Peter Pan Cast Member Warning

[valeriemouse]

Hi fellow Disers. I got back from my WDW vacation about 3 weeks ago and something is still bothering me.

One night at MK, as we were about to enter the Peter Pan standby line, a cast member working the ride stopped us. She went up to my friend who was in a wheelchair (broken foot) and informed her that if something were to go wrong with the ride, she would have to be able to climb down a 15 foot ladder. She then asked her if she would be able to do that. The 4 of us kind of looked at the CM mouth agape, unsure of what to say until my friend was like, um, probably not? The cast member then said ok, just something for you to think about. And let me tell you, think about it we did, lol. There were other wheelchairs behind us, elderly people in front of us, this CM went up to no one else to let them know of this apparent evacuation procedure.

And if my friend couldn't climb down a ladder in her state, and this was a real concern, why was she let on the ride?? I am so befuddled over this. I have been to Disney many times, and people in my party have had wheelchairs, or have been elderly, and i've never heard of anything like this before.

Has anyone else ever had this experience?

 

[Kiotzu]

Personally, I would have gotten the cast members name and complained.

If it was a real concern then your friend shouldn't have been let on the ride. The way you describe it, it sounds like a threat/ominous warning. There is no excuse for this.

 

[wilkeliza]

Definitely would have gotten their name and reported that. It was completely unnecessicary. Just so you know if Peter Pan is estopped then the fire department comes and evacuates everyone. There are specific procedures for people unable to walk down the ladder on their own. I can't imagine why she made such a big deal about it.

 

[Kricketnp]

I'm the friend that Valeriemouse mentioned in her post who was in the wheelchair. The whole situation was very, very weird. Interestingly enough, after the cast member offered her foreboding warning early in the line, we never saw her again as we boarded. I was able to ride almost everything in Disney with my broken foot, and was made to feel the msot nervous about riding Peter Pan? Very, very weird.

 

[valeriemouse]

We didn't say anything or report it because I think we were honestly in shock. It felt like a hit and run. I think I spent the entire ride looking more for the stairs by the walls and trying to figure out where these ladders were than actually enjoying the ride!

 

[wilkeliza]

We didn't say anything or report it because I think we were honestly in shock. It felt like a hit and run. I think I spent the entire ride looking more for the stairs by the walls and trying to figure out where these ladders were than actually enjoying the ride!

The Ladder is brought in by the fire department. There are a few landing spots that are a step from the vehicle but I'm not sure if they are just for CMs or are used in evacuations if a car lands close to there.

 

[Kricketnp]

Mind you, despite my broken foot, if it was a life or death situation, I could've evacuated the ride by ladder. However, I saw people in line who were small children, elderly, highly overweight, etc who should've probably been given the same warning as well.

 

[Hunterr]

Maybe he was just being morbid. Perhaps Tower of terror would be a better location for him?

 

[Bullseye]

No worries, with a little bit of pixie dust and a happy thought you can fly, you can fly, you can fly if such an emergency presents itself

 

[bumbershoot]

We didn't say anything or report it because I think we were honestly in shock.

You should, even now. Date, time, basic description of the person. Write to WDW. If this was a CM, the CM needs to be informed that what they did was at best confusing and at worst really bizarre and rude. And scary. And wrong.

 

[bryanb]

Personally, I would have gotten the cast members name and complained.

If it was a real concern then your friend shouldn't have been let on the ride. The way you describe it, it sounds like a threat/ominous warning. There is no excuse for this.

Maybe it was a mistake trying to explain the evacuation procedure. There's no prohibition for people with limited mobility to ride -- as long as they can transfer to and from the ride vehicle. Maybe after he saw your reaction, he realized that it wasn't necessary to give that much information and didn't do it again.

There should be a park guide available at City Hall that describes any evacuation requirements that you should be aware of. I think the cast member was providing more information where the brochure would've sufficed and maybe they won't do that again. I'd cut them some slack unless they were really rude about it.

 

[GPC0321]

Maybe the CM desperately wants to work the Haunted Mansion and they won't let him/her. So he/she gets her revenge by randomly terrorizing vulnerable guests with the harrowing tale of the 15-foot ladder descent should anything "Go Wrong" (Muahahaha!!) on Peter Pan's Flight.

 

[lilbuddy88]

Being that there is no height restriction on this ride it is really weird as not one infant that I know of that hasn't learned to walk yet would be able to climb down the latter either lol.

 

[minnie mum]

You should, even now. Date, time, basic description of the person. Write to WDW. If this was a CM, the CM needs to be informed that what they did was at best confusing and at worst really bizarre and rude. And scary. And wrong.

Sorry, but I find your response to be a major overreaction. Bizarre? Rude? Scary? Why?

The CM saw a cast on a foot, and knowing the possible problem should an evacuation be necessary, mentioned it to the guest. Just because they didn't see the CM talk to other guests doesn't mean they didn't. I've had the same question ( or similar ones ) posed by CMs many times, on various rides, when they see me in my chair and carrying my canes. Yes, for guests who can't get down a ladder by themselves there are alternate methods of extraction/evacuation. Adults with infants dont need to be asked- its obvious. But it can help both the CMs, who can identify a guest who may need extra help, and perhaps the guests themselves to know that a ride evacuation may involve more than stepping out of the ride vehicle and walking away.

Interestingly, when we were in the Tokyo Disney Parks, every single time we used the Handicapped entrance to a ride, the CMs would ask us some variation of "in case of an evacuation, would you be able to ......". A couple of times I had to say no. They said, in that case, I would have to stay put until help came to assist me. I found that helpful. Certainly not rude, bizarre or scary.

If the OP or her friend had just asked the CM why they asked the question, they wouldn't have had to wonder about it for weeks afterwards.

 

[valeriemouse]

The CM just walked away after she told us to think about it. She was standing above us by the loading area, leaning over the railing. She walked back to the ride after she spoke to us. That's why it felt like a hit and run. I wasn't going to chase her down to ask. I started the thread to see if anyone else had been in this situation.

 

[avic77]

Maybe the CM desperately wants to work the Haunted Mansion and they won't let him/her. So he/she gets her revenge by randomly terrorizing vulnerable guests with the harrowing tale of the 15-foot ladder descent should anything "Go Wrong" (Muahahaha!!) on Peter Pan's Flight.

Your reply made me laugh!

 

[supersnoop]

The CM just walked away after she told us to think about it. She was standing above us by the loading area, leaning over the railing. She walked back to the ride after she spoke to us. That's why it felt like a hit and run. I wasn't going to chase her down to ask. I started the thread to see if anyone else had been in this situation.

Are you sure it was really a cast member?

 

[valeriemouse]

Are you sure it was really a cast member?

Hahah, definitely was. Can you imagine a random person saying all of that to us? Now THAT would have been scary and ominous.

 

[supersnoop]

Hahah, definitely was. Can you imagine a random person saying all of that to us? Now THAT would have been scary and ominous.

I can imagine a random person saying that more than a cast member.

 

[ImagineersApprentice]

Maybe it was a mistake trying to explain the evacuation procedure. There's no prohibition for people with limited mobility to ride -- as long as they can transfer to and from the ride vehicle. Maybe after he saw your reaction, he realized that it wasn't necessary to give that much information and didn't do it again.

There should be a park guide available at City Hall that describes any evacuation requirements that you should be aware of. I think the cast member was providing more information where the brochure would've sufficed and maybe they won't do that again. I'd cut them some slack unless they were really rude about it.

I have very little doubt this is the case. A CM trying to go "above and beyond" but went a bit beyond in the wrong direction. I wouldn't worry about it.