Disney World Confirms Expedition Everest Overhaul, Major Closure Expected
One of Walt Disney World’s most recognizable roller coasters is heading toward a major change.
Disney has confirmed that it plans to fix the legendary Yeti Animatronic inside Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
That’s great news for fans who have waited roughly two decades to see the creature restored. There is just one catch: Completing such a complicated project is expected to require Expedition Everest to close.
Disney hasn’t announced a shutdown date or reopening timeline. However, we expect the coaster will likely remain operational until Tropical Americas opens, potentially placing the refurbishment in late 2027 or early 2028.
Expedition Everest’s Biggest Problem Is Finally Being Addressed
When Expedition Everest opened in 2006, Disney made its massive Yeti one of the attraction’s biggest selling points.
The roughly 25-foot-tall Animatronic was designed to move as coaster trains raced beneath it, creating a dramatic final encounter with the creature guests spend the entire attraction searching for.
Unfortunately, the effect didn’t remain operational for long.
Within months, the Yeti’s movements became severely limited. Disney instead used strobe lighting to create an illusion of movement around the stationary figure.
Thus, the “Disco Yeti” was born.
For years, fans wondered whether Disney would ever attempt the complicated repair. The answer finally arrived during the 2026 D23 Ultimate Fan Event, when Disney announced plans to fix the Yeti.
A Major Expedition Everest Closure Could Be Coming
Fixing this particular Animatronic isn’t necessarily comparable to repairing a figure on a traditional dark ride.
Expedition Everest incorporates separate structures for its mountain exterior, roller coaster and enormous Yeti. Former Imagineer Joe Rohde previously described the figure as a massive machine positioned on a roughly 46-foot tower inside the completed building.
That complexity could make the upcoming refurbishment significant.
Disney hasn’t revealed exactly how Imagineers plan to fix the Yeti or whether portions of the system will need to be replaced. The company also hasn’t announced how long Expedition Everest could remain unavailable.
Timing will be another major consideration.
Animal Kingdom is already navigating extensive construction as Tropical Americas replaces DinoLand U.S.A. Taking Expedition Everest offline before those new attractions arrive would further shrink the park’s ride lineup.
That’s why a shutdown after Tropical Americas opens makes sense, potentially putting the project in late 2027 or early 2028.
For now, those dates remain an expectation rather than a Disney announcement.
Still, the bigger news is official: Disney is finally fixing the Yeti.
Expedition Everest may eventually have to disappear from Animal Kingdom for an extended period to make it happen, but after roughly 20 years of “Disco Yeti,” the coaster could emerge with one of its most famous effects finally restored.
