Despite being an opening attraction at Magic Kingdom that uses comparatively old technology, few lines at Disney World are as long as those at Peter Pan’s Flight on any given day. The attraction takes the classic dark ride concept and turns it on its head by using an elevated track so the vehicles appear to fly through the air like Peter Pan. Fans will be happy to hear that it reopened today after being closed for refurbishment, but those who use it will notice that a significant change has been made.
Attractions Magazine announced that the scene in the Neverland Tribe and Tiger Lily attraction has been reworked. In the previous scene, the tribe sat around a campfire with serious expressions while some members beat drums.
In the new version, Tiger Lily and her great-grandmother are seen at the tribe’s Thanksgiving feast. The two women dance, which is achieved by placing the figures on a rotating plate.
This is the latest step in Disney Experiences’ systematic effort to update older attractions to better reflect modern cultural demands. Splash Mountain was completely redesigned and rethemed as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The World Famous Jungle Cruise also underwent major changes, removing African tribal characters and the “headhunter” Trader Sam.
Both changes were met with varying degrees of outcry from fans. Whenever parks change, which happens frequently, some are upset. In the case of Splash Mountain in particular, there were many very upset fans who are still angry even though the deal is done. The Magic Kingdom version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is already open. Last weekend at D23, it was also announced that the Disneyland version will open in November.
The depiction of the Native American-inspired characters in Peter Pan has been a controversial topic for some time. The fact that Disney World is now calling them the “Never Land Tribe” is particularly telling considering Peter Pan In the film, they are referred to as “Injuns.” If you watch the film today on Disney+, you’ll be confronted with a disclaimer before the film begins because of the insensitive portrayal of the characters. It’s no surprise at all that this change was made.
When such changes are made at one park, it’s only a matter of time before they are made at other parks with the same attraction. And that’s the case here. Disney has confirmed that the Disneyland and Disneyland Paris versions of Peter Pan’s Flight will receive similar updates, but no timeline for the changes was given.
