Walt Disney World
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
January 30 2013
Page Nine






Let's look at the numbers Expedition Everest can take 2,050 riders per hour.  The park is normally open 9-6 so if the coaster runs at the peak of its capacity that's 18,450 riders per day.  Take that out for a year and that is roughly 6.7 million riders and depreciate the ride out over 10 years that 100 million works out as a cost of $15 per rider.  Now that's without maintenance costs, staffing and advertising.  My question is has this ride brought in enough new guests to pay for that monumental investment?  Looking at Disney's Animal Kingdom's attendance figures 2006 to 2011 only rose 776,000.  I can't see these numbers paying off so my gut says Expedition Everest's most expensive coaster record will stand for a very, very long time.  Especially in this economy.



Outside of the most expensive record Expedition Everest also holds the record for being the tallest coaster at Walt Disney World as you go up a total of 121 feet.  Not super tall by modern standards but this ride is not about the statistics but the ride experience. 

Oh while on your way up take a look around and you'll get this nice view of one of Expedition Everest's many helices. 



The snow covered top of Expedition Everest's second lift makes you think that it's all downhill from here but looks can be decieving.



There's no dive down the side of the mountain for you here as The Yeti has ripped up the tracks.



From the top of Expedition Everest you get a nice view of Epcot and many of Walt Disney World's hotels off in the distance.  Of course since there's no more track ahead of you well...you've got to go back and that's where the real fun of Expedition Everest begins.



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Paul B. Drabek