The Disappointing Disney World Ride Problem That Can RUIN Your Trip

For many, a trip to Disney World could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing…or at least it can be a first-time thing (because trust us Disney adults, it’s hard to just go ONE time and leave it at that).

Expedition Everest

That means you have certain expectations about your trip. That could include expectations about what snacks you want to try (and we hope you’ve been paying attention to our recommendations). That could even include which restaurants you want to get reservations for. It also probably includes which rides you want to ride, and we bet you have some you’ve been looking to check out FOREVER. However, a ride problem sometimes pops up that could ruin the experience for you.

That ride problem is referred to as “B-Mode.” Basically, B-Mode happens when something in a ride isn’t functioning properly, so Imagineers have a backup so that the ride can continue to operate and doesn’t have to close. Yes, Imagineers think of everything.

The most glaring example of B-Mode is Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom. The Yeti on that ride never functioned properly, so instead of dismantling the whole ride and rebuilding it (which is what fixing the Yeti would require), the ride now operates permanently in B-Mode in what is lovingly referred to as Disco Yeti. Most folks have only EVER been on Expedition Everest in B-Mode, so this particular example will probably not ruin the experience for you (but man, oh, man, wouldn’t it be nice to see that Yeti moving the way he was originally supposed to?).

©Disney

However, it makes other ride experiences a little less exciting. For example, near the end of Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios‘ Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Kylo Ren animatronic is INCREDIBLE to experience. However, the Kylo animatronic has a LOT of problems and you’ll often only see a projection screen of Kylo in his ship outside the windows. This changes the entire experience and is not nearly as impressive as the animatronic.

Missing out on this animatronic makes the ride a little less exciting

The same goes for the Hondo animatronic in the pre-show of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. His animatronic moves around and interacts with the things around it and sets the stage for the pre-show and ride. However, when Hondo isn’t working, he gets a tarp thrown over him to make him look like cargo and his face appears on an overhead display screen.

Hondo animatronic

Another example of a B-Mode taking away a ride’s experience is Na’vi River Journey in Animal Kingdom. At the end of the ride, there is an INCREDIBLE animatronic of a Na’vi Shaman and it’s really the highlight of the whole ride. However, when the animatronic isn’t working, a projection screen of the Shaman goes up instead, which is SO not the same.

Hello, Shaman!

Over in EPCOT, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has a B-mode for the end of its pre-show. One of the best effects of the ride is when you’re teleported from the Earth Welcome Center up to the Nova Corps ship to see a demonstration of the Cosmic Generator. You stand within a lighted ring in a room and there’s a quick bright light, the room goes dark, and you feel yourself being transported. The wall above you instantly changes. It’s pretty impressive. In B-Mode, though, a door that opens to reveal that you’re in space. BORING.

Teleportation Room

Perhaps the WEIRDEST example of B-Mode was when the Donald animatronic was being fixed on the Gran Fiesta Featuring the Three Caballeros ride. He was replaced by a…plant. Well, the ride could still go on, but again, the best part of the ride was replaced by a plant. We’re not sure what kind of decision-making went into that.

Donald Duck Was Replaced By…A Plant?!

So if you have expectations going into certain rides and looking forward to seeing certain technologies in action, it can be disappointing when you end up with B-Mode. All we can suggest is trying to ride that ride at a later time to see if the issues were fixed at some point. Otherwise, it might just have to wait until your next trip.

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