The Disney Attractions Discussion Series: Peter Pan's Flight

[Big Disney Fan]

Wow! Why isnt this ride more popular, and more people don't talk about it?? I think its really cool!

Because the ride is actually pretty boring. Outside of going well, outside, the ride just lets you go through 3-dimensional scenes of the movie and doesn't have any highlights. It's almost as boring as watching the actual film.

As for Peter Pan's Flight, well I don't have much to discuss except say

THAT RIDE IT EVIL!!!

What ride isn't more popular and why is Peter Pan's Flight evil?

[Loomis]

Easily the best of the Fantasyland dark rides, it does so just by being that LITTLE bit different. Suspending us from a track on the ceiling rather than the other way around completely changes the dynamic of the ride, adding a whole new level of immersion to it.

I have to admit that of all the rides in the park, it is typically the Fantasyland 'dark rides' that I enjoy the most. I believe most people enjoy them immensely, and the fact that something like 'Mr Toad's Wild Ride' still pulls huge numbers after 50 years shows just how a simple idea can remain captivating if it has the right level of imagination. However, there is something a little bit 'samey' about some of the Fantasyland dark rides, and it is the little difference that tips Peter Pan's Flight over the edge,

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

BDF- If you were registered here for a while, you'd know I'm not a big fan of Peter Pan's Flight. Way too overrated and I don't think the ride itself is all that great.

Besides, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is pretty much the best ride ever made.

[EricMontreal22]

Easily the best of the Fantasyland dark rides, it does so just by being that LITTLE bit different. Suspending us from a track on the ceiling rather than the other way around completely changes the dynamic of the ride, adding a whole new level of immersion to it.

I have to admit that of all the rides in the park, it is typically the Fantasyland 'dark rides' that I enjoy the most. I believe most people enjoy them immensely, and the fact that something like 'Mr Toad's Wild Ride' still pulls huge numbers after 50 years shows just how a simple idea can remain captivating if it has the right level of imagination. However, there is something a little bit 'samey' about some of the Fantasyland dark rides, and it is the little difference that tips Peter Pan's Flight over the edge,

The E Ticket Magazine article on the original Peter Pan (and I stand corrected--the original Peter Pan didn't show Peter--only figures of tiger Lilly, Smee and Hook (and the Croc) were done in full scale) makes a good point how all the other dark rides played a bit on negative space and clausterphobia--tighter and tighter turns, more thigns jumping out at you, frantic pace. Peter Pan was nearly the opposite bringing you out into what felt liek bigger, more open spaces than they were, that feel of flying and breaking free from things--it's really a very different experience.

I don't really find theothers samey--except maybe Pinocchio one that for a while I never really liked as much as the others but has grown on me) and Snow White. Alice (which I love no matter what others on here think) and Toad both have distinctive things seperating them.

Looking thru the old E Tickets for info on this ride I found a great interview with Tony Baxter (surely one of the park's best designers and a huge fan of classic Disneyland) on how conflicted he was when he did the new Disneyland in 1983. He said that him adn the others just always told themselves, as reasurrance, that this is how Disney would have wanted it if he had the money to do Fantasyland the way he wanted back in 55. He said one thing was with each ofthe dark rides he was able to make them 25% longer (so they must have been VERY short before) and that they were really falling into disrepair--one story he says was that a mop bottom had been hastily used as hair for one of the Seven Dwarfs when they didn't have time to make a new wig. They also wanted to be able to incoroporate things liek fiber optics for stars (instead of just black light)--it's interesting as in 1971 the WDW versions of the three rides must have seemed more elaborate than the DL versions then by 1983 the reverse was true. One thing I always wondered about and Baxter says his biggest upset was they had always planned on putting back the Pirate Ship and Skull Rock--hsi favorite parts of old Fantasyland. they wer egonna add a mechanical crocodile in fact and have the Storybookland boats come out at the end to Skull Rock and circle the ship. But it proved way too expensive and was cut--but he later reused some fo the ideas with Skull Rock in Paris' Adventureland and even used much of the original Pirate Ship decorations, which he had saved, for that ship there.

I'm glad these rides still pull in the numbers they do because even if the great current DL versions are behind the times (though the 83 refurbishments did a LOT to update them, even tiny details) compared to the big rides, they really are my fave experiences at the park and I'd be upset to see them go

[Big Disney Fan]

BDF- If you were registered here for a while, you'd know I'm not a big fan of Peter Pan's Flight. Way too overrated and I don't think the ride itself is all that great.

Besides, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is pretty much the best ride ever made.

So just because you don't like it, that makes it evil? Hoo, that's rich. Everyone's entitled to an opinion.

[QueenRahel]

the biggest problem with this ride is the queue line...so many people are compacted into the tiniest space and ur smelling everyones B.O. i avoid it just because of the constant smell lingering around the 500 people in line!

[kbehm29]

This ride is one of my all-time favorites. We go first thing as soon as the park opens, so we never have to wait long.

Although, this year it's going to be #1 Dumbo, #2 Peter Pan's Flight.

The music on this ride always gives me goosebumps.

[Atlantica]

I love the way each ride has the movies soundtrack playing. To me, this is especially evident on Snow White and Peter Pan.

[jeremy88]

I had no clue Alice had her own dark ride!

Is it any good?? And does anyone else like it?

I love the Alice in Wonderland ride...that and Peter Pan are my two favorite FantasyLand Rides.

Peter Pan is my favorite fantasyland ride but I think its kind of short. But its really fun. Alice has a lot of detail and the ride is pretty long compared to the other ones.

[DisneyFanatic]

Peter Pan is one of my top 3 rides I think. When I was little I went on this every time we went to Disneyland. I have not gone on it much in the recent years, except for on my birthday last month my boyfriend and I waited in the relatively short line for it (30 min). I was so excited to go on it again!!! I was a little disapointed (sp?) that when you go over the London scene they did not have the cars moving on the street. I remember that the cars would always be moving (at least some of them). Maybe it was just a glitch that day or a temporary thing.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ride and always will!!!

Go Peter Pan!!!

[Big Disney Fan]

This ride is one of my all-time favorites. We go first thing as soon as the park opens, so we never have to wait long.

Although, this year it's going to be #1 Dumbo, #2 Peter Pan's Flight.

The music on this ride always gives me goosebumps.

That's good. If you don't like the crowds and long lines, try to get there as early as possible. If you can go to the park on the early morning days, then that's a great time to do that and most of FYL's rides, especially this ride, Mr. Toad, Alice, Dumbo and the Matterhorn as those seem to attract lines that tend to linger the entire day. So if you can get there on early morning days, try to go then. That's what I do when I go to Disneyland.

[bradhig]

Was that in the pirate ship seen from old skyway videos?

[EricMontreal22]

I *Love* the fantasyland dark rides (which is why DL is tops for me as they have 5) and this is a favorite. I wonder if anyone had done a flying dark ride pre Disney (I know Pacific Ocean Pier had a magic carpet one in 58))

Are the Tokyo and Paris ones clones of the Disneyland 1983 version? I knwo the original 1955 DL one was much shorter and rougher (E Ticket had a great ride thru secreitpion of the original version) and I believe WDW's is technologically kind abetween the DL 1955 original and the 1983 completely new version

[EricMontreal22]

Peter Pan is one of my top 3 rides I think. When I was little I went on this every time we went to Disneyland. I have not gone on it much in the recent years, except for on my birthday last month my boyfriend and I waited in the relatively short line for it (30 min). I was so excited to go on it again!!! I was a little disapointed (sp?) that when you go over the London scene they did not have the cars moving on the street. I remember that the cars would always be moving (at least some of them). Maybe it was just a glitch that day or a temporary thing.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ride and always will!!!

Go Peter Pan!!!

Aww I hope they fixed the cars--i love that detail

[DisneyFanatic]

Aww I hope they fixed the cars--i love that detail

I will be going to Disneyland in probably a few weeks, if the line isn't crazy then we'll go on it and I can let you know if the cars are moving again.

[PeterPanfan]

I heard someone earlier say that Ariel had a cameo in here? When?

[Flanger-Hanger]

In Walt Disney World's version when you see the mermaid's lagoon.

[PeterPanfan]

Awesome! Someone said there was another cameo in it.


Back on topic: I used to be scared to go on PPF but I love it now!

[Big Disney Fan]

I heard someone earlier say that Ariel had a cameo in here? When?

There is no cameo of Ariel in the ride. She's from an entirely different movie. Just 'cause a mermaid has red hair, that doesn't automatically mean she is Ariel.

[PeterPanfan]

True but...I remember reading somewhere that after Walt created the mermaids for Peter Pan,he suddenley wanted to The Little Mermaid,which he had already created the basic look on one of the PP's mermaids. But then it got hold off for quite a while.