hey to anyone who has been on the ride already through the soft opening this past weekend, how were the lines and was disney extra strict on who could be able to ride the rides because i plan to go next weekend to the park because there is another soft opening but im not a passholder or a dvc member and i really really want to ride the ride. if anyone can help me out plz help!

They won't let you on plain and simple. You might if your lucky but don't really get your hopes up. We are going for the previews for AP Holders (26th to 29th).

They might be letting Cast Members and Families ride first, they usually do.

Lisa:xmas10:

They started letting cm's and vips on last week.

cms get to ride all rides before anyone else. or at least thats how it is in disneyland. i remember when tower of terror opened. cast members would go on it during their breaks. its how they train the new ride operators. they schedual certain hrs the ride will be open for cms that day and they can go on it in costume. the same when space mountain re-opened and for monsters inc.

i like to refer to cast members as "test dummies".....

thanks all this is really helping alot. i was thinking that i probably have a better chance of getting on the ride on the monday because that would be the last day of the soft opening weekend. oh well maybe one of the imagineers will let me in (in my dreams)

LOL, I went on Space Mountain on my breaks before it opened. Had to wait in line for an HOUR, because it kept going 101.

Yep, we're test dummies...

i like to refer to cast members as "test dummies".....

I like to refer to cast members simply as "dummies".... haha just kidding! I would say make friends with a CM really fast and have them get u on Everest! Good luck!

Typical guests that just visit Animal Kingdom on a simple vacation will be unable to ride Expedition Everest. I think I read somewhere that during the Annual Premium Passholders and the Disney Vacation Club previewing dates, normal park guests can't even get within a certain number of yards from the ride area.

All normal AK guests have to wait until the ride offically opens to the public in February or April.

We were there Saturday and were told that this weekend was a special event for the contractors of Everest and their families. Each family had a special event ticket they had to present at the entrance (the construction dividers were still up) where they had several cast members stationed. Lots of people were standing around begging to get on. I did not see anyone receiving any VMK stuff at the entrance but I didn't pay really close attention. We plan to attend the 26th! :D

I heard that some people were trying to sneak in and ride it, by creating fake tickets. Of course when they put the ticket through the turnstile it didn't work, but it's just the fact the people had the impatience to try and do that.

I can understand all the upset over the new "super- coaster" because people pay a good amount of money to go to the parks, and they might not go for another few years, and you never know what will be missing next time you go. BUT CM's do deserve to ride the rides first, because they work so hard to keep disney a fun and attractive place for all ages (along with the imagineers of course!)

SHanaroonie

We were at Disneyland in June, before Space Mounatin opened.

I asked if they were having Cast Previews, as I was a CM in Florida.

The Security Guard in front said they were having previews, but not yet.

The NEXT day, we were in tomorrowland again. I went to the bathroom for like 3 minutes, and my family ( not me) got asked to go inside of the ride! LOL!
They rode it! They were training the Cast Members inside.

I just missed it.

Sometimes they just grab people that are standing in front!

If you ask if they are open, they are told to say no. They will test the ride, and train Cast Members. It really is random. I remember they did the same thing with Stitch's Great Escape, Soarin, and Mission Space, and Buzz Lightyear.

They dont want people linning up. They just want to test a few times a day, with out creating a lot of attention.

Lisa

well my dad just said that i cant go this weekend but im still trying although i heard that they are going to do another soft opening in feb because some guy on the wdw forums said that he was going to dw in early feb and got a ticket for a special preview there too.

a good friend of mine Andy rode it twice alreay. he loved the ride. he doesnt work there full time, just every summer through college internship. he said the lines werent bad since not many ppl are allowed in yet. all in all he said that ride is super fun. im mad that he got to ride it.

i just wish that disney could give an offical opening date already

Blah Blah Blah I Need To Know If Anyone Will Offer For My Supplies Poster

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just to let everyone know that a disney imagineer has released the official opening week of the new everest attraction. according to him, the ride official opening date will be in the first week of april and will have regular soft openings until then so if you are planning to go to disney world soon you have a good chance of getting to ride the attraction. you will not be guarreted that you will ride it because it could always go down for repairs. just to let everyone know this great news on an awesome attraction.

I was at the AP and DVC opening last week. I went on a Thursday and the lines were really not that long. My daughter and I rode the ride 22 times (boy was I ever dizzy). If you are planning a trip shortly, check into where the ride is and see if they are having a "soft" opening. From now until the official opening there is a good chance that they will be having these openings often. Good luck and have fun on your trip to WDW.

I have an annual pass and am going to disney from 13th February to 17th. Will there be a soft opening then?

Unfortunately, no.

The Passholder Previews end on Sunday of this week. They close back down until April because they were supposed to add more scenery to the indoor part of the ride.

Expedition Everest is now OPEN DAILY:

"Expedition Everest is now scheduled to be open during regular park hours to all guests. During this "preview" the attraction may close at any time. The official opening is April 7."

So go check it out TODAY, at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Why!?!?!?! WHHHHHHHHHYY!!!! I am not going back until christmas!

just check when u get to the park if they are doing soft openings that day. you never know

Unfortunately, no.

The Passholder Previews end on Sunday of this week. They close back down until April because they were supposed to add more scenery to the indoor part of the ride.

The attraction is in a preview stage (which means that Disney may or may not be operating the ride at certain times as needed so there are no guarantees that the attraction will be operating at any given time- also the nature of previews is that they are not announced ahead of time).

The good news is that currently the attraction is open to all guests that visit Animal Kingdom (and not just resort guests or AP/DVC holders). AP/DVC previews ended last Sunday and the ride was not operating for a few days after that (it surprised a lot of resort guests by making it available during Extra Magic Hours this past Wednesday) and was open yesterday and today for all guests.

You'll find the attraction listed up on the main information/tip board and updated through the day with the current standby wait times when appropriate (not yet on the big park maps but that will be coming soon).

There are adjustments being made to the attraction but adding scenery to the interior portions of the ride? I wouldn't quite put it that way... no big surprise that there are some elements still being added like on-ride photo capture for example and already the timing of some elements have been worked on even since the DVC/AP previews and things will continue to be tweaked.

Disney did send out e-mail "invitations" to preview the attraction for resort guests staying on property starting in February:

Expedition Everest™
Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Thrilling Disney news for you!

Since you'll be staying at a Disney Resort hotel during your upcoming Walt Disney World® vacation, we wanted you to be among the first to know about some exciting news: You've got the chance to get a special sneak 'peak' of Expedition Everest, the mountainous new attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park!

So be sure to pack your thrill-seeking sense of adventure. And your nerve. Because this Everest isn't just a mountain...it's a high-speed, high altitude train ride that sends its passengers racing forward, backward and right into the path of the mountain's guardian—a fierce Yeti (a.k.a. the Abominable Snowman). You can bet that more than the wind will be howling.

Expedition: Everest officially opens April 7th.