Flik’s Flyers

October 2002 – September 2018

LOCATION

A Bug’s Land – There were three different ways to get to the Flyers: from Pacific Wharf, from Hollywood Land, or from Cars Land. If you were coming from Pacific Wharf, follow the main path and keep left at the fork, and you’d see the Flyers straight ahead. Those coming from Hollywood Land would see the Flyers on their immediate right. And from Cars Land, keep to the right and you’d see the Flyers straight ahead, across from the Princess Dot Puddle Park.

BACKGROUND

Flik’s Flyers were the centerpiece of the area known as “Flik’s Fun Fair”, or the back end of A Bug’s Land that housed most of the rides. The Flyers operated like Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Astro Orbitor, circling around a central tower and providing guests with panoramic views of the land. For the land’s entire run, the Flik’s Flyers was one of its most popular attractions, and its central location made it easily accessible from Hollywood Land, Cars Land, or Pacific Wharf.

EXPERIENCE

Riders loaded into Flik’s homemade flyers for an adventure above A Bug’s Land. The vehicles circled around the pie plate in the center, offering views of  Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train and the rear of A Bug’s Land. For two minutes, riders floated in the balloon cars, built by Flik himself, before landing safely back on the ground.

CLOSURE

When the Tower of Terror closed to become a Guardians of the Galaxy attraction, the days of A Bug’s Land were numbered. Finally, in early 2018, Disneyland confirmed the land would close at the end of the summer season, to make room for a new Marvel themed land. Flik’s Flyers, and the rest of A Bug’s Land, closed for good in September 2018.

TRIVIA

My original rating: Flik’s Flyers is my favorite ride in A Bug’s Land. Although the views are somewhat limited, due to a Bug’s Land’s high brush, you can see the Tower of Terror and a lot of the detail within A Bug’s Land itself during your ride. The cars themselves are also really cool; the “balloons” that pull you up into the sky are leaves tied together with twigs. Whether you’re just passing through A Bug’s Land or exploring all it has to offer, I’d definitely stop to check out the Flyers if you can. (★★★★☆)

Every piece of the Flyers could be found somewhere in A Bug’s Life, from the leaf balloons to the paper airplane sign.

The Flyers were the largest separate ride vehicles in A Bug’s Land, with each box holding up to 4 people.

One of the cars was made from a “Casey Jr. Cookies” box, which is a reference to Casey Jr. from Dumbo.