The former Imagineer who designed Disney’s Animal Kingdom says Disney will replace the Expedition Everest Yeti instead of fixing it. Joe Rohde made the comments on a recent episode of “Welcome Home: A Disney Parks & DVC Podcast.” His words contradict what Disney has said about the project so far.
The massive Yeti was built to lunge at riders, but it broke shortly after the coaster opened in 2006. The force of its movement damaged the structure beneath it, and the figure has stood still ever since. Disney added a strobe light to give the illusion of movement, which earned it the nickname “Disco Yeti.”
What Joe Rohde Said About the Yeti
Rohde was promoting his new book, “Floating Mountains: The Art of Imagining the Impossible,” when the topic came up. He said he didn’t know Disney had found a solution when the book went to print. Then he made a point of clearing up what that solution actually is. “To be clear, they’re going to replace the yeti,” Rohde said. “If they could fix the yeti, they would have fixed the yeti.” Rohde talked about the Yeti and much more in the full interview, as you can see below:
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Rohde said the Yeti’s job is to prove it’s alive, and it can’t do that without moving. “What it does is immaterial to me,” he said. “I don’t actually know what it’s gonna do. I only know that they believe they have found a solution.” He also made it clear he has no official role, since he retired from Imagineering in 2021. “I’m retired. Nobody owes me anything,” Rohde said. “They might, but they don’t have to.”
Disney Previously Called It a Repair
Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum made the big announcement at D23 in August. Mazloum told the crowd, “We’re bringing the Yeti back to life inside Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!” Gloria Gaynor then took the stage to sing “I Will Survive” in honor of the Disco Yeti. However, Disney later told reporters the plan was to fix the current figure in the same spot. It’s possible both are right, since rebuilding the Yeti with all new parts could count as either one.
When Could Expedition Everest Close?
Disney hasn’t announced a timeline for the work or said when Expedition Everest will close. Work this big will almost certainly mean a closure, but the coaster is still running for now. Animal Kingdom is also adding a new Tropical Americas land with Indiana Jones and Encanto rides, which opens in 2027.
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