Animal Kingdom’s Flight of Passage Is Not Accessible

Written by Mariann Bell Posted July 26th, 2024

I love Animal Kingdom, and I love the theming for Pandora. Flight of Passage is very well done, but it’s one of the least accessible rides at Walt Disney World. This applies to individuals with physical challenges and those with invisible disabilities like autism.

Challenge: Transferring and Sensory Input

There isn’t an ADA ride vehicle option for Flight of Passage. Respectfully, I believe Disney should revisit this decision. Guests must transfer to an individual ride vehicle by swinging one leg completely over the seat and leaning over to grasp the handles. Fortunately, there is a test ride vehicle before the line queue to test if it’s a reasonable and comfortable transfer.

The ride has a chest rest, leg restraint, and back restraint. It’s perfectly safe, and it’s a fun 3D ride designed to make you feel like a solo rider. It’s just not accessible, both physically and for some guests with sensory challenges. You need 3D glasses to see the show, and the ride vehicle also moves. If your loved one will not keep their 3D glasses on consistently, they will also need to process the visual input of a distorted screen. That’s an overwhelming amount of sensory input.

Scene from Flight of Passage in Disney's Animal Kingdom

Noah hasn’t been able to enjoy this ride yet. He needs the comfort of grabbing one of us, and the ride vehicles are too far apart for this. He’ll also rarely keep 3D glasses on because he doesn’t like jump scares. A few other rides in the Disney World parks are also challenging. Flight of Passage bothers me the most simply because it doesn’t have to be inaccessible. The concerns I’ve mentioned could be easily solved by adding an ADA ride vehicle with a lap bar.

Solution: Child Swap

How do you ride Flight of Passage if you’re traveling with an individual who won’t be able to enjoy it? Use the child swap feature. Child swap can also be used for adults. We tell the Cast Member at the front of the line that we will need to swap. There’s a convenient, dedicated area to wait while one person rides, and it’s a very easy process!

While Flight of Passage is enjoyable, it’s not accessible for individuals with physical or sensory challenges. If there are people in your party who would like to ride who do not have these challenges, use the “child” swap. My family usually skips it.