In this post we give an overview of Peter Pan’s Flight, a dark ride at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park in Walt Disney World. We cover the basics of the ride, how to ride it, and our thoughts on the experience before closing with an FAQ. Read on to learn more!
Related Posts
This post is a quick guide to Peter Pan’s Flight, but we have related content that dives deeper into topics. Our Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane post covers Lightning Lane strategy in depth. The Magic Kingdom Rides and Entertainment Guide gives brief introductions to all the park’s offerings. For putting together your day at the park, we have a One Day Plan for Magic Kingdom.
Peter Pan’s flight Basics
Peter Pan’s Flight is a dark ride at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The ride
does not offer rider switch
is a Tier 1 ride on Lightning Lane Multi Pass
does not have a single rider line
is a part of Early Entry at Magic Kingdom
is about 3 minutes long
If you’re visiting Magic Kingdom with small children Peter Pan’s Flight is universally considered a “must do”…with the caveat that maybe your kids will get a thrill out of “flying” above the scenes…or maybe they’re scared of heights. Additionally, some children may go through a phase where the dark rides scare them, though Peter Pan has never actually upset our little one.
Where is Peter pan’s Flight located?
Peter Pan’s Flight is located in the western portion of Fantasyland, opposite “it’s a small world.”
Entering the park, you’ll proceed directly through (or around) the castle and take a left at Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. “It’s a small world” will be on your right and Peter Pan’s Flight on your left.
If you’re riding it first at rope drop as part of Early Entry, you’ll queue with the guests heading into Fantasyland (along the right side of the castle, not the group heading into Tomorrowland). Follow the crowd, and most will go to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. You’ll go past that ride and past the carrousel to Peter Pan’s Flight.
How to Ride Peter Pan’s Flight
If you have Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Peter Pan’s Flight is one of three good picks for your initial Tier 1 pick (the other two are Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Jungle Cruise). Peter Pan’s Flight makes a ton of sense if you don’t have Early Entry since you won’t be able to ride it first thing in the morning. If you don’t book it with your initial pick, you might get lucky and grab it later on, but you’ll also want to consider riding it via standby.
Peter Pan’s Flight continues to astound with its long waits. If you have Early Entry, you’re probably either heading here or to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train first. If you don’t get onto Peter Pan’s Flight to start the day…there’s really no good news here. You’ll need to pick a time to wait for it. This is one that’s probably just going to take a chunk out of your day.
Like aNy Other Dark Ride—But You Can Fly
Peter Pan’s Flight is a “flying” dark ride through the scenes of Peter Pan. It’s a great dark ride, maybe even one of Disney’s best, and the experience of flying over the scenes adds a nice layer. Instead of being in a traditional on-the-ground dark ride vehicle, you’re in a flying pirate ship suspended from above.
What’s weird about Peter Pan’s Flight is that it’s so popular even though it doesn’t do anything special other than “fly.” It’s a fine dark ride—as good as Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh or Under the Sea—but it’s clearly a notch below, say, Haunted Mansion in my book.
I’m a sucker for simple effects. At Disneyland, there’s this $2 effect where the Evil Queen turns around and she’s her Witch form, and I friggin’ love it. I can’t think of a single notable effect in Peter Pan’s Flight.
And yet, I ride it…every time. Zoe loves it. So, there must be something there.
Peter Pan’s Flight FAQ
Why is Peter Pan’s Flight so popular?
Well, I don’t think it’s because the ride is that good. My guess is that Peter Pan’s Flight is popular because of two factors. The first factor is coincidence / system design. However Lighting Lanes / Genie+ / FastPass+ are designed contributes to the problem. There’s lot of variables at play in how these systems are designed, and whether it’s intentional or simply a quirk of the system, I think Peter Pan’s Flight winds up with outsized wait times. Related to this is that the ride doesn’t have a height requirement, and so appeals to more guests.
The second factor is a bit of self-fulfillment. Most any Disney planning site is going to tell you to prioritize Peter Pan’s Flight. For most of us, it’s not because we think it’s something special, but rather that we’re trying to get you on as many of the rides as possible and Peter Pan’s Flight—because of the factors mentioned above—requires special attention to fit in.
The ride is at least in the top half of the rides at the park, and if you can get on all of those with the right strategy (you can), we’re going to deliver that strategy. So we wind up telling everyone to prioritize this ride, which keeps it popular.
When did Peter Pan’s Flight open in Disney World?
Peter Pan’s Flight was not quite ready for opening day and debuted October 3, 1971, two days after Magic Kingdom opened.
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.
Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.