Okay, everybody stay calm, because something BIG is about to happen in Disney World, and it’s something we would have NEVER guessed would happen in a million years (and no, we’re not exaggerating).
©Disney
As you may know, the Yeti on Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom hasn’t quite worked as originally designed in a long time. When the ride first opened, the Yeti’s animatronic arm swung over you as you exited the side of the mountain, but it didn’t take very long for this feature to break down. For now, Disney has put a strobe light effect on it to make it look at least a little scary (hence its nickname, Disco Yeti). BUT…y’all…Disney must have figured something out because the company just announced the Yeti audio-animatronic is coming back to life.
During the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in 2026, Disney announced that the broken Yeti on Expedition Everest is finally getting fixed! Previously, we’d all but given up on the Yeti ever working properly. But it’s finally happening!
©Disney
Disney also posted a hilarious video of Yeti auditions.
There was no shortage of interest to audition for the Yeti 🗻 #D23 #WaltDisneyWorld pic.twitter.com/Tqgrm0oPQ6
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) August 16, 2026
The Yeti hasn’t worked properly in YEARS, so this is a pretty huge deal for pretty much any Expedition Everest fan. Now, Disney has not yet given a timeline on when the work on the Yeti might begin, but we expect we’ll get an announcement about an Expedition Everest closure to make it happen soon. And when that happens, we’ll let you know.
In the meantime, stay tuned to DFB for more!
4 Shocking Disney World Changes That Got Swept Under the Rug
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Just make the outstretched arm wave back and forth, and keep the strobe.
I rode this once about ten years ago. Never again! In fact, it put me off all types of coasters. And I never saw the Yeti!!! I thought this would be fun but there were no seatbelts, harnesses or straps and no one walked by to make sure you were ok. It loaded very quickly and left with no warning. My arm was not long enough to reach the car frame to hold on. It started off slowly but then roared to what felt like 80 mph. I was scared I would fall out at unexpected turns. My brain was having trouble keeping up with which direction the track would take us next. I was never so glad to get to a halt at lumber nailed into an X at the top! I thought it was a gate and we’d be headed down the mountain but no such luck! We started to go backwards…which as a teen on other coasters I loved but suddenly we were in pitch black and still speeding! I was starting to feel sick and concentrating on trying to look normal. Meanwhile the seven year old in front of me was having the time of her life! When the ride finally stopped, my head was spinning and I wasn’t even sure I could stand up without falling down! No cast member helped. In fact, I didn’t even see any! I had to sit thirty minutes being ignored by everyone (no one approached and said, “Are you okay?”) then spent another 20 minutes walking out of Asia before I found any cast member at all….hoping I didn’t look drunk! They finally did help and I’ll always be grateful. It was my first ride of the day but two hours later I could enjoy Kilimanjaro Safaris with the fast pass they gave me after a chicken and rice complimentary meal at peaceful Harambe Market which settled my stomach.
So if you enjoy these thrill rides, yeti or not, go for it! It sounds to me like the yeti jumping out will only make the ride scarier but considering the screams and applause at D23 during the announcement, I’m guessing many will celebrate this new part of the ride! I only wish they would add seatbelts!!
I think Disney knows their parks especially after ripping out the riverboat are without soul. Worked at The Haunted Mansion first year and a Passholder for fifteen years. Crappy food and blob is not a theme for anything.