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Joe Rohde Speaks Out

Regarding Guests
Throwing Hair Ties on
Beloved Attraction
IN WALT DISNEY WORLD

Posted on June 26, 2022 by Kelly Coffey

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Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is

one of the most popular coasters on property.
Guests are always eager to climb aboard the train
and venture up into Mount Everest. However, as
many of you know, the ride is soon
interrupted when riders are stopped dead in their
(broken) tracks.

Once Guests stop at the broken tracks, they may

notice hundreds of hair ties thrown onto the sides
of the mountain. This has been going on for
years, with new hair ties showing up every single
day.

MY VIDEOS

01:12

Credit: Disney

Some speculate that these are from the

cheerleaders who visit Walt Disney World for
the annual Cheer and Dance competition. Others
assume that the hair tie build-up is something as
simple as one Guest accidentally dropping one
and then others copying it.

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Credit: D23

Joe Rohde was with The Walt Disney Company

for more than three decades. He was the lead
designer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom as well as
helped create attractions such as Expedition
Everest.

Although Rohde has retired from the company

(his last day at Walt Disney Imagineering was on
January 4, 2021), he is now taking to social media
to speak out about the hair ties on Expedition
Everest, comparing them to what people do at the
top of a real Himalayan pass. Rohde writes:

More ritual behavior. The hair scrunchies!

The hair tie thing at the top of Everest is
Weird but also ritualistic. It violates the
illusion of the scene, but it oddly parallels
what people do at the top of a real
Himalayan pass…which is to leave a rock.
Obviously someone started it, but what is
significant is the huge numbers of people
who follow along. What’s going on with
that? It messes with the illusion of the
fantasy place completely… However, it
creates a very real interactive ceremony at
the actual top of the highest point of the
ride. I cannot condone this behavior partly
because some poor person has to clean it
up…but it does interest me.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joe Rohde (@joerohde)

This is not the first time Joe Rohde has spoken

out on the hair tie ritual at Expedition Everest. In
September 2021, the former Disney Imagineer
took to Twitter to share some thoughts, which
you can read more about here.

Related: Video Shows Joe Rohde

Placing His Child In Fountain at Animal
Kingdom

Learn more

What do you think about the hair ties on

Expedition Everest? Let us know in the
comments below.

Kelly Coffey
This out-of-state Annual
Passholder visits the parks
as often as she can. While at
the Most Magical Place on
Earth, she can typically be found people
watching on the Tomorrowland Transit
Authority PeopleMover, relaxing at Baseline
Tap House, snacking on Mickey-shaped foods,
or hanging out with her foolish mortals at the
Haunted Mansion.

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