Trekking along on our blogger countdown to the 15th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, my co-host, Beth @disneymom2jhe and I are honored to follow Jodi @MagicalMouseSch to 2006.
a fascinating journey this park has taken since its 1998 opening, when Disney
proudly dropped the ropes to what is clearly “NotAZoo.” I’m glad you’ve joined
us today for a look back at 2006.
occur during a banner year for Animal Kingdom, for it was in 2006 when one of
my favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World opened: Expedition Everest—Legend of the Forbidden
Mountain. Not only did this attraction create a second weinie in the park,
but it also gave thrill seekers a reason to visit. Sure, DINOSAUR is imposing
and Kali River Rapids makes a real splash, but attendance at Animal Kingdom
suffers somewhat by those who assume it’s nothing more than a glorified animal
exhibit. [I’ve been told by some that they avoid that park, because they can go
to a zoo at home. *Gasp* They are missing out on so much Disney magic!]
Expedition Everest
is a scenic piece of Himalayan mountain range smack dab in the middle of
Florida. It, like Kilimanjaro Safaris and Epcot’s World Showcase, allows Guests
to travel to faraway lands without leaving the United States. This breathtaking
masterpiece is quite an engineering feat in that each of the three structural
systems are separate, independently functioning systems that co-exist inside
the mountain without interfering with each other. Its natural, realistic overlay
combined with special design techniques offers a spectacular view, that, when
seen from a distance, is quite convincing. Many visitors mistake the nearest
mountain—the taller one—to be Everest; however, the Forbidden Mountain is
actually the one in the foreground, while Everest is to the back, giving a
relation of depth to the scene.
China, India, Nepal, and Tibet, that the Yeti is both mythical and real. Since
no live Yeti has been brought into captivity, Imagineers combined those legends
with biological research of primates to create a very lifelike, believable
being. Although Everest’s Yeti functions only sporadically, the visual and
audio effects help him continue to do his job well—that of keeping those pesky
tourists off his mountain!
“NotAZoo,” Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Expedition Everest is one of Animal Kingdom’s most popular
attractions. To avoid long waits, go
straight to the attraction for a FastPass, or get there early in the day
before long lines develop. If you do end up waiting a bit, take time to
appreciate all the displays in the queue. It’s all authentic, wink-wink!
Jodi @JodiWhisenhunt has guided us through 40 Days to 40 Years (Walt Disney World), 20 Days to 20 Years (Disneyland Paris), and 30 Days to 30 Years (Epcot) as well; she knows her Disney history! Follow her on Facebook, and take a look inside her new book: Magical Mouse Schoolhouse- Learn While You Play at Walt Disney World Resort. What a Disney talent!
Tomorrow, Mary from Capturing Magical Memories does just that- with 2007!!
So much fun hearing about opening year for this exciting ride!
Thanks, Gayle! It was really cool to be there for EE's opening year!
Jodi, your photos are incredible! I find it hard to believe that Expedition Everest is in its seventh year; except for the broken Yeti, it still feels brand new. 😀 Thank you for such a complete and beautiful perspective Jodi!
Thanks so much for inviting me to participate! I do love EE, broken Yeti and all 🙂
I've always been intrigued as to why they can't simply fix him- it's Disney Imagineering, after all!!
I know, right?!