Expedition Everest's Single Rider Line Is Going Away

Solo riders who've long relied on Expedition Everest's Single Rider line to sneak in a quick lap on Animal Kingdom's Himalayan coaster will need to adjust their strategy. Walt Disney World has officially confirmed that the Single Rider option at the attraction will end on Monday, September 21, 2026.

The change follows several months of testing a new standby loading process at Expedition Everest, in which guests are sorted into odd- and even-numbered groups before reaching the boarding platform. That system allows Cast Members to fill ride vehicles more efficiently without drawing from a separate Solo Rider queue, effectively making the Single Rider line redundant — and noticeably slower for anyone waiting in it. Disney says the new process has resulted in measurably lower average standby wait times, meaning the Single Rider line no longer delivers the time savings guests expect from that option.

Once the change takes effect, Single Rider signage at Expedition Everest will be removed and the attraction will be dropped from Walt Disney World's Single Rider web and app listings. That still leaves four dedicated Single Rider lines across the resort: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets at Hollywood Studios, and Test Track and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT. Disney was emphatic that this move is specific to Expedition Everest and does not signal any broader phase-out of Single Rider lines elsewhere.

The practical winner in this shift is the general standby queue, which should continue to move more efficiently under the new odd/even grouping system. The clearest losers are guests — particularly those visiting with non-riders in their party — who counted on the Single Rider line to grab a solo ride without purchasing Walt Disney World Lightning Lane access or waiting out the full standby queue.

Full details and analysis of the change were first reported by Disney Tourist Blog.