Credit: DisneyExpedition Everest—Legend of the Forbidden Mountain has been one of the most iconic attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park for 24 years. However, the thrilling roller coaster recently shut down unexpectedly, forcing several Disney Park guests to exit their ride vehicles and climb down over 80 feet.
The towering roller coaster, one of the only Walt Disney World Resort attractions that goes backward, opened in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in early 2006. Expedition Everest was initially known for its impressive, lunging Yeti animatronic that narrowly missed grabbing guests.
However, just a few months after the ride opened, Walt Disney Imagineers discovered that the Yeti’s repetitive swinging had damaged the animatronic’s concrete base. Ever since, the Yeti has remained motionless, illuminated by a flashing “disco” light that simulates movement.
On Tuesday, though, Expedition Everest experienced a technical issue that had nothing to do with its famously motionless animatronic. TikTok user @eyevvv6 shared this video after getting stuck at the top of the roller coaster, right before the track moves and sends riders cascading backward before the 80-foot drop.
@eyevvv6 Stuck there for over 30 mins #disneyworld #everestrollercoaster #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp
Disney Park guests were stuck at the top of the Forbidden Mountain for over 30 minutes before Disney cast members came to the rescue. The TikToker called it their “biggest fear unlocked.”
Disney cast members helped guests out of the ride vehicle and down the emergency exit stairs, which tower over 80 feet. The Disney Park guest didn’t say whether they received compensation for the experience.
It’s unclear what caused this Expedition Everest breakdown, as Walt Disney World Resort rarely makes public statements about minor attraction issues. However, the roller coaster eventually reopened and operated normally in the days after the shutdown. Keep an eye on the My Disney Experience app for the most up-to-date attraction information.
What’s the scariest part of Expedition Everest? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!