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Expedition Everest: Mission Himalayas

Latest Walt Disney World Attraction Opens

By Marilyn Loeser

One thing you can count on from the folks at Disney Resorts is change — not only new theme parks, but new rides and attractions within established parks as well.

Case-in-point: Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Expedition Everest: Mission Himalayas.

One of four Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida, Animal Kingdom  continues to evolve, adding attractions themed after American, African and Asian wilderness and the animals that call these continents home.

The latest attraction to open here takes the brave-at-heart on an exciting journey aboard out-of-control railcars as they swoop into the unknown — twisting, turning and dropping, inside and outside the mighty mountain.

And then, an encounter with the legendary yeti!

As with every Disney attraction, there’s a story behind the ride and with it, years of research and planning.

The ride is centered on the legend that high in the Himalayan Mountains lives an enormous creature that fiercely guards the route to Mount Everest.

To make the mountain and surrounding area as close to the real thing as possible, Walt Disney Imagineers traveled to the Himalayas in order to be able to immerse park guests into the culture, traditions and spirit of the region including Nepalese architecture and vegetation.

The Imagineering team, partnering with Conservation International and Discovery Networks, researched the Himalayas and explored the legendary "realm of the yeti" which ultimately culminated in the park’s Mount Everest, rising nearly 200 feet above the theme park.

Thousands of photographs and hours of video were collected of Bhutanese and Nepalese culture, villages, homes, public spaces, architecture, trees and plants. Team members visited Buddhist temples and shrines, trekked through the foothills on donkeys, and spent hours talking with locals to learn about their beliefs and traditions.

A Faraway Place

The story begins when guests are transported to a distant world of exploration and the mythical village of Serka Zong. A canopy of prayer flags, an ornamental monastery, intricately carved totems and a garden of stone carvings of the yeti clutching the mountain immerse guests in the feeling of being there.

The area certainly felt isolated from the rest of the park as my husband and I made our way to the village and the Himalayan Escapes tour company. Despite being forewarned about the ferocity of the yeti, the proprietors of the tour company “persuaded” us and our fellow travelers to board a train for the journey to the mystical Everest.

First stop is Norbu and Bob's booking office to obtain permits. Then it's off to Tashi's General Store and Bar for needed supplies for the journey.

We passed through an old tea warehouse that houses an elaborate museum run by Professor Pema Dorje, Ph.D., a conservation biologist who believes the yeti's existence is grounded in fact. The museum showcases artifacts reflecting Nepalese culture, plus a history of the Himalayas and tales of the yeti. Photos show guides and others who have conquered the summit.

After we boarded the steam train, we traveled through thick bamboo and fern groves, and then a fortress where a large yeti mural presents further warning to turn back.

The train continues into the mountain and dives into glacier valleys before again climbing through the snow-capped peaks.

Suddenly we stopped.

The train track has been torn apart by the yeti, so the train races backwards through darkened mountain caverns and icy canyons. Silhouettes and shadows of the lurking yeti appear and then, suddenly, we’re face-to-face with the towering yeti.

The train then plummets forward through a fog and plunges down an 80-foot drop to escape the wrath of the angry yeti.

If you go:

Disney's Animal Kingdom is a 500-acre theme park and in addition to this exciting new attraction, guests can take an African safari, explore an Asian rain forest or take a trip back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.

Other attractions and shows tell stories about animals and encounters with favorite Disney characters including Pocahontas and The Lion King.

For more information check the website at: waltdisneyworld.com.

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