Expedition Everest will stop offering a Single Rider line on September 21. Sunday, September 20, is the last day guests can use it at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom coaster.
NEW: Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will no longer offer a Single Rider line beginning Sept. 21.
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 18, 2026
Disney says testing of a new loading process resulted in lower average standby wait times, making the Single Rider line less useful. The change does not impact Single Rider offerings at other attractions.
Disney says testing of a new loading process lowered average standby wait times, which made the Single Rider line less useful. Single Rider lines at other Walt Disney World attractions are not affected.
The Loading Change Behind It
Disney began testing the new process in May. Cast members in the red room, the final holding area before the loading platform, now sort parties into odd- and even-numbered groups, sending even-numbered groups to the left and odd-numbered groups to the right so trains can be filled more efficiently.
Everest’s trains seat riders two across. Odd-numbered parties used to leave empty seats that cast members filled from the Single Rider line. Now those parties are paired with each other before they reach the train, so the Single Rider line gets called forward far less often.
Since the change, the standby line has moved faster, and the Single Rider line could be slower than standby.
What Single Rider Offered
Single Rider let guests who were willing to ride apart from their group skip most of the standby queue, using a separate entrance that splits off near the Serka Zong Bazaar gift shop. For solo guests, it was often the fastest way onto the ride without a Lightning Lane.
By late July, the line was opening for only a few minutes at a time, and Friday’s announcement confirms it is going away for good.
What Changes On September 21
Starting September 21, guests will board through the standby queue or the Lightning Lane entrance. Groups that used to split up to save time will need to use standby instead.
With Tropical Americas still under construction, Animal Kingdom has fewer rides open than usual, and Everest’s lines can get long.
Guests visiting Animal Kingdom this weekend can still use Single Rider through Sunday.
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