Goodbye, for Now, Disney’s Expedition Everest and “Disco Yeti”

We have turned the corner and welcome in 2022! As the New Year begins, we’ve said goodbye to a few Walt Disney World Resort fan-favorite experiences. Now, we’re saying goodbye to one of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s most popular attractions, Expedition Everst – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.

As we roll into January 2022, Disney’s Magical Express complimentary airport transportation has begun its closure for good. We’ve also recently said goodbye to experiences at Disney’s Animal Kingdom such as Primeval Whirl in Dinoland USA, Rivers of Light nighttime experience in Asia, and are preparing for a renewed performance of the former Finding Nemo – The Musical, now to be called, “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue – and Beyond!”

RELATED: Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park Closing for Refurbishment Beginning January 2022

Typically, when we see an attraction or experience close, Disney has bigger and brighter things set in place. We will say when we previously learned Disney would be closing one of their most popular attractions, Expedition Everest, for major renovations in 2022, we couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

The Walt Disney World website lists the refurbishment with, “From January 4 through mid-April 2022, Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain will be closed for refurbishment.” While Disney has not noted what refurbishments are taking place, it is rumored to work will take place on the ride control system.

RELATED: Splash Mountain to Close for Refurbishment January 10, 2022

Disney fans have had high hopes Disney would fix the Disney Park legendary Yeti on the Mount Everest coaster but it doesn’t look like the massive animatronic is part of the lengthy refurbishment plan. Sadly, for Disney Imagineers that worked on the roller coaster’s animatronic, just a few months after the ride opened in 2006, Yeti’s framing split and has been deemed a “threatening catastrophic malfunction”.

So, the Yeti went to plan B! Imagineers added a strobe-light effect around the Yeti animatronic to give it the appearance of moving as the coaster train zooms by. This is why you may hear the Yeti’s adopted nickname… “Disco Yeti”.

RELATED: Walt Disney World Railroad Refurbishment to Continue into January 2022

Our hopes are that Disney is able to complete its work on the Everest ride control system within the three-month attraction closure. We’ll see you in April 2022, “Disco Yeti”!