Pteranodon Flyers Question

[CaptHomer]

We were going to ride Pteranodon Flyers this morning and they said there was a maximum height and wouldn't let us on. My son was about 3 inches too tall. In the 6 or 7 times I have been here since 2003 this is the first time I have ever heard of them doing this. I don't think my son was ever measured before. When did this start?

 

[JAL2525]

I don't really understand the ride either...It looks like a pretty intense ride. I've been led to believe it is a kiddie ride with one parent or older sibbling. I'd like to know the rules for riding.

 

[rpbert1]

Not sure of the rules either, i always thought if you got their at opening you would have no problems riding. Saying that ,i went on it once, and have not bothered since, as i personally think its a waste of time queing for it.

 

[phamton]

The rule has been in place almost since park opening. During non-peak seasons, they usually lift the rule but during peak time it is enforced.

The ride was designed to be a kiddie ride. It is very slow loading and the lines can get extremely long, making it almost impossible for the little kids to ride. The rule is that you must have a child to accompany you so that the lines are more managable. Think of it this way..there are tons of rides at the parks that little kids can't ride since they aren't tall enough. This is one ride that the kids can ride that are too short for some of the other rides. The rule is to ensure that kids get a chance to ride it. Since it doesn't have a great ride capacity (load time and run time) as say the Mummy, the ride will often get up to 2 hours when the rule isn't in place.

Often if you get there at park opening or near park close, they will usually let you ride even if you don't have a young child with you.

 

[DOOM1001]

I've been to IOA probably a couple hundred times and I've only been on Pteranodon Flyers twice! We've probably asked to ride it 2 other times and were denied.However knowing that the line is at minimum 30 minutes long if the park is dead and possibly 2 hours if it's full and that the ride itself is like 20 seconds and not a big deal is enough to make me pass on it on most of my visits.Experiencing it once is enough.

 

[JAL2525]

With those reviews I think I'm glad I never rode it...

 

[Pinkpony]

We rode it back in 2002 when my kids were young enough to ride and I can't believe they consider this a kiddie ride...it's terrifying! We all rode the hulk and dueling dragons several times, but said no-thank-you to a second ride on the flyers.

 

[JAL2525]

We rode it back in 2002 when my kids were young enough to ride and I can't believe they consider this a kiddie ride...it's terrifying! We all rode the hulk and dueling dragons several times, but said no-thank-you to a second ride on the flyers.

I thought it looked pretty neat...kids were too old to ride.

 

[Metro West]

I've been to IOA probably a couple hundred times and I've only been on Pteranodon Flyers twice!

You have me beat...I've only been on it once and I have NO idea how many times I've been to IoA.

 

[carmiedog]

We were going to ride Pteranodon Flyers this morning and they said there was a maximum height and wouldn't let us on. My son was about 3 inches too tall. In the 6 or 7 times I have been here since 2003 this is the first time I have ever heard of them doing this. I don't think my son was ever measured before. When did this start?

So what IS the maximum height? My son will be 12 when we go, but he's a wimp for most thrill rides (won't even ride Goofy's Barnstormer!). Our local park Cedar Point will soon be worthless now that's he's getting too tall for some of his favorite little rides.

 

[CaptHomer]

So what IS the maximum height? My son will be 12 when we go, but he's a wimp for most thrill rides (won't even ride Goofy's Barnstormer!). Our local park Cedar Point will soon be worthless now that's he's getting too tall for some of his favorite little rides.

If he is 12 he is probably too tall. Mine is 11 and he was about 2 inches too tall.

 

[acarter73]

The park guide lists the height as 36-56 inches which I'm pretty sure means... you have to be over 36 inches to ride at all, between 36 and 56 inches to ride by yourself, and if you are over 56 inches you need to be accompanied by someone between 36 and 56 inches. They have a height stick at the front of the line with both heights marked.

My 8yo is a ride wimp and did not ride this, I think because it is up in the air. He prefers to be on the ground (he rode Storm Force 12 times in a row).

 

[faeriesblessme]

I too was very disappointed(and suprised)that it is considered a kiddee ride.My 17 year old pregnant daughter was finding it very hard to find anything that she could ride,and was very excited when she saw that ride and got excited about finally finding something she could possibly ride.I almost cried for her when she was told that she was not allowed to ride.It doesnt appear to be a kiddee ride at all.I dont think that I would ever take a child under five years old on that ride.You are not even in the same seat as your child.I think many small children would be terrified...

 

[deaditegal]

The ride is actually very much a children's ride, as there are a million and one complaints daily about how they expected it to be so much more. From ground level, yes, it does appear to me a bit more "intense", but in all reality, this ride's TOP speed is 15mph, and by top speed I mean when the breaks are wet and loose from rain...any other time we are drastically under. The ride also only lasts 80 seconds with 3 birds running at any given time. The only intense thing about this ride is that you're up in the air and you swing a little.


The previous post was correct, this rule was actually set in place at the time of the park even opening, it has ALWAYS been a children's ride. There are been changes over time, and it has reverted back to (and from here on out will continue to be) a ride for ONLY small children. For the sake of the wait time, we have an extremely small que that we can't extend, so when the wait gets to be over an hour, it isn't particularly fair to all the children (that the ride was designed for) because nine times out of ten their parents will refuse the wait. As of now, the ride is strictly only one adult, and one child under 56" in height from open to close.


...Uh, and little kids have a complete blast on the ride, it's usually those little ones that come back and re-ride time and time again. We have more problems with the PARENTS freaking out.