Guests heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom to ride Expedition Everest may want to think twice before jumping into the single rider queue. A recent operational change at the popular roller coaster is significantly altering how riders are loaded, and frequent visitors are already noticing longer waits for solo guests.

The update centres around the attraction’s “red room” loading area, where cast members now divide standby guests into odd and even numbered groups before boarding begins. The change appears designed to improve efficiency by making it easier to fill empty seats directly from the regular standby line.

Previously, single riders benefited from gaps that naturally appeared when groups boarded unevenly. If a party of three or five approached the loading platform, cast members could quickly pull one or two people from the single rider line to complete a row. Under the new system, those empty seats are often already accounted for because standby guests have been pre-sorted into group sizes that better match the train configuration.

As a result, the single rider queue is moving far more slowly than it did in the past. Guests are reporting that what was once one of the quickest ways onto Expedition Everest can now take nearly as long as the standard standby line during certain periods.

The reaction from Disney park fans has been mixed. Some visitors appreciate the smoother loading process and improved efficiency for the main queue, while others see it as the end of one of Animal Kingdom’s best time-saving strategies. On fan forums, several longtime guests described the change as a major blow to Everest’s single rider experience.

Despite the slower pace, the single rider option remains available. However, guests hoping to minimise wait times may now need to compare posted standby waits more carefully before committing to the separate queue. During moderate crowd levels, the traditional standby line could actually move faster than the single rider entrance for the first time in years.

Expedition Everest has long been one of Walt Disney World’s most reliable attractions for single riders, especially compared with other headline attractions that either lack the option entirely or operate it inconsistently. That reputation may now be changing as Disney continues refining attraction operations across the resort.