What is the best time to ride Expedition Everest?

At Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest typically has its shortest waits around 8 AM and its longest around 12 PM. Riding right at rope drop is your best bet.

How long is the wait for Expedition Everest?

The standby wait for Expedition Everest runs about 26 minutes on a typical day and climbs near 90 minutes at its busiest.

Does Expedition Everest break down a lot?

Expedition Everest is currently graded Frequently down for reliability. Running about 87 percent of the day over the last 90 days, with most outages lasting about 84 minutes.

Does Expedition Everest go backward?

Yes. About halfway through, a switch track sends the train racing backward into the mountain at around thirty miles per hour for roughly twenty seconds. It is the ride's signature moment and happens in the dark, which is what makes it feel so intense.

Does Expedition Everest go upside down?

No. There are no loops or inversions. There is a backward helix that can make you feel like you are looping, but the train always stays upright.

How big is the drop and how fast is Expedition Everest?

The main drop falls about eighty feet from the top of the mountain, and the coaster reaches close to fifty miles per hour. That makes it the fastest and most intense coaster at Animal Kingdom, though it stays smooth rather than jerky.

How scary is Expedition Everest?

It is a moderate to high thrill. The speed, the eighty-foot drop, the backward dash, and the stretches of darkness give it real intensity, but with no inversions and a quick run time it is very manageable for most older kids and adults who enjoy coasters.

When is the best time to ride Expedition Everest?

Right at rope drop is best, but Everest is unusual in that its line often eases in the middle of the day when crowds drift to shows and lunch. Check the wait board, since a midday window here can be far shorter than at the park's other headliners.

Is there a height requirement for Expedition Everest?

Yes. Riders must be at least 44 in (112 cm) tall to ride Expedition Everest.

Does Expedition Everest have Lightning Lane?

Yes. Expedition Everest offers Lightning Lane, so you can pay to skip the standby line if you would rather not wait.

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Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain at Animal Kingdom — Photo: Benjamin D. Esham (bdesham) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Animal Kingdom · Asia

Expedition Everest Wait Time & Best Time to Ride

At Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest is a ride worth planning around. This guide shows the current wait, typical wait, best time to ride, ride length, drop and intensity, Lightning Lane, and whether it is worth rope dropping.

Updated July 30, 2026. Live waits refresh throughout the day.

Right now Park closed

Typical wait 26 min

Peak seen 90 min

Quietest hour 8 AM

Quick facts

Land: Asia
Height: 44 in (112 cm)
Lightning Lane: Yes
Opened: 2006
Ride length: About 3 minutes
Thrill: Big thrill

Best Time to Ride Expedition Everest

Typical standby wait by hour. The quietest hour is marked in gold (8 AM); the wait usually peaks around 12 PM.

7 8AM

18 9AM

29 10AM

37 11AM

38 12PM

36 1PM

29 2PM

28 3PM

24 4PM

20 5PM

12 6PM

Pro tip: ride Expedition Everest in the first hour after rope drop or in the last hour before Animal Kingdom closes. If you would rather not wait at all, Lightning Lane lets you skip the standby line.

What to Expect on Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest is a high-speed outdoor coaster that races up and around a snow-capped mountain in search of the Yeti. It tops out near fifty miles per hour, drops about eighty feet from the summit, and runs roughly three minutes. There are no loops or inversions, but it is the most intense coaster at Animal Kingdom.

Its signature surprise is the backward section. Partway through, the track ahead appears torn apart, the train switches direction, and you race backward into the dark of the mountain at around thirty miles per hour for about twenty seconds. Many riders swear it feels like a loop even though the ride never turns upside down.

Riders need to be at least forty four inches tall. The thrill comes from real speed, the big drop, and the stretches in darkness rather than from anything that flips you over, so it suits older kids and adults who like a proper coaster but are not ready for launches or inversions. The standby line tends to ease in the middle of the day, which is the opposite of most headliners.

Is Expedition Everest Reliable?

Frequently down Running about 87 percent of the day over the last 90 days, with most outages lasting about 84 minutes.

Should You Rope Drop Expedition Everest?

The shortest waits for Expedition Everest are right at rope drop and in the final hour before Animal Kingdom closes, so arriving for park open is usually worth it. If the line is already long, ride later in the evening or use Lightning Lane.

The Animal Kingdom rope drop plan Best times at Animal Kingdom Plan your Disney day

Expedition Everest FAQ

What is the best time to ride Expedition Everest?: At Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest typically has its shortest waits around 8 AM and its longest around 12 PM. Riding right at rope drop is your best bet.
How long is the wait for Expedition Everest?: The standby wait for Expedition Everest runs about 26 minutes on a typical day and climbs near 90 minutes at its busiest.
Does Expedition Everest break down a lot?: Expedition Everest is currently graded Frequently down for reliability. Running about 87 percent of the day over the last 90 days, with most outages lasting about 84 minutes.
Does Expedition Everest go backward?: Yes. About halfway through, a switch track sends the train racing backward into the mountain at around thirty miles per hour for roughly twenty seconds. It is the ride's signature moment and happens in the dark, which is what makes it feel so intense.
Does Expedition Everest go upside down?: No. There are no loops or inversions. There is a backward helix that can make you feel like you are looping, but the train always stays upright.
How big is the drop and how fast is Expedition Everest?: The main drop falls about eighty feet from the top of the mountain, and the coaster reaches close to fifty miles per hour. That makes it the fastest and most intense coaster at Animal Kingdom, though it stays smooth rather than jerky.
How scary is Expedition Everest?: It is a moderate to high thrill. The speed, the eighty-foot drop, the backward dash, and the stretches of darkness give it real intensity, but with no inversions and a quick run time it is very manageable for most older kids and adults who enjoy coasters.
When is the best time to ride Expedition Everest?: Right at rope drop is best, but Everest is unusual in that its line often eases in the middle of the day when crowds drift to shows and lunch. Check the wait board, since a midday window here can be far shorter than at the park's other headliners.
Is there a height requirement for Expedition Everest?: Yes. Riders must be at least 44 in (112 cm) tall to ride Expedition Everest.
Does Expedition Everest have Lightning Lane?: Yes. Expedition Everest offers Lightning Lane, so you can pay to skip the standby line if you would rather not wait.

More at Animal Kingdom

Live wait board All rides ranked Best times to ride Crowd calendar Rope drop plan Ride reliability Lightning Lane prices Ride height guide Is Expedition Everest scary? Plan your day Which ride are you?

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