Originally Posted By TDLFAN Hi all, just over a week after my first 2 rides on EE, I returned to DAK today, late afternoon in hopes of being able to re-ride again, as it was rumored the ride has been opening every so often to regular day guests for sneak previews. Lo and behold. It was true. But first..while on my way to DAK, I've noticed "Everest" billboards are now appearing all over Orlando, conveniently placed next to heavy traffic areas in the vecinity of I4, Universal, the Beeline from the Airport and Greenway 417. Entering DAK after a day and a half of very lousy weather, the grey clouds have already given way to a cool and sunny afternoon. Headed straight to Everest to find that the construction walls are now GONE!!! Yeah! The area in the immediate vecinity of Everest, the walkways leading towards the bridge before Theater in the Wild have now been heavily landscapped, so much so that you can't see a lot of the mountain unless you go towards the village and Bazaar and go to the observation area at the bottom of the main drop. It's an lovely area, nicely themed and great spot to relax I think. At this point in time, Everest was down on technical difficulties so I went shopping and got me a red "Scream Like a Girl" Tee.. Perfect for WDW's Gay Days in June!!! The CM in the shop commented this was the "most popular tee design they have".. Hmmm.. I wonder why ? Through all this, guests kept lining up outside Everest in hopes to sneak "peak" a ride before the park closed at 5pm. I went about my biz taking pics... Suddenly a roaring applause from guests nearby.. Everest was reopening for business!!! I ran to the end of the line and waited my turn. Walking thru the queue I could not help but noticed that all of the money coins that had littered the Yeti altars and gardens throughout the queue had been cleaned up and the queue looked spotless clean. Very nice! Also, most guests were playing around with the bells that hang over the queue. Inside the expedition area of the queue, look for the tea tin cans in the armoire.. The tea brand on the cans read 'Ye Tea'. Clever. Finally reached the boarding platform... and I ended up riding in the last seat of the train.. row 17. I have to admit.. you get the biggest bang sitting in the back. You get tossed around a bit, especially when going backwards. Going backwards in near darkness makes my head feel a bit heavy and dizzy! It's happened every time I've ridden. Also, I noticed that the projection of the Yeti is partially blocked when viewed from the last row, but man..the big drop feels awesome!... throw your arms in the air as if you don't care... SCREAM! and let the air time carry you down down down... Once the ride was over, I re-rode again... this time I got seated in row #5. You feel the gravity push from behind more than the pull you feel in the back of the train.. but the ride is just as fun no matter where you seat. One comment I have to make.. this being my 4th time on EE, I came to the conclusion that the scene where you come upon the torn tracks and see the bird... you sit there a good 10 seconds while the track switch is in progress behind you. But not much is happening but that bird of prey hovering over the icy peak. This scene would be highly improved if they added some 3D sound effects...like sounds of stomping feet coming at you and the roar of the Yeti...to build up the expectation that he is near and coming towards you..then you escape by going backwards... That IMO would be a fun sensory effect that would greatly enhance this moment in the ride as you wait for the track to switch, just like it's also fun to see the Yeti projection as you wait for the track to switch before the main drop out the side of the mountain. Also, the two times I rode, I noticed the waterfall outside the mountain appeared to be a bit more intense as it hit the bottom, with the water preassure being a bit stronger. So much so that both times I rode we got wet as we came out of the Yeti's cave and towards the train station. Another observation... NONE of the trains I saw leaving the station had the steam effect on. This concerns me. As I expected...there doesn't seem to be an urgency to have these classy effects "on" at all times for the enjoyment of guest. I sure hope they don't let this efx go (or turn off) like they have deleted so many other special effects from other rides, and never fixed them again. By the end of my second ride, it was 5pm already and time for DAK to close. Just as our train arrived at the station and we were disembarking, the ride went back down again with technical difficulties. By the time I made it out the Bazaar, the entrance into the queue area was closed to the public. Some very disappointed guests we told EE was closed for the day. Before leaving... I made my way towards Tarzan's ex-home, the Theater in the Wild, which is now behind a construction wall... A CM nearby commented to me that the theater will be redesigned, with it's tent-like top coming down, and a totally enclosed theater ceiling built. There was also some construction going on by the side of the theater. I could not get any other info or rumors out of the CM...so I made my merry way to the exit. And that was my quick visit to DAK... Now see it in pictures. Enjoy... <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32073323&f=" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/AlbumIndex?u=4334673&a=32073323&f=</a>
Originally Posted By kennect TDL, Please give us a photo of that red t-shirt you picked up...I know it sounds dumb but I can't resist to ask for such pic....Makes one wonder about that upcoming event later this year....
Originally Posted By kennect TDL, For my knowledge about this attraction these photo's of yours are the first to show the waterfall working...I may have missed someone's else's that have shown it but this is my first viewing of such...It looks great.....Thanks....
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Kennect, Photo you requested is up..and read the photo's caption... <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4334673&a=32073323&p=73686634" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/ViewPhoto?u=4334673&a=32073323&p=73686634</a>
Originally Posted By kennect TDL, I saw another photo of the shirt, not in red, and thought it was unusual...Now that I see it in red I find it hysterical...Makes one almost wish that one of those private functions was going to happen at AK...Too funny....Thanks for the pic...Its priceless....
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Not really.. It's $19.99 plus tax! The other "Scream Like a Girl" shirt is grey and it's a Muscle Shirt (no sleeves).. Ideal for Gay Days as well... if you happen to have nice rounded shoulders and defined upper torso.. Hehehehe!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Ummmm...I know someone who fits that description to a Tee!!! (In fact, he's all that and MORE!!!)
Originally Posted By CTXRover Thanks for another great photo update. Glad to see the walls are finally down. It was hard to appreciate the entrance to the village during the AP previews with the walls up. Interesting observation with the waterfall. Does look more powerful even from the pics. I guess they are still tweaking it a bit. Glad to see they cleaned up the altar. It was annoying that people kept throwing coins around it. Hopefully they can keep it clean looking. About the steam effect. I really see no reason why they can't or won't maintain it. I guess its not vital, so that could be a reason. However, it has nothing to do with the actual trains themselves. The steam is actually generated on the opposite side of the load platform and then released underneath the trains when they come into the station and funneled into the smokestack. It explains why if it doesn't work for one train, it won't work for any. What time did Everest reopen(yesterday?)? Perhaps if it opened later in the day they just never bothered turning it on. Like you, I hope they maintain that simple yet very effective effect. Either way, its still just a preview period, so I guess we can expect things not to work all the time
Originally Posted By beamerdog Thanks again for the great pictures and write up. And for the one of the Tree of Life which I think is one of the best icons in the parks. I had to laugh about the stroller/wheelchair/EVC representation in #'s 10 and 12. I was waiting for a caption about that ;-)
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <Going backwards in near darkness makes my head feel a bit heavy and dizzy! It's happened every time I've ridden. :< do you ever get this same sensation ( although milder ) on Maelstrom -- backwards and it the dark but nowhere near the drop I am sure ?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Do I don't get the same sensation in Maelstrom because there are hardly G-forces involved in that particular ride. But Everest's backward motion drop involves a sharp turn and a wavy feel to the track..
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>What time did Everest reopen(yesterday?)? Perhaps if it opened later in the day they just never bothered turning it on.<< At about 4:10pm.
Originally Posted By Kimrue TDLFAN...shame on you for buying that tee!!! Now, I also think you've missed your calling...why aren't you a journalist? AWESOME report as always...thank you for taking the time..
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Guilty Kimrue! I think the tee is sexist and shameless... but I bought it because it was *perfect* for Orlando's gay Days in June!! As for my 'calling'... That's so sweet. Thank you. I will have you know that I sued to be in the our Drama writing comittee in high school...where we used to sit down and write drafts and scripts for our year Drama competion. That was back in the late 70's... I guess that is as close as I ever came to pursue that career.
Originally Posted By RHODISNEY TDL: Thanks again for your pictures. You pay attention to little details, and I like all the little Disney details. But not knowing what Tibet or the Himalayas or wherever this is supposed to be, I wonder what is the significance of all the laundry on the line? I'm assuming they don't have all the mod-coms there. And what year(time-frame) is the ride set in?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN It's actually not laundry..but flags. This is supposed to mirror a local himalayan custom. But failed to read the signs that explained that in the queue...
