Oct 10, 20205 min read

Fluffy versus Flight of Passage

For some it's one of Disney's best guest experiences, and for others it can be the worst, most mortifying experience. We're talking about Flight of Passage.

It's no secret that we are HUGE fans of Flight of Passage. The first time I rode it, I left the attraction in happy tears just overwhelmed with emotion. Yes, I'm a bit of a sap. But also just when I think Disney can't "plus" anything any more than they have, they do something like put you on a breathing creature and fly you through a gorgeous 3-D landscape. So, yeah, I was overwhelmed.

But before I rode, I was scared. I had heard the stories about people of a certain size being turned away because the ride's "seat" won't secure around people of a certain size. People literally wait in line for hours to ride the ride, only to fail to hear the final click that indicates they are secure. Then, a Cast Member politely asks them to leave, and they do the walk of shame sometimes through several ride bays just because they are overweight.

So, what's going on here?

Photo copyright Disney

The Flight of Passage Ride Vehicle

The ride vehicle or seat for Flight of Passage (neither is quite the right term in my opinion) is certainly unique for Walt Disney World. One straddles it like a motorcycle. But then one is restrained into the seat in three places. And trust me, if you've ever looked around you other than at the screen when riding Flight of Passage, you'll be glad you're secured. Once the experience starts, the floor "drops away" from the vehicles and they are thrust out into a multi-story theater. You might be suspended 4 stories high, basically. But don't worry.... you would never notice it if you didn't look around. (We like ride mechanics so we always look around)

The restraints come up and secure you in the small of your back and behind your calves. They will click once when they automatically activate, and they might feel snug already. But then a Cast Member comes by and will push on the restraints, especially the one in the small of your back. It needs to click AGAIN a notch tighter when the Cast Member pushes on it. By this time, it's going to feel VERY snug.

If it doesn't click, it's walk of shame time.

It's Not Shameful to Be Overweight

We're calling it the "walk of shame" because that's how we would feel if we had to do it. But we want to be clear, it's not shameful to be overweight or obese. Humans come in all shapes and sizes. Humans have all sorts of reasons we might not be as skinny as others, and some of those reasons are beyond our control or at least at the very edge of our control.

And Cast Members hate asking a guest to leave this ride. Some have taken to keeping notes of how many guests they have to ask to leave because the restraints won't click for them in hopes of presenting this to Disney so that Disney redesigns the ride vehicle to accommodate guests of a certain size.

And it's not only guests of a certain size who are turned away (though they are the ones most often taken by surprise). Guests who use a motorized vehicle, or are on crutches, or who simply can't sit in the position of straddling the ride vehicle cannot ride... which is something almost unheard of in Disney parks up until Flight of Passage came on the scene. Disney almost always has a way to accommodate guests of any ability, so it is truly unusual that many guests simply can't experience Flight of Passage.

Ladies, Listen Up!

Here's something else that can get in the way if you don't know what you are doing when you get on the ride vehicle: your breasts! If you have a larger chest, you are going to want to sit as tall as you can so that your breasts are above the front of the ride vehicle. If you slouch or try to squash things in against the front of the ride vehicle, your breasts will add to your girth when the back restraint comes up, and it might not click. So... sit tall... breasts above the front of the vehicle if possible.

Photo copyright Disney

Strategies

We're going to come right out and say it. We're not just overweight, we're obese. We might be physically fit to handle walking 10 or more miles a day at Walt Disney World or riding any other ride, but this one scared us. So we did our research, and these are the strategies that worked for us:

Sit tall - as mentioned above, sit straight.
Sit forward - as you get on that ride vehicle, scooch yourself forward so that the front is against your belly. Really become one with the vehicle.
Slide your legs forward - There are actually restraints in the front and back of your legs, but the back ones don't engage until everyone has been seated. Slide your legs up so that they are flat against the front restraints. Try to avoid any angle... the flatter the shins of your legs are against the front of the restraint, the better.
Use the test seat - There is a test seat at the entrance to the ride, so if you are really concerned, take a moment and get on that test seat. See how snugly you can press against the front. You want basically everything forward - butt, belly, calves and knees, and breasts high if applicable. This could at least save you a wait if the test seat doesn't work out.
Don't mosey - You don't have to rush like a madman or anything, but don't dilly-dally getting into the theater, putting your stuff in the storage, and getting onto the seat. The less time a Cast Member has to adjust your seat before the ride starts, the less likely they are to try a few times and really try to get it to click. So give them plenty of time by being ready and in your seat well before the ride starts.

We love Flight of Passage. If we could use every Fastpass on Flight of Passage, we would. We even considered always making Fastpasses for Animal Kingdom every single day and starting our day with Flight of Passage (and two early Fastpasses that would expire quickly) and then trying our luck for other rides. That's how much we love it. So we sincerely hope that with these tips you will get the chance to experience it as well.

And remember...

Have you had an experience with Flight of Passage? Do you have other tips you would share for riders of a certain size? Share it in the comments or come on over to our Facebook page where you can comment on this week's post. Follow us on Facebook to see when we post new blogs. Until then...