UPDATE (2:30pm): The Single Rider sign has been reinstalled midday at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We have an updated article with the latest info. Our original article continues below based on information that we had at the time.
Signage for the Single Rider line at Expedition Everest has been removed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. While the line technically remains open, we’ve found that it now opens for only a few minutes at a time. The narrow window effectively ends its usefulness as a wait time shortcut for parties of one. That shift comes as Disney has rolled out an evens and odds boarding system for the ride. We reached out to Disney for comment on the change and did not hear back. Here’s the latest.
Expedition Everest Single Rider Line Effectively Ended
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Single Rider signage has been removed at Expedition Everest, though the line technically remains open
- Disney has introduced evens and odds boarding, splitting guests into two groups before boarding
- The new system lets cast members pair off riders directly from the regular queue instead of backfilling with Single Riders
Signage Gone, Line Still Technically Open… Sometimes
Guests visiting Expedition Everest will note that the Single Rider signage near the attraction’s entrance has been taken down. That said, the line has not been formally closed. Cast members can still route guests through it when there is room for Single Riders. In practice, though, the window for that has narrowed considerably. On a recent visit, the Single Rider line opened for only a few minutes out of each hour. This pattern has become increasingly common as the new loading process takes hold.
That inconsistency will likely lead to the end of the Single Rider line sometime soon. It has not been officially discontinued, but the removed signage reinforces our thought that it will be killed off soon. There is no longer a visual cue at the queue entrance pointing guests toward the option in the first place. Staffing a Cast Member at the Single Rider entrance seems like the kind of expense that Disney won’t have an appetite for much longer. The Cast Member mostly tells guests that the line is closed, only opening the line for a few minutes per hour.
Evens and Odds Loading Kills Single Rider Usefulness
This Single Rider change traces back to a new boarding method Disney has introduced at Expedition Everest. Guests moving through the queue are now split into even-numbered and odd-numbered groups before they reach the loading platform. The ride vehicle seats riders two across. That layout makes it simple for cast members to pull guests from the evens and odds line, filling seats without pulling from a Single Rider line.
We understand that the odd/evens loading procedure is viewed as a success.
It is a meaningful departure from how the attraction operated before. Single Rider previously served as the backfill option. Cast members pulled individual guests from that line to fill empty seats left by parties of odd sizes. Evens and odds sorting already produces ready-made pairs from the main queue. That has largely removed the operational need for a backfill line. In fact, the Single Rider line, in its current format, can result in a longer wait time than the regular standby queue.
The Single Rider line still exists on paper (and in the My Disney Experience app and Walt Disney World website), but likely not for long.
Disney has not made any official statement about phasing out Single Rider at Expedition Everest, and it remains unclear whether the line will be removed entirely or continue operating in its current limited state. Walt Disney World has not responded to requests for comment about the removal of the sign and the possibility that the Single Rider line will be removed entirely.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!