Peter Pan

[voxparse]

I was told I couldn’t ride Peter Pan because I would have to take my wheelchair to the ride vehicle. When I asked why it was different from any other ride the CM told me it was a safety issue because if the ride got stuck they have to use ladders to get people down so you have to be capable of using a ladder. Let’s pretend I can’t use a ladder (I can) and let’s pretend there aren’t people not in wheelchairs who wouldn’t stand a chance using a ladder. Does anyone have insight on why this ride is different from every other ride that is in the air or even the sky liner? My BS alarm was going off but I didn’t care enough to argue.

 

[SueM in MN]

I was told I couldn’t ride Peter Pan because I would have to take my wheelchair to the ride vehicle. When I asked why it was different from any other ride the CM told me it was a safety issue because if the ride got stuck they have to use ladders to get people down so you have to be capable of using a ladder. Let’s pretend I can’t use a ladder (I can) and let’s pretend there aren’t people not in wheelchairs who wouldn’t stand a chance using a ladder. Does anyone have insight on why this ride is different from every other ride that is in the air or even the sky liner? My BS alarm was going off but I didn’t care enough to argue.

What you were told is true and it is listed as “Must be ambulatory”.
The moving walkway is not supposed to be stopped, except in emergency.
Although some people have reported it was stopped for them, the official answer is that it is not supposed to be stopped and most people are given the same information you were given.
The reason they don’t want it stopped is the ride inside also stops if the moving walkway does. That leaves a large number of people suspended inside the ride with a very minimal restraint could lead to falls if guests panic and try to get out.
If a guest can’t evacuate in an emergency by themselves or with help of a companion, they need to wait for evacuation by the Fire Department. What I’ve specifically heard about Peter Pan is that evacuation in general of that attraction is very challenging and that all guests would need evacuation with ladders brought to the ride vehicles. Most could get down a held ladder, but someone who can’t would need to be carried down by Rescue Personnel

Other rides that go in the air aren’t actually suspended above the ground as individual ride vehicles - for example, Dumbo, Magic Carpets and TricerapTop Spin are all suspended together and the CMs operating the ride could view all ride vehicles. Guests are suspended on Soarin, but again, as a group that CMs can see. I believe there is a manual way to lower the attraction rows to the ground if it malfunctions. The Skyway is different because guests are in an enclosed vehicle until they are evacuated if there is an issue.
Those are the only things I can think of where guests are actually suspended.

Peter Pan at MK also has a very short time and distance for loading and unloading, so not a lot of time for a non- ambulatory person to transfer. The last time we rode was when my daughter was little enough to easily park her wheelchair about 10 feet away and carry her. When we got off, my husband almost ran out of space on the moving walkway, which would have led to an emergency stop.

Some people in the past have been able to request to ride Peter Pan the last ride of the night. All the pirate ships were empty except for the one they were on, so there was not a concern about other ships full of guests

 

[voxparse]

What you were told is true and it is listed as “Must be ambulatory”.
The moving walkway is not supposed to be stopped, except in emergency.
Although some people have reported it was stopped for them, the official answer is that it is not supposed to be stopped and most people are given the same information you were given.
The reason they don’t want it stopped is the ride inside also stops if the moving walkway does. That leaves a large number of people suspended inside the ride with a very minimal restraint could lead to falls if guests panic and try to get out.
If a guest can’t evacuate in an emergency by themselves or with help of a companion, they need to wait for evacuation by the Fire Department. What I’ve specifically heard about Peter Pan is that evacuation in general of that attraction is very challenging and that all guests would need evacuation with ladders brought to the ride vehicles. Most could get down a held ladder, but someone who can’t would need to be carried down by Rescue Personnel

Other rides that go in the air aren’t actually suspended above the ground as individual ride vehicles - for example, Dumbo, Magic Carpets and TricerapTop Spin are all suspended together and the CMs operating the ride could view all ride vehicles. Guests are suspended on Soarin, but again, as a group that CMs can see. I believe there is a manual way to lower the attraction rows to the ground if it malfunctions. The Skyway is different because guests are in an enclosed vehicle until they are evacuated if there is an issue.
Those are the only things I can think of where guests are actually suspended.

Peter Pan at MK also has a very short time and distance for loading and unloading, so not a lot of time for a non- ambulatory person to transfer. The last time we rode was when my daughter was little enough to easily park her wheelchair about 10 feet away and carry her. When we got off, my husband almost ran out of space on the moving walkway, which would have led to an emergency stop.

Some people in the past have been able to request to ride Peter Pan the last ride of the night. All the pirate ships were empty except for the one they were on, so there was not a concern about other ships full of guests

Thanks for the info. I don't really have any interest in the ride personally and my wife was happy to take my son on the ride. It was just one of those times where I was surprised by how inflexible they were being considering the vast majority of my experiences with accessibility at the parks are great. They also told us I'm not allowed on the people mover for the same reason.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the info. I don't really have any interest in the ride personally and my wife was happy to take my son on the ride. It was just one of those times where I was surprised by how inflexible they were being considering the vast majority of my experiences with accessibility at the parks are great. They also told us I'm not allowed on the people mover for the same reason.

The biggest issue on PeopleMover is getting up and down from the station, which is one floor above ground level. The way up there involves going up a very steep, moving speed ramp; the easiest way to describe it is a flat escalator. It’s quite steep and the metal can be slippery.
there is no way to bring a Wheelchair up to the boarding area.

When my daughter was little and easy to carry, we did take her up there, but it’s not easy carrying someone and going up the speed ramp. Once guests get to the boarding area, the moving walkway for boarding can be slowed. They don’t like to stop it entirely because when it has stopped in the past, guests have gotten out of the ride car and walked on the track area.

Some of the attractions are not particularly accessible at Magic Kingdom, because they were built when the park opened, way before the ADA; many fewer guests with disabilities visited then and the rides were designed to ‘deliver’ a constant flow of guests on and off.
Those two attractions don’t have any space or way to make them accessible.

 

[voxparse]

Those two attractions don’t have any space or way to make them accessible.

Ehhhh, they could if they wanted to. Disney employs some of the world's most talented engineers and designers, they could figure it out but choose not to.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ehhhh, they could if they wanted to. Disney employs some of the world's most talented engineers and designers, they could figure it out but choose not to.

I’d respectfully disagree for those 2 attractions.
I’ve ridden them multiple times and tried to figure how they could do anything because both were favorites for my daughter when she was little and ‘portable’.
The central core where the speed ramps are at Peoplemover is a very tight space, so would not have room for an elevator. IF they could put an elevator on the outside ‘ring’ of the load/unload area, it would be on the wrong side of the track. In order to make it accessible, it would probably need to be totally torn down - but that space also includes a quick service restaurant underneath it and an elevator that goes to the rocket ride. So anything would involve those areas too.

Peter Pan has a very short load/unload area and no space to expand into the enlarge that. The Peter Pan ride at Disneyland is different. It stops for each group to load and unload. The pirate ships inside are much more widely spaced, so the momentary stops don’t even slow the ride.
Again, from what I can see, making it accessible would involve tearing it out and rebuilding