The Single Rider entrance sign is back at Expedition Everest. We spotted it reinstalled and marked “Open” during our visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this afternoon. It had disappeared from the attraction’s entrance just a few days earlier, and was still missing as recently as a few hours ago during our morning visit. The sign was reinstalled in the middle of the operating day, somewhat of a rarity given the sheer number of projects that are completed overnight at Walt Disney World. Here’s a look at the reinstalled sign.
Single Rider Sign Returns at Expedition Everest
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- The Single Rider entrance sign at Expedition Everest was reinstalled today, a few days after it had been removed
- The sign reappeared in the middle of the operating day, a bit of a rarity
- Single Rider loading has not changed and can even be slower than standby due to Disney’s odds and evens sorting procedure
We visited Expedition Everest this afternoon and found the “Single Rider Entrance” sign back in its usual spot. A smaller placard beneath it reads “Open.” The sign sits on the reddish rock face to the right of the standby queue entrance. It points guests toward the separate line that splits off from the Serka Zong Bazaar gift shop area. A second sign near the standby line reminds guests that “all guests will be separated” if they choose the Single Rider option.
It is our understanding that the sign was damaged a few days ago and returned as soon as it was fixed.
No Change to New Single Rider Procedure
Even with the sign back up, nothing has changed about how Expedition Everest loads its Single Rider guests. The attraction still uses the odds and evens sorting method in its standby queue. That procedure continues to take priority over pulling guests from the Single Rider line. Cast Members sort standby guests into odd and even numbered groups before they reach the loading platform. That gives Cast Members a ready supply of riders to fill empty seats without needing to call on Single Rider nearly as often.
Practically, that means Single Rider wait times remain much longer than guests may remember from past visits. Guests who choose this line should expect a wait that looks nothing like the quick 10 or 15 minute turnarounds Expedition Everest’s Single Rider option was once known for. The longer Single Rider wait times are likely to persist as long as the odds and evens procedure stays in place.
As of right now, there is no indication that the Single Rider offering will be removed.
Story So Far
- The Single Rider line at Expedition Everest began seeing significantly longer wait times earlier this year, after Disney introduced an odds and evens sorting procedure in the standby queue that reduced how often Cast Members needed to pull guests from Single Rider to fill empty seats.
- The Single Rider entrance sign was removed from the attraction a few days ago, even though Cast Members confirmed the line itself remained technically open to guests who asked.
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!
What are they doing with this ride… they took one of the smoothest operating lines and turned it into a dysfunctional, inefficient nightmare. It’s just to sell LLs, isn’t it?