Disney's Animal KingdomDisneylandSyndicationThe Parks
Roller Coaster Riders in Shock as Track Segment Disappears Mid-Ride
Roller coasters, like Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, are one of our favorite ways to chase an adrenaline rush.
The speed, the thrill of free falling, the fast and unpredictable turns – they’re just FUN! However, have you ever been on a coaster and had a momentary freakout, wondering, “What if something goes wrong?” Or “what if it’s broken?” That can quickly turn a fun ride into a terrifying time.
Related: The Only Thing Scarier Than This Disney Roller Coaster Is Getting Escorted Off of It
Most of the time, coasters are entirely safe. They are regulated and tested and even just the physics of them make it hard for things to go seriously wrong. Occasionally, though, the worst can happen, and when that happens, it can get terrible very fast.
This happened not long ago at Carowinds in North Carolina when riders noticed a support beam crack in Fury 325 (which, for a time, held the record for the world’s tallest and fastest giga coaster). Disney rarely has issues that big, and when they do, they are caught early and corrected.
That said… riders on Disney’s Expedition Everest got more than they bargained for.
Expedition Everest is a steel roller coaster at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The backstory is one of my favorites (and you know how I feel about backstories): Deep in the heart of Tibet, you can board a train to cross the towering Mount Everest.
Beware! Some say there is a vicious snow monster living on the mountain, protecting it from trespassers. Not far into your journey, you discover that the rumors are true!
You come to some tracks that have been mangled and have no choice but to turn back. You go soaring down the mountain to escape the abominable beast in a race to return to safety!
Related: Disney Imagineer Behind Disney’s Animal Kingdom Opens Up About Classic Attraction
This coaster is as thrilling as it sounds! Some guests got an even more exciting journey when they rode the coaster with part of the track missing!
The mangled track piece was removed, which we assume is for refurbishment. While this piece of track is decorative and not a part of the actual ride function, it does serve as a barrier of sorts and definitely serves as a psychological safety net when you can’t see how close to the edge you are. It isn’t nearly as scary.
The video below shows how terrifying the ride would be without the track piece. Guests thought they would fall off because the train, dangling high off the mountain, goes right up to the very edge of the track. There was no space whatsoever, and it was only that the brake system didn’t fail and that they didn’t plummet to their death. It takes a lot to scare us, but this looks terrifying.
@magicalmcintyres Wait that doesn’t look right! ✨ Expedition Everest is either hit or mess when you’re at Animal Kingdom. ✨ How about you? Is this a must-do attraction? ✨ ✨Like and follow for more Disney fun, tips and tricks! So you can create extra Magic at the Parks or at Home! #disneyworld #disneywithtoddlers #disneywithkids #disneykids #disneymom#disneyfamily #disneyadult #disneyvacation #disneyplanning #disneycreators #disneyap #disneylife #disneytips #disneyinfo #disneyfloridaresident #disneyday #disneyreels #disneyparks #disneypark #orlando #imagineers #disney #disneytravel #waltdisneyworld #waltdisneyworldresort #bestdayever #wishuponastar #magic #mainstreet #fyp #passholder #disneyannualpassholder #disneypassholder #disneyapholder #distok #wdw #disneymusthaves #disneytipsandtricks #expeditioneverest #animalkingdom #animalkingdomdisney #everestride #rollercoaster #disneysanimalkingdom #animals @Disney @Disney Parks @waltdisneyworldresort
Related: Guest Shocked as Single Rider Tries to Kick Her Out of Line
Despite the track piece being decorative, some guests were worried. If you’ve never ridden before, it would be easy to wonder if some fluke tragedy was about to occur.
Even those who have ridden before wondered if everything was OK due to the missing piece.
Have you ever experienced anything like this? Let us know in the comments.
This post Roller Coaster Riders in Shock as Track Segment Disappears Mid-Ride appeared first on Disney Dining.
