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Credit: Disney The Walt Disney World Resort has filed another permit regarding the construction of an area of the property.
Officially called a “Notice of Commencement,” the permit filed with Orange County, Florida “gives notice that improvement will be made to certain real property” and this time it appears that property is Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s popular thrill-ride attraction Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain®.
Like many of the other recent construction permits we have shared with our readers, this one does not give many specifics as to the work about to get underway. We know that the exact property in question is Expedition Everest due to the exact address given on the permit: 734 Werikhe Way, Bay Lake, FL. But under “General description of improvement,” Disney simply writes “General Construction.”
Speculation: What Kind of Construction?
Now, it is most likely that refurbishments are due on the attraction to keep it running smoothly, but perhaps there is something else planned. When Expedition Everest first opened, the ferocious Yeti that we see at the end of the ride moved, and it looked as though he was going to grab you and the rest of your train. But for years, Disney’s Yeti has stood frozen.
Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde recently commented on the Yeti situation, saying the following:
“It’s not an issue of maintenance access, they were part of the design team and set the standard. In fact, it was seen as a model collaborative process. It’s an unexpected and unforeseen set of issues, very complex, with no easy or timely solutions as of yet.
“These guys did not ignore something or botch it. Innovation is like physical exploration of unknown spaces. There is stuff out there that you didn’t know, and you only encounter it by exploration. But then….there it is”
One can only hope that this permit marks the point that the Yeti will finally get moving again.
Please keep in mind that this is pure speculation and is not based on any actual confirmation from Walt Disney World. At this point, all we know is that a permit has been filed for the attraction.
Additionally, note that since publishing this article, we have checked the Walt Disney World Resort official website and My Disney Experience app, and no refurbishment is scheduled for Expedition Everest anytime soon. Since we know the attraction would have to close in order for the Yeti to be fixed — or for any major changes to occur to the attraction — the WDW calendar provides evidence to lead us to believe that this permit will not lead to any major changes to the ride as we know it.
Other Construction Stories
- New Construction Permit Filed for ‘Star Wars’ Hotel at Disney World
- New Permit Filed For Monorail Construction at Magic Kingdom
- Disney Gets Construction Permit for Blizzard Beach Area
Do you want to see the Yeti back in action on Expedition Everest? Let us know!