everest and am very familiar with all aspects of it. Your description of the block system, and how it was modified to handle five trains instead of four, was excellent! It's tough to explain, but you made it very clear. Well done! I wanted to add two anecdotal things, however: 1. The steam at load usually isn't broken, it just makes the station uncomfortably hot and humid on already hot and humid days so it is shut off. 2. I have seen, with my own eyes, the yeti scene with the yeti figure missing. This means that, at least once, the yeti figure has been removed. Note that it was just the figure and not necessarily the mechanical arm that controls it. The rumor that the mountain must be partially dismantled to work on the yeti is most likely false. The figure can be dismantled like any other machine and removed with relative ease. There are large rollup maintenance doors on the backside of the mountain that allow for easy access inside including up to the backside of the yeti's platform.

[@shchorss]

I'm curious as to how many riders Everest would pump through on a normal day. I've only ridden it once, but judging my personal wait time with the estimated amount of people in both the fast lane and normal queues, I'd guess that the EE crew can push through 10K people on a regular day.

[@30framespersecond]

@@shchorss With 5 trains, Everest can push through over 2,000 riders per hour, with a theoretical maximum of 2,244 riders per hour.

[@AshLux]

A several thousand pound animatronic was removed and then put back in place? That doesn't make sense. Why in earth would Disney do that? That's some crazy logistics and financial costs just to end up with the same Disco Yeti. Why in the world would they remove it just to put it back into its same condition as before?

[@30framespersecond]

@@AshLux It's a machine, and thus can be disassembled into removable pieces. Disney actually has a strict maintenance schedule in which any moving element on an attraction must be completely disassembled and reassembled on varying schedules. For instance, every single ride vehicle is regularly completely disassembled and reassembled. We do know that the yeti figure isn't technically "broken", but is problematic to run. So it's entirely plausible that it was disassembled and reassembled for safety and legal reasons. Even if it doesn't run, it's still an installed fixture that needs regular safety checks. Alternatively, they could have been looking for replacement solutions and cleaning the fur and skin.

[@thatpitter]

It’s so cool to hear a cast member’s perspective of certain rides! Thanks for sharing :) It’s sad that they didn’t ever fix the yeti, but it’s also kind of funny in a way 😂

[@CoasterRoaster]

Disney: Opens a new park that doesn't have nearly enough rides Also Disney: Doesn't address the problem and opens another park with yet again, not enough rides

[@benedictdwyer2608]

Should’ve built beastly kingdom...

[@comicblossoms]

@@benedictdwyer2608 it makes me sad when i see videos mentioning it because it looks SO cool

[@adammay6663]

@@IkLms11 If you think theming is a waste then just go to Six Flags. Theming is what makes Disney unique and what people go for

[@adammay6663]

@@IkLms11 A “good thrill ride” is a matter of opinion. I think Disney has multiple good coasters like Rockin Rollercoaster and Everest but that’s clearly not their #1 goal as a more family oriented park, most of their thrill rides aren’t coasters. Personally I’d rather how they do thrill rides than how Universal does them - or worse, have basically a Disney themed Six Flags because they get caught up in the dick measuring contest that is most modern coaster design. If you’re looking to ride the tallest/fastest/etc there are places for that. If you want solid coasters that transport you to different worlds with their theming there’s a place for that too. Different people like different things, and that’s ok. Not every park needs 10 different coasters

[@VestedUTuber]

@@IkLms11 You obviously don't understand the concept of demographics. If Disney parks were trying to compete with conventional theme and amusement parks, I'm pretty sure they would have built their parks to have large skylines of massive high-intensity coasters. Disney isn't going for the thrillseeker demographic, their primary demographic is families with young children a.k.a. the same primary demographic that watches their movies. And for those kinds of people an immersive experience is far more attractive than a park full of coasters the kids can't even ride. Seriously, do you realize how much effort Disney has to use to maintain that immersion? Their parks are literally built on artificial plateaus filled with hidden passageways and facilities to keep guests from seeing the behind-the-scenes activities of the park, and they even maintain a no-fly-zone over the entire township of Lake Buena Vista to keep the skies over the parks free of aircraft. Do you really think they'd do that if they were going for the same primary demographic as Six Flags?

[@rixrobin]

The fact that that one switch track costed more than the the entirety of kingda ka is insane to me. It makes it was the most expensive coaster until hagred’s came out.

[@Mr.ToadJanfu]

A switch track is basically putting a giant hole in your roller coaster track and then fixing it via machine multiple times a run. No surprise that the kind of tolerances needed add cost FAST.

[@jonny-b4954]

@@Mr.ToadJanfu Haha that's one... way... to look at it I guess.

[@Carlisho]

@Galaxyfnaf And Dino nah Velicoaster was probably very cheap, compared to Hagrids of course.

[@Carlisho]

@Galaxyfnaf And Dino the cost of the ride increases with complexity. Hagrids was very expensive because it features 7 launches, 2 switch tracks, 2 free fall drops (you only experience one tho), and many animatronics, plus the entire field where the coaster is located that was modified for the attraction (like all the trees that were planted and such) and the new building which is the one that you enter backwards. Velicoaster on the other hand is much more simple, 2 launches, thats it, not as much work as hagrid for the area where it sits either. It does have a new building too tho, probably the most expensive thing in the whole project.

[@TechCoasters]

i feel like Ryan has memorized the block zone introduction at this point

[@customxphoto]

Memorized? I bet he wakes up saying it, he may even answer the phone that way. Hahaha.

[@prakesh2904]

I have as well

[@LoveStallion]

It's his primary topic on a first date.

[@thecoastergnome8603]

He probably it pre recorded and just inserts it when he needs to

[@bandmfanboy]

@@thecoastergnome8603 Yeah soon it'll copy and paste in every video including in coaster vlogs.

[@Jay-qh6uv]

The artistry and theming of this ride is just off the chain tho. It’s breathtaking when you walk through the village area and ride queue. Everything just feels SO real and so immersive. I love the shredded tent/camping gear, it really looks like the things you see in gruesome pictures of Everest deaths and disasters and adds so much to a sense of realism, danger and excitement. I didn’t even notice the yeti was broken when I rode this as a young teen, I was just so spirited away with the whole experience.

[@nooodisaster]

The fact that Disney had a perfect change to refurb so many rides last year with ~the illness~ shutting things down for months, and yet did almost nothing... pain.

[@lanceanthony198]

The pandemic didn’t just remove the park attendees, it also prevented normal repairs from occurring because that meant large groups of workers coming into contact. For many months only essential work was legally or socially allowed, and that doesn’t include roller coaster maintenance. Also like Ryan mentioned, they couldn’t have known how long it would take to fix, so if there tore apart the mountain only to be surprised by the pandemic restrictions lifting, they would be stuck losing a lot of profit

[@lutherheggs451]

You mean like bringing in large groups of workers, having to pay contractors to do the work, all while a global pandemic is costing them hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions because of the time their parks were closed, they weren't releasing movies and really didn't have a reliable source of revenue coming in....Parks don't run for free, its part of the reason why alot of their refurbs and construction was postponed.... Thats not even taking into consideration a massive chunk of the mountain would have to be destroyed because the Yeti is attached to the foundation of the ride itself, its not just hanging out in there. And now you also have Joe Rohde retired

[@SignedDiamond]

@@lutherheggs451 and how about the other attractions in work that remained in work during the pandemic? They were only temporarily halted until guidelines were cemented. It’s really the leader of Disney parks who has recently become CEO. He is famously cheap and will opt to cut costs at the detriment of the park goers.

[@averyeml]

Right? I get there was some time where literally nobody was able to do anything but the fact that everything broke down the minute they reopened because they hadn’t even done basic maintenance after that time bugs the crap out of me. And how TRON’s been in construction for years now and was supposed to be done right after the pandemic started and still ain’t even close… 🙄

[@sarahjones6788]

I mean even before the pandemic probably could have updated EE when they were putting in the Pandora land because the park already had to be closed, but I can if a lot of people still ride it then they might not see the worth in doing the work to update the yeti.

[@Cossfrack]

Your routine "for those who are unfamiliar, a block zone..." sentence should go in a tshirt.

[@ElToroRyan]

Bet eltororyanmerch.creator-spring.com/listing/new-block-zone-definition-whit?country=US&currency=USD&nohelpkit=1&product=2&tsmac=google&tsmic=youtube&YT-AGNkefAIIfNqoTweYRqlJ9Dg0AD8mSlzUVRbdPDEx1xW0BqpB8N0fHzXQAyJq_UozOvxeIE53rB2HNdfjFr2sotpR2HuUc2xrngwIOk0VlvunaSIkkFmgcaffMYoczPafMU3wQDrmNsLYWjJUnX6wYZo_u8hwItJxzmnm4ZgtB9YbEMkrQFoCyrckleRKEg6zwHn2a5BgCtBDEnxSt-i_CxbFf_SZXc%3D&variation=2397&view_as=USA

[@Cossfrack]

Amazing. Genuinely awesome.

[@charliegriswold1445]

@@ElToroRyan HE IS THE MESSIAH!

[@carmel3532]

@@ElToroRyan could we please have it on a decal? My laptop needs to educate about block zones. ;)

[@doubtful_seer]

@@carmel3532 yessss! I’m a new watcher and I already want something like that. I can never seem to find fan merch shirts that both fit me and are comfortable, but a decal or vinyl sticker would be amazing.

[@mollyheath9642]

My favorite queue in all of Disney World. The theming and detail is insane.

[@deuteronomy6.5]

YESSS ! omg i love the waiting queue!! literally transport's you to Everest

[@drinkingpoolwater]

it really is. for anyone skeptical about disney i tell them about the everest ride. the atmosphere is so amazing and real.

[@kdderosa]

I have been riding Everest since 2006, and I have always wondered why my more recent rides had those awkward pulses. Thanks for explaining why this always happens, and please keep making more of these videos!

[@ImNotScotish]

you’ve been on that ride for 15 years do you need help? when does it end?

[@marcussheen]

Probably the least problematic of the problematic coasters so far. Such a marvel of engineering and a good example of why Joe Rhode is maybe my favourite imagineer. BTW, thanks for the metric measurements, but thought I'd let you know normally for larger weights (eg, a car) we normally use metric tons, not kilograms. Amazing video as always.

[@ElToroRyan]

Noted, thanks!

[@iceblade019]

I think Superman Ultimate Flight is less problematic

[@averyeml]

I really like Joe Rodhe, he built the Avatar land and also helped do the reskin of the California Tower of Terror at the same time, and the reskin was so simple but AMAZING and is easily my favorite ride at any Disney place lmao

[@realquadmoo]

“Is he.. talking in his sleep..?” ElToroRyan: “A block zzzzone is a section of the ride that only one train can occupy at a time..”

[@Vocodes]

Man I miss the yeti, when this ride first came out my family were able to ride but I wasn't tall/old enough. When we went back many years later I was really disappointed with the strobes. Imagine how cool it would be to see the enormous yeti swiping at you!! The motion we see in the animatronic studio is frightening enough on it's own- with the theming, it would be terrific

[@adambuckler1398]

For sure! I’m surprised they haven’t added a new one by now

[@rckblzr]

@@adambuckler1398 That costs money and would require 6+ months of downtime in a park with few rides.

[@aidenscott4794]

The same problem happened at the roaring rapids ride with the angry croc in Disney seas.

[@niceperson180]

I got stuck on B lift in the rain once for about 15 minutes, eventually they just sent us through the ride and we came out of the mountain at 50mph into a mild hailstorm. Painful as hell but what a realistic everest experience lol

[@Yoshimitsu4prez]

I just want to say I’m unfamiliar with block zones, I hope that won’t be a problem going into this

[@Yoshimitsu4prez]

@@festivesuperhammy121 it was a reference to Ryan’s “for those unfamiliar, a block zone is…” but that he repeats in every rollercoaster video lol

[@HyperK7]

One of the things that bugs me right now is that they could’ve been working on the ride over the pandemic. The Yeti could have been fixed, maybe!

[@ElToroRyan]

True! But on the other hand, Disney probably didn't know how long they would be closed for, and they may have been looking to save on costs with all their parks closed. Fixing the yeti will probably be expensive!

[@rpavlik1]

Instead of fixing the yeti, they let it slip they considered laying off Joe Rohde (and did lay off most of their performers at the parks). Pinching pennies, but the executives still get crazy money. I enjoy a ton of Disney stuff, but I won't pretend I agree with their business decisions, which fall into "penny wise pound foolish" in between flashes of brilliance.

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

It wasn't just planned lol. It would take at least a year to plan it out safely and get contractors to bid for that project. They can't make it happen overtnight. Plus they are pretty busy with other projects going on now. Rohde retired lol

[@rckblzr]

@@Randomvideos_90 Where would that money have come from? At the time the pandemic started, Disney was $90 billion in debt from the Fox purchase, and movies/theme parks/ice shows weren't running. They were only making money from Disney+.

[@rckblzr]

@@Randomvideos_90 Alright then, if Disney was making no money last year, what incentive do they have to close Everest for 6+ months and spend tens of millions of dollars fixing something most riders don't care about?

[@cstumpy51]

Joe Rohde: I will fix the Yeti. I promise. Also Joe Rohde: *Peace out playa*

[@peachbat4878]

omg i came to comment this!!! I was so excited when he gave a definite comment on the future plans for the yeti (the yeti will be fixed!) and then he dips out for virgin :( imagining the future of the ride, let alone the entire park without him is saddening

[@brokencoasters1342]

should i be doing my homework now? yes. am i going to watch this el toro ryan video as my first priority? yes.

[@colinr5189]

Ah yes, gettin those priority’s straight my friend

[@patrickcarpenter6258]

Should I being my work. Yes. Am I also watching this video right now. Yes

[@pinkpools]

My wife is giving birth right now but I’m in the waiting room watching this on crappy hospital wifi

[@brokencoasters1342]

@@pinkpools 💀

[@calebyoung1018]

bro same....I told myself I wouldn't get on youtube during asynchronous time unlike yesterday

[@dominik.peters]

Regarding "bad show" when stuck watching the shadow of the yeti for too long: I wonder why they didn't make a longer projection for this case where the yeti comes back and does a bunch of other stuff. Some other Disney rides do have backup projections for cases where you're stuck in a block zone; I've seen it happen at Ratatouille in Paris (where a bit of video loops) and at Rise of the Resistance in WDW (where the ride vehicle quite organically went backwards for a bit to kill time!).

[@riot840]

yeah

[@piggysister01]

Yep, my immediate thought, and surely cheap to do.

[@ethank4820]

Yeah I thought of that. It makes sense

[@averyeml]

Or how if you ride that Frozen boat ride at EPCOT and get stuck at the Let It Go bit, Elsa awkwardly waves at you 😂

[@RandomDragonEXE]

That's actually a pretty good idea, but one question remains: what will the yeti do in the longer projection after it "rips off" the track?

[@CutToATree]

I have a distinct memory of riding this once with the yeti moving. It was either during that short period of time where it ran a second time, or my brain is just so high on the hope that one day it will move again that it manufactured a fake memory.

[@xxhobistar52.]

I feel like Disney should close down Everest to get Disco Yeti running again, and the little effects that have been deteriorating over time before it becomes a rust bucket. This was amazing as always! Thanks, Ryan!

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Yep a year closure like what space mountain did in 2009 and just fix the hell out of this ride or is it not time yet? Maybe once the Epcot project is complete they can focus on this next? That Yeti will take a while to fix I'm betting.

[@rpavlik1]

They have fixed a few things over time, like the steam thing. They could really benefit from sweeping away the hair ties at the switch points, though: I can't imagine they're building up to those levels in a daily or weekly basis.

[@Clay3613]

They had the perfect year for this, 2020...but nope.

[@takingafatdump]

@@Brandon-qd2lb i heard somewhere they do it in a 20 year cycle. don’t know for sure.

[@scataplaft]

They have to destroy and rebuild a big chunk of the mountain for that. It's very expensive and definitely not a 1-year-long project. Besides, and most important, they can't afford closing an E-ticket in a park with few rides like AK. Specially a roller coaster. They need to build a new coaster so they can close Everest and fix it properly one day. Primeval Whirl is no longer... they might have plans for the park in the next years. But at the moment, closing it is off the table. The park needs more to become a full-day park!

[@georgeonquantin9812]

If I can recall, the Disney Park fanbase celebrates more the artistry of an attraction, and less its technology. I can only imagine their surprise when you start discussing block zones in detail.

[@averyeml]

Nah, it all goes together. I think Imagineering is the best word for it- the artistry and creativity are just as important as the engineering and technical marvels that are required to make it happen. It’s why we’re just as excited to see how they built that amazing Na’vi shaman animatronic or made the ones for the Chinese Beauty and the Beast dark ride that look straight out of the movie as we are to see the cool theming in the queues. Like how my favorite Disney ride is the Guardians drop tower- it’s the same ride it was when it was Twilight Zone, but all they changed was the mechanics of how the elevator drops and it is SO DIFFERENT. I’m blown away at how such a simple mechanical change can make something go from terrifying to giving me butterflies in my stomach and adrenaline from sheer delight.

[@twistedgwazi5727]

Can't wait for another video where Ryan will school me on block zones

[@achesst]

What's a block zone?

[@twistedgwazi5727]

@@achesst A block zone is a section of ride that only one train may occupy. At the end of a block zone is a method to stop a train in case the block zone ahead is still occupied. This is the safety system that prevents roller coaster trains from colliding with one another.

[@achesst]

@@twistedgwazi5727 Thanks!

[@maxhagenauer24]

The Yeti is actually Uncle Nate in a costume trying to grab the kids from the train.

[@fudeknuckles]

Shit I'd pay for that

[@CoasterSn00p]

Ryan, I respect you and this series, and the block zone section of this video was outstanding as usual. However, there is a lot of misinformation out there about the Yeti, and I'm afraid some of it seeped into your video. The concrete foundation supporting the Yeti's mechanism _did not_ crack. The problem with the Yeti is more like the "broken hip" issue as detailed in the video, though it's unclear if it's specifically the hip or not. What we know is one of the Yeti's motors either malfunctioned or wore out, which creates unanticipated stress on other parts of the Yeti's body. This is by design and should have been preventable through proper maintenance according to WDI. However, Operations argues that WDI sent them a faulty animatronic. Neither side will flip the bill, and because Everest still experiences great ridership today there isn't a lot of pressure from the top. Therefore, there's a sort of stalemate as to who will flip the (very expensive) bill, where one side doing so is essentially "admitting fault." All of this and more, such as an issue involving OSHA, is described by RedDad, a structural engineer who had an opportunity to talk with a WDW mechanical engineer ( forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/expedition-everest-effects-status-watch.171808/post-7514980 ) and supported by both Martin (of MartinVidsdotNet) and Lee, two highly credible members of the community whose insider information has been proven correct multiple times over several years. The Yeti is not trapped inside the mountain, can be removed at any time, and has been removed on at least one occasion according to multiple accounts ( forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/expedition-everest-effects-status-watch.171808/page-205#post-9319004 ). As the animatronic was installed well after the mountain structure was complete, there are doors in the back of the mountain where he can be moved in and out ( forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/disney-loses-appeal.856616/page-2#post-5230011 ). In fact, there have been plans in the past to repair/replace the animatronic _that do not involve removing pieces of the mountain_ that fell through due to the reason I stated above ( forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/yeti-is-indeed-being-fixed-update-8-4-2014.716149/page-52#post-6261243 ). It's very prevalent misinformation, so I don't blame you at all for using it in your video. I think it originated from when Joe Rohde said this at a D23 panel ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYPSmKaBhKxnadk ) "you have to understand, it's a giant, complicated machine sitting on top of a 46-foot tall tower in the middle of a finished building," which I firmly interpret as him commenting on the price rather than practicality of such a refurb. In reality, with the right budget a Yeti refurb could feasibly happen overnight, though when/if one does come, it's more likely to be a couple weeks, tops. I just wanted to let you know because this rumor seems to be everywhere, and I can tell you're passionate about this kind of thing.

[@ElToroRyan]

I really appreciate you pointing this out and suppling a bunch of sources. I’m going to read more about it myself!

[@stevenschiro1838]

After binge watching these, there's this random voice that I keep hearing that says.... "For those of you who are unfamiliar, a block zone is a section of ride that only one train may occupy. At the end of a block zone is a method to stop a train, in case the block zone ahead is still occupied. This is the safety system that prevents roller coaster trains from colliding into one another"

[@Slame333]

Other than the people mover, this is by far my favorite ride at Disney World. The theming and ideas behind it and it’s operation are crazy. One of the best things they could’ve ever done for the park.

[@McSnezzly]

It’s so good! I got lucky my last visit bc a hurricane was supposed to hit while we were there, but changed course last minute, so we had the entire park to ourselves. I must have ridden Everest 10 times in a row without a line

[@lagavr4693]

@@McSnezzly Dorian?

[@ElToroRyan]

Correction: 23:18 B Lift will rev to full speed once the train ahead has cleared Zone 1 and the track switch there has reset to accept the next train, not Zone 2! Sorry about that! Also the stupid warning message is just a dumb joke my videos have had since the beginning lol it doesn’t mean anything

[@lampshades120]

mistakes like this are a disgrace to the mighty BLOCK ZONE

[@owaowa7905]

@@lampshades120 HOW COULD HE

[@TheIlldill]

Don’t ever disrespect block zones again

[@samuelitooooo]

I'm surprised you didn't put the warning message all the way in the beginning lol

[@samuelitooooo]

14:14 "At one point, the line heads through a goomba" We got tired of jumping on them so now we walk through them, huh?

[@JamesonThomas24]

Yo Ryan, whenever you release one of these, I make a bowl of popcorn and watch it like a movie. I treat it like a big event. You know how much popcorn I’ve eaten while watching your videos? It’s insane man

[@owenpinkham2105]

same except with goldfish crackers

[@jonny-b4954]

Haha weird.

[@beny4300]

You can enjoy your bowl of popcorn while watching the channel "Looping Thrills".

[@oreo_6206]

coastoons is good too

[@dashmasteryt3845]

Not gonna lie the rock n’ roll coaster at Disney Orlando would be a cool episode of this

[@tomchavez2074]

Yes it really would!

[@marianap.h3961]

It's problematic?

[@dashmasteryt3845]

@@marianap.h3961 I think he just goes in depth of the history of the roller coaster and stuff. That’s why I suggested it, also because the ride’s fun.

[@subwayexpress465]

This coaster would benefit from having Multi-Move technology in the station area which basically allows the next train waiting in the block behind to dispatch before the train ahead has completely cleared the block zone. It is used on Taron and Millennium Force and proves to be very efficient.

[@ElToroRyan]

Absolutely!

[@RainbowDemon]

23:08 LMAO I kept joking, knowing Disney instead of running one less train I bet they forced a fifth, and lo and behold, I WAS RIGHT!!

[@busdriver1275]

I've only ever seen Disco Yeti, but this remains one of my favorite rollercoasters ever.

[@alyssabelle817]

I got stuck in Zone 1 once. 😂 I had students with me and they were very nervous! You are just waiting to fly back and you don’t move. 😳

[@prakesh2904]

When a single switch track costs more than a strata coaster

[@Clay3613]

Paying for the atmosphere.

[@harmonixfl8479]

2 technically

[@egocentral1]

I was charmed the little bitty Abominable Snowmen representing each train

[@NastyPotato23]

I was one of the lucky ones who rode the Everest before it opened to the public, I was 7 years old and I loved it! I came back to FL a couple of yrs later and was very disappointed because the Yeti did not move anymore

[@davidsalucco56]

After watching this I have to evacuate my bladder but in order to get to the bathroom I have to walk 7 feet or 2.134 meters

[@SoRetro]

Yes. Tell us more sir.

[@williamstefan8785]

Good job as always with the block zones. As someone like me who used to work in a park as a full-time electrician (22 years ago) and commissioned a control system for an roller coaster with, who is now the owner of IOE. What you guys call a ride computer is really a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) that's we electrical guys call them. But, Disney uses both PLC's and PAC's (Programmable Automation Controllers) in their ride control systems. The PAC's are normally used with the animated props and they are networked to the PLC running the ride. Btw, I have the paper copy of Power Point presentation networking for Disney Parks. P.S. You get a 👍 from me.

[@shawnspencer8766]

That's cool, that's exactly what I do now lol

[@MegaGyarados]

I remember how when me and my father went on this ride, there was such a backlog from the ride being down that they let us use our Fast Passes early to get people through the lines ASAP. They didn’t even verify that we even had Fast Passes because they were in such a rush, they just let us on the ride.

[@elofkjellson3906]

Rest in peace to the Great Movie Ride....I remember absolutely loving that as a kid, and getting terrified by the Alien section haha.

[@brayden7152]

I legit screamed when I saw this notification 😆

[@cartershackles4046]

Ryan: "while not being the most thrilling rollercoaster..." Me: "I disagree."

[@ChannelMan434]

Expedition Everest and the whole area is absolutely some of the best theming in any amusement park

[@VestedUTuber]

Fun fact: Expedition Everest is just one foot too short of being a hypercoaster.

[@FlyingBladePool]

The music that starts at 3:39 brought me back. Japanese train station jingle. Love it.

[@729MendicantTide]

I was about to point out the same thing.

[@coastermind166]

I’m at the point where I just hit the like button before the video even starts lol.

[@TonyKimtheamusementparkfan]

Not going to lie, this is one of the best coasters Vekoma has ever built, based on the immersion and theming alone~ Hats off to Disney and Vekoma for this awesome ride.

[@mcfly824]

As usual, your technical analysis' are utterly fantastic and bloody flawless in their execution. Thank you for making such consistently detailed and fascinating videos on such an interesting subject, and I could only wish you would produce a video on every coaster ever made. Bravo, my dude.

[@ElToroRyan]

Thanks so much! I will certainly try to make as many of these videos as I can

[@darealsavage3472]

I actually had the experience when the train was stuck in zone 2 for a while, I was scared that we would have to be evacuated but about 20 seconds later the ride resumed

[@knobjob2839]

Epcot always felt more like a sight seeing destination than an entertainment destination.

[@corycoral7072]

Fun fact, after the broken train scene, if you look down a directly between your cart and the mountain walls, you can actually see the separation of the ride and the mountain, all the way down to the bottom of the mountain, highly suggest keeping an eye out for it

[@charliekempf]

When I was a kid my family and I went and checked out the animal kingdom in the afternoon after spending the day in epcot. We only had about 30 minutes before all the rides closed but the park was literally dead. Expedition everest literally had no one waiting in line, so with 15 minutes left me and my sister rode the ride over and over like 5 times. Probably my favorite time ever in a disneyland park.

[@addieraddie]

My dad and I rode this 5 times in a row near the park closing back in 2017. One of my fondest memories of us. We were practically sprinting to get in line and ride it again and again.

[@bigbadbyrnes]

I used to be unfamiliar with block zones. Look at me now.

[@jackmichaels9504]

I remember riding this back in 2006 when I was 8 years old. Great ride the line was like 3 or 4 hours long!

[@blueflare3848]

I went to Disney in 2009, so I was either 7 or 8 years old. I think I went on this ride like two or three times, maybe even more. I really enjoyed it.

[@owenparris7490]

Hollywood Studios is weirdly my favorite park and I love the addition of Galaxy's Edge but I'm also disappointed that the whole theme of "movie magic" isn't as prevalent, since that's what made me fall in love with the park as a kid. Everything changed when the Great Movie Ride shut down.

[@ElleJay1085]

Their AK logic from 2000 still stands true for me today. Mt Everest, Pandora, Dinosaur, out. I’ve never spent a full day there.

[@KazzatheBlankOne]

As Disney roller coasters go, this is actually a pretty good one. And I really appreciated how efficient the unloading and loading were and how short the wait times were for this. We would do it a couple of times in a row in succession simply because we could.

[@GetOffMyyLawn]

When I rode Everest, I had no idea about what to expect. The theming on the waiting line was among the best, and really set the mood. The best part was the unexpected (for me) point where we hit the broken tracks, and started the backward drop. If I had known before I got on that is was going to reverse... i probably would have not gotten on! One of my favorite rides!

[@nokrepkie]

my first comment got deleted, so I wanna say again that ryan should really do mummy at universal. also this was one of the best eps so far!

[@angeloireland576]

What is the issue with the mummy in universal? It was like a reliable cup of coffee for me when I worked there and I used it to wake me up in the mornings that I got there a few hours early

[@blueflare3848]

Oh, I went on that one! It was a really cool ride.

[@airtimemyke8164]

When your hear " a block zone" 🥰

[@themeparkcinema5668]

More Block zones...exactly what I wanted!

[@coasterswithcasey9397]

Best day of the month for me is today just because of this video, thanks for another one! Great work as always!

[@arandomhumanbeing9341]

Not for the south.

[@oakforestboys]

Imagine putting all this work and planning into this project only to not make a back door to get the Yeti out without destroying any structures

[@RahanPlays]

The remix of JR-SH-2 playing in the background just confused the hell out of me. That’s my ringtone, and I could’ve sworn my phone was busted.

[@mv1131]

Recently found this channel. Have been going to Universal Orlando every year for over 20 years. Ive had a love for rides and coasters for nearly my entire life. Your knowledge on coasters is enthralling and extremely entertaining. Love your stuff!

[@theunknown0887]

All the research that is put into these problematic coaster videos is not only worth hitting the like button but also hitting the subscribe button

[@StorytellerStudios]

Another GREAT VIDEO! I love Expedition Everest and the entire Animal Kingdom. I found it harder to see the Yeti from the front of the coaster. Much easier for me from the rear seats. The themes throughout the Animal Kingdom are great. You put so much work into these videos- they are so informative and entertaining!

[@lagavr4693]

@X Dr same

[@nickmccombe5637]

Que time Everest: SOMETIMES EVEN 1 HOUR! Thorpe park: that’s cute (I legit waited 2 hours for 28 seconds of ride)

[@emilevanwieren3393]

Ryan: "hit that like button to help against the KZbin algorithm" Me: Already did that before the video mang

[@tismejaytee]

Me when Ryan starts talking about Block zones: visible happiness

[@Harmonmj13]

One thing you didn’t mention about Dinoland USA was that in the park’s early years, there was a temporary facility that did a good amount of preparation work for the T-Rex fossil Sue before it was shipped to the Field Museum in Chicago since Disney helped sponsor it with McDonalds when it was being auctioned off, which is why there’s a bronze cast replica of it in the park today.

[@ZacharyTarbell]

I literally just finished all the previous episodes of problematic rollercoasters. Perfect timing!

[@Howard007]

Whoever takes the time to articulately explain block zones I deeply respect

[@jeremydegeytere8385]

Thank you for doing Expedition Everest! I grew up 5 miles away from Disneyland and never had any desire to travel to Florida to experience Walt Disney World as we had the original and better park. That was until I saw the poster for this ride backstage while working at Disneyland. I went for the first time in 2008 and fell in love with Disney World, this ride was everything I thought it would be but I never did get to see A mode Yeti. It honestly doesn't even bug me, Animal Kingdom and EPCOT sealed the deal for me. Not to mention Magic Kingdom still has its people mover. I've gone back in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and as of about a month ago I'm now a DVC member so many trips to Florida coming up. Fantastic content, keep it up!

[@sunnyscott4876]

LOL. I grew up less than 14 miles from Disneyland. At night, I could see the closing fireworks from my house.. I can still remember the construction of the Matterhorn. Now I am a 45 plane ride from Disney world. Still have not been there. Perhaps I should check it out sometime.

[@pa.coasterfan]

I learn more from these problematic vids than what I learn in school 😭

[@crouse_2248]

I’ve always been interested into this coaster from when I rode it around the time it opened, and I’m impressed by all of the detail they put into the attraction.

[@kiera_rdh6697]

I found your channel via this video and I’m so glad I did. Excellent research, perfect explanations that are easy to understand, amazing clips. I can’t wait to go through your backlog and watch so many more! Also this ride was the sole reason for my first visit to animal kingdom as an adult. I saw the ads as a kid and never got it out of my mind. Now animal kingdom is my favorite Disney park!

[@prestondavis596]

That was one of my favorite rides ever. Regardless the problem with the animatronic. Me and my dad would ride that so many times before the park closed. The lore and everything around it is just awesome. Disney definitely did a good job designing it

[@lexsellsmerch3512]

I need to go back to Disney now that I’m old enough to actually appreciate everything. Especially for the coasters! I’ve only ever been on Rock’n Rollercoaster when I was like 7 lol

[@blueflare3848]

Yeah, same here. I was only 7 or 8 when I went. I would love to go back so I can appreciate everything more.

[@stickskinny1266]

I have so many very fond memories of this attraction. Last time I was there was in late 2019 where I lapped it like 4 times before the park closed. We had so much fun. Good times

[@jordanmorris4090]

This ride completely blew my mind with the switch track- I knew nothing about the layout prior to boarding and wasn't even aware they could do switches such as this. It's still rare (but well documented now) but at the time it was unheard of

[@crashcoaster3852]

Lol was the addition of a 5th train really worth an extra two cycles an hour?

[@SonOfFurzehatt]

"The development cost of [Expedition Everest's] switch track cost more than the entire budget for TH13TEEN." - John Wardley.

[@thecozyintrovert]

This is my all time favorite rollercoaster. The theatrics and the ride are just *chef’s kiss*

[@bekkahboodles]

I went to WDW right after Expedition Everest opened. I remember waiting in line for at least 3 hours and being so annoyed, but my older sibling and cousins kept me hype! The ride kept having to be stopped due to rain and lightning. But man was it FUN!! I was only maybe 10 but I still remember the ride pretty vividly!

[@rixrobin]

By far the best Vekoma I have ridden so far but lech coaster, might be better.

[@ryangrant4776]

This content is way too good man. I don't watch any other coaster channels because it just doesn't compare. I hope you never stop man

[@jamese7867]

Rode this for the first time in 2009 and was blown away by the theming of it. Moving through the que with the artifacts and props was incredible.

[@bigbadbyrnes]

Amazing detail on the handrail being retractable.