Fallen Light Pole Tenporarily Closes Everest

[Len90]

Some very powerful storms rolled through yesterday afternoon at the Animal Kingdom. During one of them a wind gust took down a light pole along everest. Disney's standard operation is to operate all attractions unless lightning is within a certain distance. I was fortunate to ride just prior to this incident but did get caught on it during one of the storms. It honestly felt like hail hitting me in the face during the big lift and I was very surprised Disney let it run through that.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-dail ... 8174.story

[mindflipper]

Glad you're okay. How's the weather been affecting your trip so far?

[cy1229]

What's the top speed of Everest? For sake of argument, let's say 45 mph, and even feathers at 45 mph would feel like needles. Glad you're all right.

[Wizzard419]

It says the max is 50 MPH, but only the front seat of the first car would be hit full blast.

[cy1229]

It says the max is 50 MPH, but only the front seat of the first car would be hit full blast.

I disagree. If the precipitation were snow, yes, but rain doesn't "float around" a moving vehicle the way snow does. It would require an aerodynamic study, of course, taking into account the variability of the size and shape of the riders, but I still think everyone would have an equal opportunity pelting.

[Club33Hopeful]

The people in the front would be hitting the rain head-on. The people in the seats further back would not hit head-on rain because the seats in front of them would be blocking them. The slipstream of the air around the vehicle moving at that speed would keep the rest of the riders almost dry. That is why I can drive my convertible with the top down in the rain and not get wet when driving at freeway speeds. If I stop, however, that is a different story.

[Amy]

Some very powerful storms rolled through yesterday afternoon at the Animal Kingdom. During one of them a wind gust took down a light pole along everest. Disney's standard operation is to operate all attractions unless lightning is within a certain distance. I was fortunate to ride just prior to this incident but did get caught on it during one of the storms. It honestly felt like hail hitting me in the face during the big lift and I was very surprised Disney let it run through that.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-dail ... 8174.story

That's kind of scary. Glad you weren't still on the attraction when it happened. Hopefully no one was injured!

[Goofyfan]

Glad to see you are all right. It seems to be one of those unpredictable incidents. Glad no one was hurt.

[Len90]

I was lucky to actually have ridden just prior to the incident occurring. As for the pelting discussion, I was in the last row of the train and took a very bad pelting from the storm. Everyone on the train was equally soaked. The CMs were great at making light of the situation and even thought it was funny when I compared it to splash mountain.

IMHO getting everest in the rain is a unique experience and definitely something I really enjoyed.

[lonepalm]

I was lucky to actually have ridden just prior to the incident occurring. As for the pelting discussion, I was in the last row of the train and took a very bad pelting from the storm. Everyone on the train was equally soaked. The CMs were great at making light of the situation and even thought it was funny when I compared it to splash mountain.

IMHO getting everest in the rain is a unique experience and definitely something I really enjoyed.

I think that riding in the rain can kind of add to the "spookiness" and "mystery" of the ride. I don't know if those are the right words to describe what I mean, but I think everyone will understand what I am getting at....maybe the aura of the ride? Anyway, it adds to the story!

[cy1229]

I was lucky to actually have ridden just prior to the incident occurring. As for the pelting discussion, I was in the last row of the train and took a very bad pelting from the storm. Everyone on the train was equally soaked. The CMs were great at making light of the situation and even thought it was funny when I compared it to splash mountain.

IMHO getting everest in the rain is a unique experience and definitely something I really enjoyed.

I think that riding in the rain can kind of add to the "spookiness" and "mystery" of the ride. I don't know if those are the right words to describe what I mean, but I think everyone will understand what I am getting at....maybe the aura of the ride? Anyway, it adds to the story!

How cool would it be if, at the tippity top where the "snow" is on Everest, there was a snow machine throwing snow on the riders??!!! Just enough to be cool, and make you feel somewhat like you're actually in the Himalayas!!!

[dstrawn9889]

it would only be able to run when they can run the fountains... non-drought conditions...

[Soarin08]

I was lucky to actually have ridden just prior to the incident occurring. As for the pelting discussion, I was in the last row of the train and took a very bad pelting from the storm. Everyone on the train was equally soaked. The CMs were great at making light of the situation and even thought it was funny when I compared it to splash mountain.

IMHO getting everest in the rain is a unique experience and definitely something I really enjoyed.

I think that riding in the rain can kind of add to the "spookiness" and "mystery" of the ride. I don't know if those are the right words to describe what I mean, but I think everyone will understand what I am getting at....maybe the aura of the ride? Anyway, it adds to the story!

How cool would it be if, at the tippity top where the "snow" is on Everest, there was a snow machine throwing snow on the riders??!!! Just enough to be cool, and make you feel somewhat like you're actually in the Himalayas!!!

Don't know how it would work but if the effect could be pulled off, that would rock!

[mindflipper]

Snow in the Florida's hot humid summers, eh? It would be interesting to see them pull that off!

[theBIGyowski]

DW and I were "fortunate" enough on our last trip to wait over an hour by our EE train because of thunderstorms. Being the first train back out on the tracks after a big storm comes through is a bit scary.