The broken Yeti on Expedition Everest is easier to see after a lighting change at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Plus, Alika the colobus monkey is expecting her first baby.
The Yeti on Expedition Everest just got a lot easier to see.
A new floodlight now shines on the famous figure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, WDW News Today reported Friday, Oct. 23. The old strobe is still there, too.
It’s the first visible change to the scene since Disney promised in August to bring the Yeti back to life. Here’s what’s different, and some happy news from elsewhere in the park.
What changed on the Expedition Everest Yeti?
The lighting. WDWNT noticed a new effect while riding recently: in addition to the strobe light, a constant floodlight is now aimed at the Yeti.
That makes the character “much more visible in the scene,” WDWNT said. It’s now much easier to see the broken beams around the Yeti, along with its fur and fangs.
Disney hasn’t said whether the new light is permanent or tied to the planned fix.
Why is it called the Disco Yeti?
Because of that strobe. The Yeti hasn’t moved since the ride’s early days because of a cracked foundation, WDWNT noted.
To fake movement, Disney added flashing lights to the motionless figure. Fans started calling it the Disco Yeti, and the name stuck.
The figure stands roughly 25 feet tall, according to BlogMickey. When it was built, it was one of the most complex Audio-Animatronics figures Walt Disney Imagineering had made.
Is Disney fixing the Yeti?
Disney says yes. At D23 in August, Disney Experiences chairman Thomas Mazloum made the announcement on stage at the Honda Center.
“We’re bringing the Yeti back to life inside Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” he said, according to BlogMickey. Gloria Gaynor then performed “I Will Survive” as a farewell to the Disco Yeti era.
Disney hasn’t shared a start date, an end date or how long Expedition Everest would close.
Will the Yeti be repaired or replaced?
That depends on who you ask. BlogMickey reported in August that Disney described the work as fixing the current figure in the spot where it stands now.
Former Imagineer Joe Rohde, who led the design of Animal Kingdom, said in early October that Disney plans to replace it. “If they could fix the Yeti, they would have fixed the Yeti,” he said, as PNP reported.
Rohde was careful to say he doesn’t know the details. “I only know that they believe they have found a solution,” he said.
What does the ride look like with the new light?
Livin’ Lateral rode Expedition Everest this week and posted a full POV on YouTube:
When could Expedition Everest close for the Yeti fix?
Nobody knows yet. BlogMickey’s Mike guessed it wouldn’t happen until after Tropical Americas opens, which would put a closure in 2028 at the earliest.
That’s a guess, not a Disney plan.
The ride also lost its single rider line in September, as PNP reported.
Who is Alika the colobus monkey?
She’s an Angola colobus monkey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and she’s expecting her first baby. Animals at Disney shared the news in an Instagram video on Oct. 23.
“Exciting news: Alika the colobus monkey is expecting her first baby!” the post said. Alika is about 10 weeks along, WDWNT reported.
You can look for her on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.
Why is Alika’s baby special?
It’ll be the third generation born at the park. Alika’s own mother was also born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, MickeyBlog noted.
In the video, keeper Kim explains that Alika takes part in her ultrasounds voluntarily. Kim and the animal care team spent a long time building that trust, which helps Dr. Natalie get better images, according to WDWNT.
Those images already show something fun. At 10 weeks, the baby has a long tail, the colobus monkey’s trademark for grabbing branches.
What other baby animals has Disney World welcomed this year?
Quite a few. MickeyBlog listed Cinnamon the Ankole calf, Ivy the giraffe calf, Calfuccino the manatee and Bakari, a western lowland gorilla.
Three nyala calves were also born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, KennythePirate reported. They’re bonding with their moms backstage and will eventually head out to the savanna.
So between a brighter Yeti and a baby on the way, Animal Kingdom fans have plenty to look for this fall.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDW News Today, Arica Conrad and Lauren Stracner (Oct. 23, 2026), the new Yeti lighting and Alika’s ultrasound
BlogMickey (Aug. 16 and 17, 2026), the D23 announcement and the Yeti’s history
MickeyBlog, Justin Hermes (Oct. 23, 2026), Alika and this year’s baby animals
KennythePirate, Heather Alosa (Oct. 23, 2026), the nyala calves
Pirates & Princesses (Sept. 19 and Oct. 8, 2026), Joe Rohde’s comments and the single rider line
Livin’ Lateral on YouTube (Oct. 23, 2026), the Expedition Everest POV
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