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| Photo Courtesy of Jane Glanville-Duckworth |
Article by FloridaDiva
The ultimate thrill ride at Disney combines imagination, speed, adventure and puts you in the middle of the action as you try to make a daring escape. The story begins as you wait in line at base camp learning about the legend of the Yeti. Before you board the train at the foot of Everest, you see news clippings that claim the Yeti has been spotted, visit a cabin where climbers prepare for their ascent and are generally immersed in the culture of rural Asia.
Once aboard the train you quickly begin your steep climb to the summit of Everest before you drop into a twisting descent into the mountain itself. As you twist, drop and climb in and out of the mountain, the train begins to slow and eventually comes to a stop.
Spoiler Alert!!! If you’ve not been on this ride the next paragraph describes one of the most thrilling surprises Disney has ever incorporated into a ride. If you want to experience it first hand, skip the next paragraph.
As you sit aboard the motionless train, your first thought may be that the ride has shut down, but as you look around you’ll notice that the track ahead is damaged. It curls and splits in a mangled mess in front of the train. Just when you start to wonder how the ride will continue, the train takes off in reverse and you begin to hurtle through the mountain again.
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Demmler
The train begins to slow again and you enter a dark cave in the mountain when you hear a low growl. As you sit in the cold darkness, glowing eyes appear and the Yeti emerges from the shadows to lunge at your train. You take off again, back into the sunlight and make your escape back down towards base camp and solid ground once more.
NOTE: Although this ride is rated for anyone 44 inches or taller, but smaller children that just meet this requirement should be seated with an adult in case they become frightened during the ride. My youngest (6 at the time) was seated with his 15 year old brother and became scared during one of the stops on the ride. He slid under the lap bar and crouched on the floor crying.My oldest pleaded with him to get back in his seat but when he realized that his little brother was too scared to budge, he swung his legs over him and pulled him close enough to grab hold of him. My 15 year old spent the rest of the ride crouched over his younger brother holding on to him for dear life.They both emerged from the ride white as ghosts although for different reasons.
You must transfer from a wheelchair to ride and expectant mothers as well as those with neck, back, heart problems or those that suffer from motion sickness should not ride. Rider swap is available for this attraction.
You must transfer from a wheelchair to ride and expectant mothers as well as those with neck, back, heart problems or those that suffer from motion sickness should not ride. Rider swap is available for this attraction.
WOW! That is a scary story. Thank goodness the youngster was ok. I agree that the broken track section is one of the coolest things that Disney has done.