Expedition Everest

Well, I haven't had anything interesting to blog about the last several days, so I decided to put some more fascinating stuff from the world of Disney. Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom theme park is building a new ride (and one that for once isn't actually just a copy of something they already did). It's called Expedition Everest and is themed to the Himalayas and is an actual themed rollercoaster.

Disney artists rendering of Expedition Everest

The ride is scheduled to officially open sometime early next year, but will probably be completed and have some unofficial openings (or as those in the biz call 'soft openings') towards the end of this year. Just my luck, it'll probably open about a month after I'm there... such is life.

Current construction... nearly finished. (picture from MiceAge)

It's exciting that there finally is a new "landmark" ride at a Disney park. I don't think the US parks (Disneyland/Disney World) have had any major attractions (the type you can see from halfway across the park, or at least have elaborate theming on the outside so you can really recognize it as something interesting) for a LOooooonng time. The last major one Disneyland has seen is the Indiana Jones Adventure back in 1995. Yes, California Adventure opened the Tower of Terror, in the last year or two, but that was just a replica of the same that opened at Disney World back in 1994. They also came up with Soarin' Over California... and excellent ride, but no landmark, it's just in a big square building.

So it's about time to see something big and new like this. Though I do have to say, the theme is a bit of a recycle... as the people in charge are quoted, "It's a thrilling adventure themed to the folklore of the mysterious yeti". And how would you describe the Matterhorn at Disneyland? Indeed... it's a roller coaster through a mountain trying to escape the Yeti / Abdominal Snowman (yes, see, he's got quite the stomach muscles :)). But yes, good things on the horizon, who can argue with that?