After years of operating in its limited-motion form, the legendary Yeti inside Expedition Everest is getting a major update at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

One of Walt Disney World’s most famous Audio-Animatronics is about to make a comeback. During D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney announced plans to bring the Yeti back to life inside Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The surprise announcement came during the Horizons: A Carousel of Progress presentation, when Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum joined Neil Patrick Harris onstage to share the news.

“We’re bringing the Yeti back to life inside Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!” Mazloum announced to the crowd.

And Disney had a fitting way to mark the end of the Yeti’s long-running stationary era: Gloria Gaynor appeared onstage to perform her 1978 hit “I Will Survive.”

The Expedition Everest Yeti Is Coming Back to Life

For longtime Disney World fans, this is a particularly exciting update.

Expedition Everest opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2006, taking guests on a high-speed journey through the Forbidden Mountain as they attempt to escape the legendary Yeti. The massive Yeti Audio-Animatronic was originally designed to make a dramatic movement toward passing ride vehicles, creating one of the attraction’s biggest thrills.

Photo by Danny Shuster

However, the figure has operated in a limited-motion mode for years. Guests still encounter the Yeti near the end of the attraction, but lighting effects help create the illusion of movement rather than the large-scale motion originally envisioned for the figure.

Now, Disney has officially confirmed that changes are coming to bring the Yeti back to life.

Disney has not yet shared exactly what the updated Yeti will be capable of, so it’s unclear whether the figure will return to its original range of motion or receive a different type of enhancement. More details, including a timeline for the work, have yet to be announced.

When Will the Expedition Everest Yeti Be Fixed?

For now, Disney has not announced a date for the updated Yeti’s debut or shared whether Expedition Everest will need to temporarily close for the work.

We’ll be watching for more details from Disney about what’s changing and when guests can expect to see the legendary Yeti come back to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.