Special Animal Kingdom Report - Expedition Everest Review

Random facts:

• The ride is listed in the 2011 book of Guinness World Records as the most expensive roller coaster in the world. Including sets and extras, the total cost of the ride was at $100m (£51m) in 2006 after 6 years of planning & construction.
• The yeti is 22 feet (6.7 m) tall.
• Expedition Everest won the 2006 Theme Park Insider Award for "World's Best New Theme Park Attraction."

There are many reasons people have been visiting Animal Kingdom from 2006 onwards. One more go on the exciting Dinosaur perhaps? Or maybe another trek around Kilimanjaro Safaris? However the main reason that not just me, but many others have returned is due to the ground-breaking Vekoma roller coaster; Expedition Everest. Rarely will you experience a roller coaster (or any ride for that matter) with such exceptional theming that manages to blend in an overall fantastic ride experience for adults and youngsters alike that leaves everyone well and truly satisfied once it's over. $100 million may sound like a lot of money, but it's investments such as this which is what sets the likes of Disney and Universal apart from other theme parks, and why Orlando is visited year after year by so many.

If you like your themed queues you won't be disappointed here. With plenty to look at as you walk through the small Asian Town and a mini museum dedicated to the yeti, you're soon (if you're lucky) able to board onto the reasonably comfortable trains on which will take you on this fantastic journey. Soon enough you leave the station and start ascending the first lift hill. Once at the top there is a small drop as you meander around a mini mountain before ascending up another (much larger) lift, passing signs warning riders that this is yeti territory and to be aware. Once at the top the train curves around the main peak of the 199.5 foot high mountain before entering a cave, and upon leaving you are suddenly left with nowhere to go as the track in front of you has been 'destroyed' by that ever so cunning yeti we were warned about. After a few seconds pause and various effects, the train plummets backwards inside the mountain through a new route and around a downward helix.

The train then once again comes to a halt, where a shadow of the yeti is shown on the wall as he tears up more track. As the shadow disappears the train rolls forward again and down the main 80 foot drop which is visible from many areas of the park. Despite the relatively small size of the drop compared to many modern coasters it delivers a decent punch and catches many people off guard.

The train then proceeds to make a banked turn entering the mountain once more, before dashing outside for two more banked turns before entering the mountain for a final time, upon which you face the yeti in animatronic form (albeit briefly) and eventually enter the unloading station after one final drop.

The pessimists will insist the ride could have been more thrilling, but for me the coaster is at a perfect level of intensity for the attraction it is set out to be. It actually surprised me as I was expecting it to be a whole lot slower, but the dark sections in particular make this coaster worth riding. The whole journey is top notch, and very few rides will immerse you in the experience as much as Expedition Everest does. Disney have truly outdone themselves with the theming and scenery; admittedly without it the ride wouldn't be half as good, but this is what makes Disney great. Anyone visiting the Animal Kingdom, or even Disney at all, would be crazy to miss out on this truly outstanding attraction.

Overall score: 10/10

Pro's

• Theming, 'storyline' and atmosphere are second-to-none.
• Ride is packed full of surprises.
• Dark sections are taken extremely well.
• Great level of intensity for all riders.

Con's

• Some parts may scare younger children, while others may want a slightly more thrilling ride.
• Lines are usually long.

All pictures courtesy of coasterforce.com.