Disney has a thing for mountain-themed roller coasters, and in April 2006 this one joined the existing line-up of the Splash, Thunder, and Space Mountain rides.
Expedition Everest towers 200-feet in Animal Kingdom, and is special in several ways.
- naturally it features some hot trends in coasters, such as reversing from forward ride to backward ride
- its construction is truly monumental-- as in, 1,800 tons of steel
- as befits the beautifully themed Animal Kingdom park, theming is amazing: 6.2 acres are filled with details from Nepal
- "The Making of the Ride" is a story in itself, and includes lengthy research trips to the Himalayas, partnerships with conservation organizations and Discovery Channel, and even a couple of tv shows.
