Why is Peter Pan's Flight so popular?

[ucfknight]

I loved it as a kid, and now my kids (7 and 5) love it. Kids are just fascinated with flying.
I know many others who really enjoy the ride.
When you combine the fun for kids with the nostalgia for adults with the extremely low hourly capacity, you get a really long line.

It is always automatically one of our 3 FP+ selections every time we go to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[OldSpiceGuy]

Wait, what? There is someone in a mouse suit in WDW?

You mean there is a person in the suit? You've ruined it for me. I always thought he was real! I kid.... I kid....

 

[ucfknight]

Wait, what? There is someone in a mouse suit in WDW?

I always thought it was a rat.
At least that's what Sam the Eagle told me.

 

[maggiew]

I enjoy it a lot more now that I have seen the ride layout in the One Man's Dream exhibit at Disney Hollywood Studios. It looks really cool.

Maggie

 

[Robo]

I always thought it was a rat.
At least that's what Sam the Eagle told me.

Different suit.
Different rodent.

 

[Reddog1134]

I was always of the opinion that the line made the line longer.

Someone that has never been on it sees a long line and thinks "That must be a really good ride to have such a long line. I must ride it, too!"

 

[tina.tina]

I was always of the opinion that the line made the line longer.

Someone that has never been on it sees a long line and thinks "That must be a really good ride to have such a long line. I must ride it, too!"

Maybe this is what happened when I went to FP TSMM at RD. The line was out the door by the time I got the FP. We were trying to decide whether to try to wait it out and hordes of people came pouring out the door. We had a 20 minute wait.

Maybe they just followed the herd coming from the gates and when they got in they thought "What, Toy Story? This is not for me!" It made us happy!

 

[Flight]

It is a charming ride that gives a birds eye view of that wonderful Peter Pan story. My favorite is flying over nighttime London.

A ride does not have to zip around and have loud noises and flashing flights to be a hit.

 

[johde]

And just think, in the 1970's you could ride it for a lowly "C Ticket" while Hall of Presidents was a coveted "E Ticket"

 

[sethschroeder]

I think most people who go the first time have it a must ride because its Peter Pan. You have the same "ride" but with a different theme and even though its slow loading you don't have any lines.

I will take it over Soarin until they update Soarin. Its a great little ride to get off your feet and I like the fact you "fly" above the scene instead of just sitting in a boat or car.

I could never wait 40+ mins for it but I will make a point of finding a time to ride this fall when we get back to MK.

 

[shalom]

Why is Peter Pan's Flight so popular? 'Cuz it's the best ride on the planet.

Okay, technically it's only in my top five. But for me it definitely provides a unique experience. The movement is very different from the boat rides or the roller coasters or the carnival rides.

That said, I would not wait an hour for it, or even a half hour. But I do prioritize it so I can get a ride with little wait every time I'm in the MK.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

We enjoy it. It is at the heart of being a kid, what Walt's heart was all about and what Disney was meant to be. Walt never intended for it to be a thrill park or similar to Universal Studios. Ride like this, Dumbo, Hunny Pots, Tea Cups, etc will always be special to people who understand Walt's vision for the Magic Kingdom. The wait is crazy, though.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Honestly we would not ride it if we didn't have fast passes . I would be pissed if I wasted half my day waiting in that line for 80 minutes and then the ride is literally like 2 minutes long lol. So we always got fast passes for it and this time I did reserve a FP+ for it bc my son is a huge Peter Pan fan lol

 

[fauntleroy53]

I ride it once every 12 years or so.
I'm 60......I suppose I could just sign off now with that being said,but,to me,it's the epitome of Walts' magical feeling he wanted to share.
It's the true,original Disney.
I also do really like that it "flys", making it different from most other rides. It's great having TOT, RocknRollerCoaster,etc., but we need a few rides like Peter Pan to stick around,so we can always have a link back to where it all began.
Yes, I do have a FP for DH & I for next week.....not a waste of a FP for us, but I can most definitely see it as a waste for those who prefer the popular thrill rides. It's nice to have options........

 

[fairestoneofall]

i love it. Peter Pan is one of my favorite movies. the ride is a classic.

but, i have a funny story. DD's first trip was when DH had a conference at WDW (she was three, so she doesn't remember much from that trip). when we went back on a real vacation, she was almost five. she picked PPF as her first ride. because we went into the park in the evening, we had to ride standby. i think it was about a 45-minute wait. we finally get through, ride it, and come around to the exit. she says, "That's it? we waited for THAT?"

of course, she enjoys it now, but we avoid the standby line.

 

[JimmyV]

There certainly is the element of nostalgia. When WDW first opened up, (and in the coming two or so years), there were certain rides that were completely different from anything you could find anywhere else. Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Hall of Presidents. There was nothing else like those anywhere in 1971-1980. So those of us who rode these rides back then fell instantly in love with them. As time marched forward, other amusement parks became more technologically advanced and much of what gets put into Disney's parks these days is on the same par and same scale as what you can find elsewhere, so there are few rides that sit way ahead of the curve the way PP did when it first opened. To be honest, if my first ride on PP came in, say, 2000, I would probably think of it the way I now think of Voyage of the Little Mermaid or Pooh, which is to say, I wouldn't give it a second thought. But PP gripped my heart in the early 70's and it won't let go.

 

[drstrangelove]

Exactly as stated above. Don't confuse long lines/waits with popularity.

I think its popular because the characters are popular with little boys and girls. My 8 and 6 year old LOVED it. We FP+'d it because they love it so much. We went on it three times during our recent week there. Some love it, some don;t, but those of us who love it are waiting on that line because we love it, not because we don;t know better. The line is added because its a slow loading ride with lower capacity than the floor tracks dark rides. The weight that 10 stacked cars would put on the track is too much, so there is more room between cars tahn on many other dark rides. But its a GREAT ride IMO!

 

[pens4821]

I rode it for the first time last week and enjoyed it. However, I wouldn't wait that long for it. It's just too short of a ride to wait for. I was shocked at how quickly it was over.

 

[kenshinelite]

Also both times I went it's been closed, it closes a lot so if it's open go go go!

 

[frozengurl]

I have to agree with OP! I like Peter Pan but the wait time is ridiculous for it and I never understood. We did not ride it our last 2 trips! However, my DD 3 is so into Peter Pan right now for some reason, she's been watching the movie over and over... So next trip it's going to be a must ride!