Describe Soarin' and Peter Pan Ride

[nexttripdisney]

We've never been on Soarin' -- could someone describe exactly what it is?

Will my (fearful) 4 year old scream during the ride or be too intimidated by the sight of it to even get on?

Also, please describe Peter Pan's (Adventure?); I don't remember if we've been on it or not.

Thanks, this will help me with my planning!

 

[KellyNY]

Soarin is 3 level of hight ride. If you afraid of hights go to the lower row. You will be slowly lifted and moved toward huge screan where you will see birdview ladscapes of California like ocean, orange trees, highways. It will be accompanied by appropriet smells. The last image is DL castle and fireworks. Quiet interesting ride if you are ok with hights. It lasts like 8 min.

 

[MHSweb79]

In Peter Pan's flight, your vehicle is suspended from the top and you "fly" over various scenes from Peter Pan's flying point of view (tiny little cars, etc.) Little kids really feel like they are flying - this was my DD's favorite ride for years.
In Soarin', you sit on a metal bench-thingie and put on a seat belt. If your child is young, they get a seat belt that also goes between the legs. Then, the seats all raise up and you are seated directly in front of a huge screened wall, where the movie "Soarin' over California" plays. This move was shot from a helicopter and you fly over orange groves and smell orange blossoms, feel the breeze on your face, etc. I won't spoil it. You feel like you are on a hang glider flying over all these scenes in California. It's pretty spectacular.
You may want to look over at YouTube and watch the videos. You are the best judge of what your child will be afraid of.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

In Peter Pan's flight, your vehicle is suspended from the top and you "fly" over various scenes from Peter Pan's flying point of view (tiny little cars, etc.) Little kids really feel like they are flying - this was my DD's favorite ride for years.
In Soarin', you sit on a metal bench-thingie and put on a seat belt. If your child is young, they get a seat belt that also goes between the legs. Then, the seats all raise up and you are seated directly in front of a huge screened wall, where the movie "Soarin' over California" plays. This move was shot from a helicopter and you fly over orange groves and smell orange blossoms, feel the breeze on your face, etc. I won't spoil it. You feel like you are on a hang glider flying over all these scenes in California. It's pretty spectacular.
You may want to look over at YouTube and watch the videos. You are the best judge of what your child will be afraid of.

I've been on Soarin' at least 8 to 10 times and I have never heard a child screaming on it. Thank goodness as it would ruin a very peaceful attraction.

Yes, it is high. We always ask for the front row to get an unobstructed view. I looked down for the first time this past trip. I didn't even know we were that high. A child probably wouldn't know you're that high as it's just like watching a movie on an IMAX. My youngest son loved it and he was just barely tall enough to ride.

Peter Pan -- a very fun, yet short ride for everyone. As a PP mentioned, you feel like you're flying in a pirate ship above London and Neverland. I would highly recommend a FP for this ride! It's fun, but it constantly has a 45 to 60 minute standby wait.

 

[DISHoppy]

The only thing to add to the previous posts is that Soarin' is ~30' off the ground on the upper tier, but you can only see the floor if you really lean over the edge of the ride seat (not really possible for smaller kids). The only other issue some might have with the ride is the motion of the video, which is like some of the 360 movies in Epcot (Canada and China). Didn't bother me a bit, but the DW didn't care for it.

Peter Pan is ~10' or so off the floor, but it's dark and hard to tell how high you are with all of the things to see. IMO, Pooh and Snow White are scarier than PP.

-Kevin

 

[MomofKatie]

We've never been on Soarin' -- could someone describe exactly what it is?

Will my (fearful) 4 year old scream during the ride or be too intimidated by the sight of it to even get on?

Also, please describe Peter Pan's (Adventure?); I don't remember if we've been on it or not.

Thanks, this will help me with my planning!

Your DD won't be able to see any of the details of either attraction from the outside of the buildings or while in the que. She will get on the Peter Pan "boat" while it is at ground level- it "flies" after entering the building. None of Soarin' is visible until you enter the theater area, and all the seats are stationary and at ground level until after passengers are loaded. She shouldn't get intimidated at all at the sight of either attraction.

Hope she enjoys both attractions!!

 

[jfortsch]

Hi - my DS4 did not really like either Soarin or Peter Pan, I think because both sort of give you the sensation of being high up and flying and he really isn't comfortable with that feeling. He wasn't freaking out or anything, just very emphatically said he didn't like them and didn't want to do them again.

Having said that, every child is different, and I've heard lots of reports of kids loving these 2 rides and having no problem at all. Our "rule" is to try it once and if you don't like it you never have to do it again. Obviously this rule only applies to rides I feel won't totally freak out my DD4

 

[nexttripdisney]

Thanks everyone! It's very helpful to have an idea of what the loading areas will look like for him. I'm going to tell him that Soarin' is "to watch a movie". If he doesn't like it, I won't force him on again.

It's a little bit frustrating when he refuses to go on something that's really docile. However, my 9 year old was like this at one time and he's outgrown it.

 

[Jeanieblue114]

Thanks everyone! It's very helpful to have an idea of what the loading areas will look like for him. I'm going to tell him that Soarin' is "to watch a movie". If he doesn't like it, I won't force him on again.

It's a little bit frustrating when he refuses to go on something that's really docile. However, my 9 year old was like this at one time and he's outgrown it.

Here is a video of the ride for Peter Pan (little bit dark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqOMNX17AJU

Here is a video of the ride line and boarding area (plus ride but it's really dark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNOIoNCUAVc

here is a video of the soarin ride line and preshow that shows how the ride works/seating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7p1-MCBNnc

Hope this helps

 

[teacup princess]

Peter Pan is my kid's absolute fav ride at Disney. They really liked riding on the magic carpet above the city.

 

[queenie82]

Thinking about it Peter Pan has a more obvious sensation of flying....especially the big dip over london where you look almost straight down.
Whereas if you are in the soarin lowest (3rd) row you aren't high and the take off is much smoother. You have to crane to look down and the movie entrances you to not look down.
Soarin is like a smooth movie simulator ride. And although I think I saw one child run from the boarding room before anything happened...I have NEVER heard a scream or terrified child after or during the ride.

As a 9 year old I was obsessed with peter pan...I still love it to this day. It is a magical ride for me. But as I say thinking about it...a fear of heights in children may cause a problem....but each child is different....
Sorry if this is more confusing...

 

[Debbie-TN]

When they lift up the seats in Soarin', it's so smooth you can barely feel it and there's clouds on the screen. Don't tell him that you're going up really high. Tell him that your going to see a movie a very large screen. Here are some fun things to look for: Try to touch the man in the boat with your foot, the hot air balloons, the skier falling just as he comes over the top of the mountain, at the waterfall look way over to the left and there's a person climbing the mountain, the hang-glidder, try to catch the golf ball that someone hits, smell the oranges in the orange grove, the people walking on top of desert mountain ridge, the fighter jets, the big ship, the helicopter, people surfing at night, all the cars on the highway in LA, the lights at Disneyland, Tinkerbell, Mickey and Minnie(wearing blue) waving to you on the last float in the parade, and the fireworks. It really is a lot of fun. Help him enjoy it. And the music is wonderful.

Peter Pan is one of my favorite rides. Again point out things that are funny and don't focus on the height. Hopefully he love both of them.

 

[nexttripdisney]

Here is a video of the ride for Peter Pan (little bit dark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqOMNX17AJU

Here is a video of the ride line and boarding area (plus ride but it's really dark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNOIoNCUAVc

here is a video of the soarin ride line and preshow that shows how the ride works/seating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7p1-MCBNnc

Hope this helps

That was perfect! I let him watch the videos with me and he said "I want to go on those rides, OK?" Had we not seen the video I think he might have gotten freaked out at the (Soarin') announcements that imply you are going on a flight, the seatbelts, etc.

We also watched videos of Test Track and Everest. He said he doesn't want to go on those; no surprise there!

Thanks Again!

 

[Kathy Z]

I'm glad he now wants to go on those rides. Soarin is my favorite attraction at WDW. Unless you go first thing when the park opens you will want to get a FP for it. It is reported to be the one ride that CMs normally strictly adhere to the return time window (meaning it is not good for any time later in the day past your return time - just during your 1 hour return time.)

You didn't ask about this but if he is easily frightened I would not take him to see "Honey I shrunk the Audience" the 3-D movie in EPCOT. That's where you hear kid's scream in terror. I had to take our younger granddaughter out of the theater near the beginning of the show.

 

[catne]

I'm glad he now wants to go on those rides. Soarin is my favorite attraction at WDW. Unless you go first thing when the park opens you will want to get a FP for it. It is reported to be the one ride that CMs normally strictly adhere to the return time window (meaning it is not good for any time later in the day past your return time - just during your 1 hour return time.)

You didn't ask about this but if he is easily frightened I would not take him to see "Honey I shrunk the Audience" the 3-D movie in EPCOT. That's where you hear kid's scream in terror. I had to take our younger granddaughter out of the theater near the beginning of the show.

We've never gone back within the one hour return time...have been to WDW 5 times since 5/2007...3 times in May (including holiday weekend), once in September (again, holiday weekend) and January. Went on Soarin many times with fastpasses on those trips and never had any problem returning after the one hour window.

Now not to say they don't get strict during maximum crowd times like New Year's Eve or major, major holidays...but most of the time people report no problems. Perhaps they used to be stricter year-round when the ride was newer, but not for the last two years.

 

[lugnut33]

The most scary thing about Peter Pan is the wait!! People are just fanatical about the ride, which I just don't understand. Here's a photo I took at 1:30 AM and yes judging by the line it was accurate:

 

[Jeanieblue114]

Very welcome.
(I like to see where I'm going too)

Here is a great one for TSM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUjbI_P0k6E&feature=related
he will LOVE this video..lol!

The great thing about Youtube is that they also have lots of videos of old rides and shows that don't exist anymore so you can watch those too.
They have Cranium Command and Kitchen Caberet shows. Both were GREAT!

 

[ninecrayons]

Last trip out, I was on Soarin' with a very young girl. Maybe 3 or 4. She was totally fine during the ride.

I think the scariest part of Soarin' is the few moments where you lift up, before the movie starts. Once the movie begins you get totally wrapped up in the experience.