There's just something about Peter Pan's Flight.
Despite its short right time, and being mostly the same as a 1955 dark ride, it inspires massive lines, and a legion of fans who defend it as one of the greatest attractions in the park. Despite all the technology at so many attractions since, the simple dark room dioramas of Peter Pan are incredibly important and beloved.
I just have to admit here that I don't get it. I won't be able to write a loving soliloquy on what makes the ride so great, because I don't fully understand what makes it great.
This placement is a concession. This is somewhere in the middle between where I would have put Peter Pan's Flight and where I know people want to put Peter Pan's Flight. This is my recognition that while it is nowhere near my favorite attraction, it is quite obviously an important attraction. Too many people have gushed to me about how much they love it, and I've spent too much time seeing it rank highly in message board polls, or walked by too many long lines to not know that. It belongs on this list, I just won't be great at articulating why.
Perhaps it's the way the boats do something you don't expect from a dark ride, suspending you from the ceiling and taking you past the show scenes for a sense of flight.
Perhaps it's that first moment where your boat is removed from the track on the ground and you lift up through a window. You know it's coming, and the ride is ancient, but it still manages to feel like it shouldn't happen.
Perhaps it's the way the ride really sells that feeling, but whipping you over the streets of London at night. To be absolutely clear, I 100% do understand why y'all love this, and it's one of the best show scenes at any attraction in any part in any timeline. It works not because of the suspension of disbelief, but because it's very clearly a giant model. That itself is impressive: just look at all those buildings and all that detail they put into that! The black light on the River Thames, and the lights of the buildings and the cars zipping down the street is just gorgeous, and I could live in it.
Perhaps it's the iconic shadows crossing the moon, another simple effect that you know how it's accomplished, but don't in any way care.
Perhaps it's meandering around the islands of Never Neverland, a collection of tiny scenes as part of a larger show room, like some kind of Banjo-Kazooie stage. The colors against the black light are impressive.
Perhaps it's because Walt Disney World realized not including Peter Pan in Peter Pan's Flight was confusing, so you see his fight with Captain Hook, at the end, then watch him sail the ship back home.
Perhaps it's the excellent sight gag of Captain Hook doing the splits in a crocodile mouth recreated in three dimensions.
Perhaps it's the ear-worm version of the sleepy, tropical arrangement of "You Can Fly" playing in the load zone, or being able to watch from the pathway as boats sail past just over the heads of the crowd, with a gorgeous mural in the backdrop.
To be clear, I do love Peter Pan, I'm always a sucker for riding around through black-lit show scenes. I just don't know why you love it so much, and that's okay.
Whatever the reason, there's clearly a reason you love it. Peter Pan's Flight may have affected more imaginations than anything else on this list, as an opening day attraction with few things to be afraid of. It is an unequivocal success for a 50 year old attraction to continue enjoying the popularity it does, and there is no doubt here, just an admission of not being part of the cool crowd.
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