Expedition Everest's Yeti Is Finally Getting Fixed — With a Catch

For nearly two decades, Animal Kingdom's beloved Yeti has stood frozen inside Expedition Everest — earning the nickname "Disco Yeti" among fans for its stationary, strobe-lit workaround. That era is finally coming to an end. Disney confirmed at D23 that the Yeti animatronic will be repaired and restored to full movement, and crucially, the company plans to fix the existing figure rather than build a replacement.

There's a significant trade-off, though: getting the Yeti working again will require taking Expedition Everest offline for a substantial refurbishment. Disney has not announced a closing date or how long the attraction will be unavailable, and the logistics of repairing such a large, complex figure after so many years remain unexplained.

The most likely scenario, based on what Disney has shared about its broader Animal Kingdom plans, is that Expedition Everest stays open until the new Tropical Americas land launches — currently expected in late 2027. Closing the park's most prominent thrill ride while a large section of Animal Kingdom is already under construction would strain the park's capacity considerably, making 2028 the earliest realistic window for the Everest shutdown to begin.

When the refurbishment does arrive, guests should be prepared for a potentially lengthy closure. A previous major refurbishment of the attraction ran for several months, and that project deliberately excluded the Yeti repair — meaning the scope of this upcoming work could be considerably greater. Disney has not offered any estimate of the timeline.

The bottom line for Walt Disney World trip planners: if seeing Expedition Everest is on your must-do list, the next couple of years are your best window before the mountain goes dark for its long-overdue restoration. Disney Fanatic first reported on the D23 announcement and the anticipated closure timeline.