On April 22, 1998, a brand-new theme park opened at Walt Disney World Resort. That theme park was Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and it was unlike any other theme park Disney had designed. The theme park allowed Guests to get a new look at some truly majestic animals, including zebras, giraffes, hippopotamuses, and even lions and tigers. But Animal Kingdom wasn’t like a traditional zoo. The animals here were given plenty of room to roam, and they were the first priority, not the Guests. Guests visiting the theme park were also taught how to protect the animals and what we could do to help save their native homes.
Of course, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is also a theme park, so there have to be attractions! There were 16 rides and attractions in Animal Kingdom on opening day. Then, eight years later, Disney would open what may be the most popular and beloved attraction in the Park — Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. Like most of Animal Kingdom Park, Expedition Everest was designed was renowned Imagineer, Joe Rohde. The roller coaster took Guests up Mount Everest, where they encountered the mystical — and dangerous — Yeti.
One of the most amazing things about Expedition Everest when it first opened was the fact that the Yeti moved. When Guests got close, it appeared that the Yeti was moving to attack them. It was an amazing experience. Sadly, just about one year after the attraction opened, the Yeti stopped working. It has not worked a day since, even though Guests have been begging for it to be fixed.
Recently, Twitter user, MW (@Millionaire2K), asked Rohde if a rumor they heard was true. MW said that they heard an entire side of the mountain would have to be moved to fix the Yeti. If that were the case, why did Disney spend so much on a feature that would be nearly impossible to fix if it broke? Rohde responded. He said that the rumor was not true, but, in order to fix the Yeti, A LOT of things would have to come together.
No that rumor is not true. The issue is a complex interface between finance, operations, marketing, design, timing, engineering, s narrative l, and … guest satisfaction. All of these need to line up to make a viable solution. There are solutions. There are not opportunities.
No that rumor is not true. The issue is a complex interface between finance, operations, marketing, design, timing, engineering, s
narrative l, and … guest satisfaction. All of these need to line up to make a viable solution. There are solutions. There are not opportunities. https://t.co/lozrHfBSbw— Joe Rohde (@Joe_Rohde) June 20, 2023
With everything that would need to happen in order to fix the beloved Yeti, it seems unlikely that it will happen. However, Disney CEO Bob Iger has said that Disney plans to spend $17 billion on Walt Disney World Resort over the next ten years. So, maybe, just maybe, fixing the Yeti is part of that plan. Again, it seems unlikely, but by Disney movie logic, if we wish REALLY hard for something, it just might happen.
So, get to wishing on those stars, Disney fans!
