Photo by Robert Bish
First up, TenayaGirl. writes in to say:
Dear Jim:
In your February 1st edition of “Why For,” you talked about how bad the backside of “Expedition Everest” show building still looked. Given that I won’t be able to get down to Disney World until 2007, I was wondering if you could put up some pictures of this side of the structure. Just so I could then see what all the fuss is about.
Dear TenayaGirl,
Sure. Here’s a long shot of “Expedition Everest” taken from Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s parking lot. As you can see, this is really an enormous structure that just looms up out of the forest that surrounds this theme park.
Photo by Jeff Lange
Going in for a closer shot now, you can clearly see the squared-off backside of “EE” ‘s show building. Partially because the trees around DAK’s new thrill ride aren’t really tall enough to block WDW visitors’ views of this structure. More to the point, because the Imagineers chose to temporarily paint this portion of “Expedition Everest” brown.
Photo by Jeff Lange
And when I say ” temporarily,” folks, I mean temporarily. Since I first wrote about this somewhat unsightly aspect of Animal Kingdom’s newest attraction, I’ve received numerous e-mails and phone calls from Imagineers associated with this project. And — to a man — they’ve all assured me that once there’s actually money in that theme park’s budget to cover this work, the backside of Disney World’s newest mountain will be slathered with either Look-Away Gray or Go-Away Green (You know? That paint color that Disney always uses to make the backstage aspect of its theme parks become invisible to the paying customers?)
Now I know that the news that “Expedition Everest” ‘s backside is eventually supposed to be camouflaged will please a lot of you hardcore dweebs out there. Particularly those of you who insist that the Walt Disney Company must do things perfectly each and every time the Mouse comes up to bat.
But me? I always enjoy these times in an attraction’s life when a new Disney show is just getting up out of the ground. When a new ride is still kind of rough around the edges.
Besides — when the Imagineers finally do get around to properly camouflaging “EE” (So that the backstage aspects of this new DAK show building can no longer be clearly seen from the parking lot) … Does that mean that we’ll no longer be able to see the train tracks that the Yeti has supposedly torn up and/or that AA vulture that appears to hover over our ride vehicle? Or see where some of the show building’s fire escapes and emergency exits are located?
Photo by Jeff Lange
I mean, there are some of us hardcore Disney dweebs out there who actually enjoy seeing all of this backstage stuff. Just because it helps give us a real appreciation of all the hardwork and engineering that goes into the creation of a new Disney theme park attraction.
So if it actually takes the Imagineers a year or two to find the money necessary to paint “EE” ‘s backside, that’s A-Ok with me.
Next up, Staind Stan writes in to say:
What exactly is going on now with the Yeti in “Expedition Everest”?
I’m an Orlando-area local. Thanks to all of the friends that I have who work at the Disney World resort, I’ve already had numerous opportunities to experience Animal Kingdom’s newest thrill ride. To date, I’ve made 40 separate trips up Forbidden Mountain.
Which is why I’m pretty familar with how the huge AA figure at the center of this new attraction is supposed to look. Which is why I was surprised this past week to see the Yeti suddenly looking so shabby.
The last time I rode this DAK attraction, all of the show lighting in the ride’s finale sequence had been turned off and the huge new AA figure was barely moving at all. And Disney was using this blinking strobe light effect to try & light up the creature.
The end result was very disappointing. The finale sequence was so poorly lit that you could barely see the Yeti at all.
Please tell me that this isn’t actually how the Imagineers intend to leave this attraction. Dropping all of that great theatrical lighting that they previously had on the Yeti in favor of this strobe lighting effect. Because if that’s what they’re really going to do, the Imagineers have effectively ruined the ending of “Expedition Everest.”
So can you please talk to your friends in Imagineering and find go what’s going on here, Jim? Because I’d really like my brightly-lit, fast-moving Yeti back.
Sincerely,
Staind Stan
Dear Staind Stan —
Calm down. You need to remember that “Expedition Everest’ hasn’t even officially opened yet. That this new DAK attraction is still in soft opening mode as the Imagineers attempt to get all of the bugs out.
And — given that (to date) there’s been only one day that Animal Kingdom’s new runaway train ride has actually been able to operate without interruption all the way from park opening through to park close … Well, obviously there are still a lot of bugs yet to be worked out.
Which is why it’s still a fairly common sight these days to see DAK’s train not running. More importantly, to see WDW cast members high up there walking the track …
Photo by Jeff Lange
… as they try & reset the attraction. So that “Expedition Everest” can then begin operation again.
And given that the huge AA figure at the very heart of $100 million attraction is one of the most powerful (I’m told that the amount of power that’s involved in getting theYeti to move so suddenly is the equivalent of what it takes to get a 747 off the ground) and most sophisticated that Walt Disney Imagineering has ever built … Well, obviously, something this powerful and/or technologically sophisticated is going to occasionally break down.
And that (According to WDI insiders) is what recently happened with the Yeti. This AA figure broke while the attraction was in operation. And — rather than entirely shut down “Expedition Everest” down for the day — the ride’s operation staff just shifted this AA figure from its A mode (A = Animated) to B mode (B = Broken).
Photo by Jeff Lange
This means that the computer automatically shifts the Yeti into a particularly frightening pose, then shuts down this Audio Animatronic figure entirely. The theatrical lighting in the attraction’s finale sequence is then turned off (So that “EE” riders won’t be able to see the Yeti from a distance and then realize that this AA figure isn’t actually moving). Then — through a combination of that strobe lighting effect and a series of fans that blow the Yeti’s fur — the Imagineers create the illusion that the Yeti is still moving, that this fearsome creature is about to attack your train.
Okay. Obviously this isn’t the effect that anyone really wants to see when they’re riding “Expedition Everest.” They want to see a brightly-lit, fast-moving Yeti that dramatically swipes at their car as they barrel through Forbidden Mountain.
But — on the other hand — by having a B mode for this Audio Animatronic figure … That at least allows Disney to continue to operate “Expedition Everest” on days when the Yet is being balky. Which means that thousands of WDW visitors then don’t have to go away disappointed because they weren’t allowed to experience DAK’s newest attraction. All because a single AA figure wasn’t working.
And — just so you know, folks — this particular Audio Animatronic figure is going to require a lot of regular maintenance. I’ve heard from several DAK staffers that there’s already a plan in place to shut “EE” down every three months. So that all the bolts on the Yeti can be tightened and all of the creature’s fur can then be combed out.
So please be aware that it’s now quite likely that a number of us — not just Staind Stan — will get to experience the Yeti’s B mode in the not-so-distant future.
And — finally — Debbie C. writes in to ask:
Jim,
I just got the chance to ride “Expedition Everest.” I absolutely love this attraction. That Yeti Audio Animatronic figure is totally awesome. Disney has really oudone itself with this new thrill ride.
There’s only one thing about this new Animal Kingdom attraction that bothers me. If the Yeti that we see inside of this ride has brown fur, then why does all the merchandise that’s on sale in the “Expedition Everest” gift shop feature Yetis with white fur?
Can any of your contacts within the Walt Disney Company please answer this question for me? Because the next time that I ride “Expedition Everest,” I’d like to bring home a toy Yeti that’s the exact same color as the monster that I see inside Forbidden Mountain.
Thanks,
Debbie C.
Dear Debbie C.
As to what’s going on with all this white Yeti merchandise … The way I understand it, Disney ordered all of this merch in this particular color because the corporation hoped to be able to move it in two distinct locations: Disneyland and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Yes see, Disneyland too has an Abominable Snowman (Supposedly nicknamed Harold by longtime DL employees) who spends his days roaring inside of the Matterhorn.
Photo by Jim Hill
So — in order to create merchandise that could (in theory) be tied to two different attractions — Disney created a Yeti merch prototype that had the phsyical attributes of DAK’s Yeti figure while — at the same time — had the coloring of Disneyland’s Abominable Snowman. Given how well all of the “Expedition Everest” merchandise is selling, it’s clear that WDW visitors don’t really care what color the Yetis that are for sale are, These tourists just want to buy the creatures.
Photo by Jeff Lange
So — to answer your question, Debbie C. — all those white Yetis weren’t actually a mistake on Disney’s part. But — rather — just some Mouse House executive’s attempt to be clever. By creating a line of merch that could then be sold in two different theme parks and promote two entirely different rides.
Mind you, that’s not to say that Disney hasn’t create some flawed merchandise that’s associated with “Expedition Everest.” Take — for example –the souvenir shot glass which was recently pulled off the shelves at Serka Zong Bazaaar.
Photo by Jeff Lange
“What’s the problem with the shot glasses?,” you ask. Well, take a closer look at the image that’s imprinted on its exterior. Notice something slightly out-of-whack?
Photo by Jeff Lange
Yep. That’s right. 2005 does not belong on that shot glass. Why for? Because “Expedition Everest” didn’t actually open for business ’til 2006.
Okay. That’s pretty much it for this week’s special “EE” edition of Why For. I hope that you enjoyed today’s column. More importantly, that we’ll see all of you back here bright & early on Monday morning for the next edition of JHM’s MouseWatch.
Til then, you folks have a great weekend, okay?