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Walt Disney World Disney's Animal Kingdom Discussion Thread


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Hey everybody!

 

This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at Walt Disney World's Disney's Animal Kingdom, this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Page.

 

Official Park Website

 

Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy!

 

--Robb

 

_____________________________________________________

 

2005

February 20th, 2005 - New photos of Expedition Everest posted! (see below)

March 21st, 2005 - Steam Donkey Expedition Everest trains revealed!

July 26th, 2005 - Pull-through testing on Expedition Everest underway

September 8th, 2005 - Expedition Everest construction update

October 30th, 2005 - External construction for Everest complete, new details visible

November 9th, 2005 - Expedition Everest logo unveiled!

November 9th, 2005 - Expedition Everest details released

November 16th, 2005 - First riders on Expedition Everest spotted

November 30th, 2005 - Joe Rohde seen inspecting as crews continue prepping Everest

December 1st, 2005 - More details of the new environment appear

December 2nd, 2005 - First look at Expedition Everest lit up at night!

December 13th, 2005 - More visible progress at Expedition Everest

December 17th, 2005 - Expedition Everest cast member wardrobe revealed

December 28th, 2005 - Annual passholder & Disney Vacation Club Expedition Everest preview dates announced

 

2006

January 23rd, 2006 - Pianojohn rides Expedition Everest

February 12th, 2006 - A look at the "back side of Everest"

 

2007

March 2nd, 2007 - Animal Kingdom contractor attacks co-worker with gasoline

May 29th, 2007 - Five injured on Kali River Rapids

October 7th, 2007 - Expedition Everest blueprints posted!

November 29th, 2007 - Ride op injured at Primeval Whirl

 

2008

January 7th, 2008 - Video of Animal Kingdom at night

 

2010

October 16th, 2010 - Wild Africa Trek coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

 

2011

March 14th, 2011 - Disney worker dies following injury at Primeval Whirl

September 20th, 2011 - Avatar Coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom!

December 23rd, 2011 - Primeval Whirl completely reopened - photos posted!

 

2012

January 21st, 2012 - A quick photo look at Expedition Everest

February 9th, 2012 - Fastpass return times to now be strictly enforced

March 31st, 2012 - Joe Rohde talks AVATAR, plus new food items & pigs!

June 12th, 2012 - Special reduced pricing for Wild Africa Trek tour

July 4th, 2012 - Sundowner Celebration seasonal event photos & video!

October 24th, 2012 - Kilimanjaro Safaris Plains Zebras now at new finale

 

2013

January 20th, 2013 - Wilderness Explorer experience coming this Spring!

October 12th, 2013 - New Avatar art & park nighttime entertainment news!

October 30th, 2013 - Rare Hartmann's Mountain Zebra born at Animal Kingdom Lodge

 

2014

January 10th, 2014 - Ground Breaking for Avatar Land

February 14th, 2014 - Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade to end in June

May 7th, 2014 - 'Rivers of Light' night time spectacular announced!

May 7th, 2014 - 'Harambe Nights' up-charge event announced!

May 7th, 2014 - 'Festival of the Lion King' debuts in new Harambe Theatre in June

May 7th, 2014 - “Winged Encounters — The Kingdom Takes Flight” Macaw mini-show debuts in Summer 2014 in Discovery Island

 

2015

February 26th, 2015 - New Avatar Details Released!

May 2nd, 2015 - Harambe Marketplace Sneak Peek including food photos!

May 25th, 2015 - Harambe Marketplace now open!

June 23rd, 2015 - Zuri's Sweets Shop, Starbucks & more now open!

 

2016

November 21st, 2016 - New Pandora - The World of Avatar details released!

 

2017

February 7th, 2017 - Pandora - The World of Avatar opens on May 27th, 2017!

February 9th, 2017 - Rivers of Light opens on February 17th, 2017!

May 1st, 2017 - Pandora World of Avatar Media Sneak Peek Report

 

2018

February 22nd, 2018 - Party for the Planet celebration details released!

April 22nd, 2018 - Animal Kingdom's 20th Anniversary Report!

 

2019

January 4th, 2019 - Kevin from Up! to begin making appearances!

January 21st, 2019 - Male Masai giraffe calf born at Kilimanjaro Safaris

April 25th, 2019 - "Rivers of Light: We Are One" updated show announced

 

2021

March 23rd, 2021 - Earth Week Celebration offerings announced!

_____________________________________________________

Original Post:

 

 

Here are some photos of the progress made to Expedition Everest as of January 22. You can see they have done a lot, but still have a LONG way to go.

 

I just hope that spending $100 million on this ride will overcome Vekoma's general suckiness. I'd hate to see this ride fizzle because the coaster itself is lousy!

 

I have more photos over on my website if anyone wants to see more: http://amusementpics.com/Expedition%20Everest.htm

888845204_DAK0105249.jpg.bd754b6d94c2af2e5208ae757ae47e5c.jpg

Topping out the small peak

115961436_DAK0105231.jpg.9dde0e539f848e46426d9c7d2b698f51.jpg

Overview

149590240_DAK0105369.jpg.817886a567801760a7c0ebcac12bb5d5.jpg

Framed by the river

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Even though it's Vekoma the ride does have one thing going for it and that's the fact that Big Thunder in Paris is one of the BEST Vekoma rides ever! And this ride seems to be a LOT more like that ride than Space Mountain or Rock N Roller Coaster.

 

Have they said if this ride is lap bars only? I can't imagine that it would have OTSR's.

 

Thanks for the pics! The ride looks great!

 

--Robb

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Even though it's Vekoma the ride does have one thing going for it and that's the fact that Big Thunder in Paris is one of the BEST Vekoma rides ever!

 

Hey Robb,

 

You rode Big Thunder Mountain in each Disney Park, right? And Paris is the best... Why? I only rode the one in Paris.

 

And thanks for the great pictures. It looks really good.

 

--Soeren

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Have they said if this ride is lap bars only? I can't imagine that it would have OTSR's.

 

--Robb

 

An 80 foot drop gives you about 50 mph at the bottom-- that's if you are at a 5 mph crawl at the top of the drop.

 

The promo painting doesn't show over the shoulder.

Image.jpg.a16493badd7803b8522b757e1d5db78d.jpg

Edited by Jose Eber
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Yeah, tons.

 

Name just about every hyper coaster.

Name lots of woodies.

Most Schwarzkopf coasters.

Gemini.

Excalibur.

 

Heck, I even know a couple of 100+ MPH coasters that go 400+ feet tall that are lap bar only!

 

--Robb "Is that enough?" Alvey

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  • 1 month later...

Scroll down to the update from the 22nd of February

 

Yes. Disney decided to call the Expedition Everest trains "STEAM DONKEYS." I'm not joking. Seriously. You'll be sitting on something called a Steam Donkey staring at the freakin' Yeti!

 

The following pictures of the Steam Donkey trains are copywritten by The Walt Disney Company, 2005

 

-Bryan "I know what the captions for the 2006 photos will be!" Stoll

everest_train_model1.jpg.90c0c4c4648a3a96aa5c6ecd28b04735.jpg

everest_train_closeup2.jpg.18ea80e5635d4a1cab560e9883584122.jpg

everest_train_closeup1.jpg.ad94577373cf32819081e1d58d061503.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

Hey everyone,

 

WDWMAGIC has posted some really good photos of Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom doing a pull through. Have a look:

 

http://photoalbums.wdwmagic.com/showphoto.php?photo=15261&size=big

 

What do you all think? I like the stuff they put on the train to test the reach envelope! Cool, huh?

 

--Robb "Excited for this ride!" Alvey

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Cool, I have such high hopes for this ride.

Its like the first seriously major thing Disney have done for... well.. far too long!

 

Mountains are where they excel!

 

Interesting to see a train without the final artistic touches added to it yet (Imitation rust, grease smears, copper erosion. Disney-esque stuff). Looks very plasticky and bland... Much like how most other parks would leave it.

 

Where do they draw the line at for a sensible clearance envelope?

Do they simply care about people with their arms extended in simply rider joy, or does it also cater for the retards who actually attempt to touch the scenery?

 

Cerberus

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It has been awesome watching this ride be built, I still remember when it was a concrete wall with a few steel girders. This attraction looks to be on the on par with the high standards people have of Disney's attractions.

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I didn't realise how steep that track is! :shock:

 

Even with Vekoma's new track, I wonder how long it'll take before it gets really rough?

 

there is a kiddie coaster at disneyland and its not that rough at all. its old too! just because its a vecoma doesnt mean it will be rough later on! 8)

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