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Visiting Walt Disney World Resort in January is a great choice for Guests who want cooler temperatures and lighter crowds. After the new year starts, kids are back in school and vacations have been taken, so the crowds are considerably smaller — barring the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. While this time of year is an incredibly great time to be in the Sunshine State, there is one thing to always take into consideration — ride refurbishments.
Credit: Disney
All rides and attractions need to be worked on and updated throughout the year, and Disney understandably wants to do those updates when the crowds are not extremely heavy, making January an ideal month. Unfortunately, for Guests visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth during this time, they may be unable to experience some of their favorite attractions. This year, one of those attractions is Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom.
Credit: Disney
Expedition Everest closed for an extended refurbishment on January 4 and there is currently no reopening date. Disney has said that they plan to reopen the ride in mid-April, but have not given an exact date, and the Park calendars only go until March at this time.
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain opened in 2006 and has been a massive hit ever since. Guests love venturing up Mount Everest, where they have to quickly escape the clutches of the mysterious Yeti. Here is more information on the ride from the Walt Disney World website:
Wander into a Tibetan village at the base of Mount Everest and board a train to the “top of the world.” Beware: Some say a legendary snow monster lives deep in the mountain.
After a steep ascent, your train picks up speed and races into the darkness. Without warning, a broken and twisted track appears in front of you. Brace yourself as you plummet backward into total darkness. Inside the cavern, the mythical tale comes true as you see the shadow of a massive, growling beast!
Race to escape the cursed mountain—before the Yeti claims another expedition.
Credit: Disney
When the attraction first opened, the large Yeti animatronic moved towards Guests, but he quickly broke and has been stationary ever since. Many were hoping that part of this extensive refurbishment would include fixing the Yeti, but it seems that Disney will mainly be focusing on the ride mechanics.
