Peter Pans Flight...why the wait?

[Aurora63]

I am fresh back from a weekend trip and thinking about things at the parks. One is PPF...I love the ride, mainly because it's nostalgic for me. I did not get to ride it this time, we used our fast passes for other attractions, and the wait time was 60-75 minutes all day. And while I do love it, I'm not willing to wait that long for it.

So now I'm wondering, why doesn't it always have such a long wait? It's not a thrill ride, it's not the latest thing to be added, nor does it have new technology. For me it's nostalgic; but the ride itself is over so quickly. Why do you think it always has such a long line?

 

[wilkeliza]

It has a long wait because the boats only fit so many and it is slow loading and slow moving.

 

[DisneyHardin]

It's a nice family ride that is a fairly slow loader.

 

[bryanb]

I am fresh back from a weekend trip and thinking about things at the parks. One is PPF...I love the ride, mainly because it's nostalgic for me. I did not get to ride it this time, we used our fast passes for other attractions, and the wait time was 60-75 minutes all day. And while I do love it, I'm not willing to wait that long for it.

So now I'm wondering, why doesn't it always have such a long wait? It's not a thrill ride, it's not the latest thing to be added, nor does it have new technology. For me it's nostalgic; but the ride itself is over so quickly. Why do you think it always has such a long line?

In addition to being a very popular attraction, it has a very low operating capacity. It can only load 1-3 people into each vehicle. It loads one row at a time and dispatches at a slow rate. It can serve approximately 700-800 guests per hour.

For comparison, a ride like Pirates of the Caribbean loads 6 or 12 rows at a time, with up to 4 people per row. It can theoretically serve over 3000 people per hour, so that line can move 400% as fast.

 

[Klayfish]

In addition to being a very popular attraction, it has a very low operating capacity. It can only load 1-3 people into each vehicle. It loads one row at a time and dispatches at a slow rate. It can serve approximately 700-800 guests per hour.

For comparison, a ride like Pirates of the Caribbean loads 6 or 12 rows at a time, with up to 4 people per row. It can theoretically serve over 3000 people per hour, so that line can move 400% as fast.

Well, maybe they could speed up the ride 400%. Sure would make it a thrill ride...and an adventure trying to load!

 

[maltdizzy]

The suspended flying pirate ships are pretty unique among dark rides, so it's a neat experience, especially with the large preservative diorama of London. It is usually one of the big favorites for small kids and creates a huge nostalgia factor as an adult (I remember loving this ride in the '70's).

Is it worth 60+ minutes in line? Not to me. We do allot a FP+ for it though.

 

[scrapquitler]

Because there are not that many boats, each boat only holds a couple people, and the boats fly slowly. It's simply a matter of capacity. I think I've read that Peter Pan has the smallest per hour ride capacity.

 

[scard192]

and I would guess it's "must do" classic WDW ride. I have to do PP, IASW, Carousel, every trip no matter how many times I have done it in the past.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I get that it's slow loading and low capacity but my last trip in 2012 waits were 10 minutes even around 10am. The ships haven't changed. They still hold the same amount of people and load just as slowly back then as they do now and I never waited 60+ minutes. We rode at least 3 times. Never waited more than 20 min. Like the OP, I am also wondering how over the last few years, this attraction has suddenly become so much more popular. Maybe the new queue? Fastpass skips the queue so maybe more people want to wait standby to see it.

 

[FSU Girl]

I get that it's slow loading and low capacity but my last trip in 2012 waits were 10 minutes even around 10am. The ships haven't changed. They still hold the same amount of people and load just as slowly back then as they do now and I never waited 60+ minutes. We rode at last 3 times. Never waited more than 20 min. Like the OP, I am also wondering how over the last few years, this attraction has suddenly become so much more popular. Maybe the new queue? Fastpass skips the queue so maybe more people want to wait standby to see it.

I don't think the long waits are new. When I was two I wanted to go on this because it was my favorite movie, but the wait was 2 hours and my dad wasn't willing to wait that long. Apparently I had a full on child meltdown and had to be carried out of the park because I was so sad not to ride. So now I always make a point of going on it whenever I go to the park

 

[JerseyJanice]

The first trip that I can remember the lines being crazy for Peter Pan was in 2002. The lines have been crazy ever since then.

I love the ride and go for it first thing in the AM, or I Fastpass it.

 

[DWillowBay]

2 - 3 per boat. Limited number of boats. Slow loading ride. Many, many people.

 

[mesaboy2]

Yeah, pretty simple really: low capacity, wide appeal, no height requirement. Whoever saw short waits on their visit years ago saw an anomaly, its had long waits for decades and probably always will.

 

[chartle]

Yes any post about Peter Pan has always included a question on why such a long wait. Been that way since I joined 9 years ago.

 

[SimonSez]

I am fresh back from a weekend trip and thinking about things at the parks. One is PPF...I love the ride, mainly because it's nostalgic for me. I did not get to ride it this time, we used our fast passes for other attractions, and the wait time was 60-75 minutes all day. And while I do love it, I'm not willing to wait that long for it.

So now I'm wondering, why doesn't it always have such a long wait? It's not a thrill ride, it's not the latest thing to be added, nor does it have new technology. For me it's nostalgic; but the ride itself is over so quickly. Why do you think it always has such a long line?

Good question. I like it too, but this is something I've wondered about in the past Edit to add, after reading responses, all that makes sense

 

[Legendteri]

I also went in 2012 and I remember the lines being long as everyone warned me they would. I remember rushing there in the morning to get a fastpass and that is the only way we were able to ride it.

 

[Stephanie HD]

I agree, for me PPF is a nice ride but not worth that wait. Since we are bringing our daughter to MK for the first time, we are going straight to PPF at rope drop so that we can save our FPs for other attractions. If we didn't plan on that ride first thing in the AM, we would probably skip it since we've done it multiple times.

 

[bobbiwoz]

It was our oldest son's favorite ride in the 1980's, so now DH & I go on it and remember those long ago times. Our other son loved Figment, so we do that ride a lot, too!

We usually FP it. Once with our DGC, we did not have a FP, and two waited with us for over an hour without complaining.

 

[Nettester]

Well, at least the updated que is pretty cool! Got to see that for the first time this year

 

[MrsDuck]

It's classic and everyone can ride. Not to mention speed of ride and load time!