| Soarin' | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Disney California Adventure | |
| Name | Soarin' Over California[1] |
| Area | Grizzly Peak |
| Coordinates | 33°48′30″N117°55′12″W / 33.80837°N 117.92000°W /33.80837; -117.92000 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | February 8, 2001 (Soarin' Over California) June 17, 2016 (Soarin' Around the World) |
| Closing date | June 15, 2016 (Soarin' Over California)[a] |
 Lightning Lane Available | |
| Epcot | |
| Name | Soarin' Around the World[2] |
| Area | Future World (The Land pavilion) (2005–2021) World Nature (The Land pavilion) (2021–) |
| Coordinates | 28°22′21.66″N81°33′9.43″W / 28.3726833°N 81.5526194°W /28.3726833; -81.5526194 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 5, 2005 (Soarin' Over California) June 17, 2016 (Soarin' Around the World) |
| Closing date | January 4, 2016 (Soarin' Over California)[b] |
| Replaced | Food Rocks (1994–2004) (Future World) |
| Lightning Lane Available | |
| Shanghai Disneyland Park | |
| Name | Soaring Over the Horizon 翱翔•飞越地平线 |
| Area | Adventure Isle |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | June 16, 2016 |
 Disney Premier Access Available | |
| Tokyo DisneySea | |
| Name | Soaring: Fantastic Flight |
| Area | Mediterranean Harbor |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | July 23, 2019 |
| Disney Premier Access Available | |
| Ride statistics | |
| Attraction type | Flying Theatersimulator ride |
| Manufacturer | Dynamic Structures |
| Designer | Walt Disney Imagineering |
| Theme | Flight |
| Music | Bruce Broughton, based on a score byJerry Goldsmith |
| Height | 80 ft (24 m) |
| Vehicle type | Hang glider simulator /flying theater |
| Vehicles | 6 in two theaters (California, Shanghai) 9 in three theaters (Florida) (formerly 6 until 2016) |
| Riders per vehicle | Alpha 27, Bravo 33, Charlie 27 |
| Rows | 3 |
| Participants per group | 87 per theater |
| Duration | 4:51 |
| Height restriction | 40 in (102 cm) |
| Host | Patrick Warburton |
| Sponsor | Nestlé (Florida; 2005–2009) |
 Must transfer from wheelchair | |
 Closed captioning available | |
Soarin', also known asSoarin' Over California,Soarin' Around the World,Soaring Over the Horizon andSoaring: Fantastic Flight, is aflightmotion simulator attraction atDisney California Adventure,Epcot,Shanghai Disneyland, andTokyo DisneySea. It employs a mechanical lift system, a projected presentation on an 80 ft (24 m) concave 180-degree dome screen, and artificial scents and wind to simulate ahang gliding flight over locations in six of the world's continents.[3][4] Many consider it the firstflying theater.
The attraction's first iteration,Soarin' Over California, was an opening-day attraction at Disney California Adventure on February 8, 2001. It took guests over several locations in California and included a pre-show on the history of California's aviation industry. It was also installed at Epcot inWalt Disney World asSoarin' in 2005.
The current global version of the ride debuted atShanghai Disneyland Park asSoaring Over the Horizon on June 16, 2016. The American versions were also replaced with the new film asSoarin' Around the World on June 17.[5][6] A fourth attraction,Soaring: Fantastic Flight, opened atTokyo DisneySea on July 23, 2019.[7] After an initial limited return engagement in the summer of 2019, the originalSoarin' Over California has since returned to the California park annually as part of the park'sFood & Wine Festival during the spring season.[8]
Soarin' was first conceptualized in 1996 asUltra Flight, a name that can still be seen on the tower consoles of the California Adventure attraction. It was to feature anOMNIMAX screen with an inverted track, allowing guests to fly over California's landmarks. It was to have three load levels, with a system operating on a horizontal cable, much like a dry cleaner's rack. The plan was abandoned when it was determined that the design's construction and labor costs would be prohibitive. It seemed thatSoarin' wouldn't become a reality until engineer Mark Sumner developed a different idea for the ride vehicles, using anErector Set and string to create a working model. The new design allowed Disney to efficiently load guests on one level instead of three, significantly cutting its building costs.
Each ride vehicle consists of three rows of seats under a wing-like canopy, with a capacity of 87 guests. After guests have been safely restrained in the vehicle with standard lap belts, the canopy descends slightly and acantilever system lifts the chairs forward and into the air with the guests' feet dangling freely. The vehicle is lifted forward so that guests look into a large, concave movie screen onto which aerial views are projected. The original film's scenes were shot at anIMAX HD frame rate of 48 frames per second, twice the conventional rate of regular films. The vehicle is moved forward toward the center of the dome so guests can see only the projected images and experience the sensation of flight. The ride structure contains about one million pounds (454,000 kg) of steel; 37 tons (33.5 metric tonnes) are lifted during each ride cycle.
To enhance the illusion, subtle vertical movements of the seats are synchronized to the film. Sensations of horizontal motion are created with a combination of vertical carriage movement and turning the image on the screen. Scents complementing the scenes are also injected into the air streams blowing on riders. When it opened, the scent was only present during theRedwood Creek scene and theValencia Orange Farms scene. In the updated show, scents include rose blossoms in the Taj Mahal scene, grass in the Africa scene, and a sea breeze in the South Pacific scene.[3][9]
Soarin' Around the World is in the Grizzly Peak Airfield section ofDisney California Adventure at theDisneyland Resort. One of the resort's most popular attractions, it utilizes the park's Lightning Lane Multi-Pass system, allowing guests to reserve specific ride times to avoid long queues.
While in line, guests pass the Wings of Fame, an homage to California's aviation history, including profiles of theP-51 Mustang,SR-71 Blackbird, andBell X-1. There is also a section dedicated to aviators such asJohn J. Montgomery,Amelia Earhart,Jimmy Doolittle,Charles Lindbergh,Jack Northrop, theWright brothers,Howard Hughes,Jacqueline Cochran,Kelly Johnson,Paul MacCready, andChuck Yeager. Inspirational music from a variety of aviation-related films is played in the queue areas, includingPatton,MacArthur,Air Force One,The Blue Max,Explorers (all byJerry Goldsmith),The American President (byMarc Shaiman),DragonHeart,Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story,Angels in the Outfield (1994) (both byRandy Edelman),The Last Starfighter (byCraig Safan),Apollo 13, andThe Rocketeer (both byJames Horner),Always (byJohn Williams) and theHBO miniseriesBand of Brothers (byMichael Kamen).The Air Force Song and "Jupiter" fromGustav Holst's orchestral suiteThe Planets are also heard, based on their use inThe Right Stuff.
Before entering the theater area, guests are placed in one of three preshow areas, called Alpha Gate, Bravo Gate, and Charlie Gate (named for the first three letters of theNATO phonetic alphabet). Just before boarding, guests see a pre-boarding video hosted by their chief flight attendant,Patrick Warburton.[3]
The attraction opened with the park in 2001 asSoarin' Over California in what was then the park's Condor Flats area. In early 2015, it closed for refurbishment as the surrounding area was transformed into Grizzly Peak Airfield. It reopened on May 15, 2015, with new exterior theming and updates to its screen and projection system.[10][11][12][13] It now utilizes a laser illuminated digital projection array, replacing its original IMAX systems.[14] Several exterior changes include the replacement of the mock-upRS-25 rocket engine with afire lookout tower.
From January to March 2016, the attraction intermittently operated asSoarin' Over California to prepare for the introduction of theSoarin' Around the World ride film. The original film was shown until June 16, when the attraction was closed to prepare for the new film's debut on June 17.[15][16]
SinceSoarin' Around the World's opening on June 17, 2016, visitors to Disney California Adventure are usually able to findSoarin' Around the World' playing. However, on various occasions, Disney has brought back the originalSoarin' Over California for return engagements.
The first was on May 23, 2019, Disney announced thatSoarin' Over California would temporarily return to the park for the month of June, following the opening ofStar Wars: Galaxy's Edge atDisneyland Park on May 31.[17][18] On June 21, they announced that the limited return had been extended to August 31, 2019, due to popular demand.
On February 28, 2020, the California version of the ride returned to California Adventure for theDisney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival.[19] The limited engagement was scheduled to run through April 21, but ended prematurely when the resort began its extended closure due to theCOVID-19 pandemic on March 13.[20] When the resort reopened on April 30, 2021, "Soarin' Around the World" was being shown. The following year, the California version began its annual temporary return for the duration of the Food & Wine Festival.
The attraction was duplicated, simply asSoarin', and officially opened inside "The Land" pavilion atEpcot inWalt Disney World on May 5, 2005, along withLights, Motors, Action!: Extreme Stunt Show atDisney's Hollywood Studios as part of theHappiest Celebration on Earth festival. Unlike the Disney California Adventure version, the show had guests taking flightsto California. The concept was reinforced with theming of guests being loaded into "gates", with airport-themed spiels referring to "Flight 5505", an homage to the attraction's opening day. Cast members wear costumes resembling flight attendant uniforms, whereas the California version wear airfield crew uniforms.
The Epcot queue originally had pictures of natural wonders from around the world, not just California. It utilized a new infrared technology that allows guests to participate in interactive games. In 2009, this interactive technology appeared in theMagic Kingdom as part of a seven-month overhaul ofSpace Mountain. These interactive games were replaced with theSoarin' Challenge, a team-based game of trivia with questions pertaining to geography, landmarks, and cultures. Guests utilize displays throughout the queue and the companionPlay Disney Parks smartphone app to join one of four colored teams (red, purple, yellow, and green) and help their team achieve the highest score by answering questions correctly and quickly.[21]
The attraction closed for refurbishment on January 4, 2016, and was originally slated to reopen on June 17, with a third theater to coincide with the release of the newSoarin' Around the World film.[22][23] The ride reopened with the original film on May 27, and the change to the new film occurred on June 17, 2016.[15][24]
Disney announced thatSoarin' Over California would temporarily return in the park on September 22, 2023, as part ofDisney 100 Years of Wonder celebration.[25] This return run ended February 27, 2024 andSoarin' Around the World returned.
The park would undergo massive construction starting in 2019, making the ending with a flyover of the Fountain of Nations at EPCOT, which has since been turned into World Celebration's park-like central area, outdated, with the Fountain View building and the Mouse Gear shop, which closed in November 2019 and January 2020 respectively, among other former signage and buildings, all being prominently visible in the film. On November 20, 2024, an updated ending film debuted that reflected the changes in appearance, in addition to reframing the Eiffel Tower scene, which had become popular for its curvature in most seats.[26]
The attraction was retooled asSoaring Over the Horizon forShanghai Disneyland Park. It was not part of the park's original plan, but was added to it afterWalt Disney Imagineering began developing similar attractions for the U.S. parks.[27] Located in the park's Adventure Isle area, it opened with the park on June 16, 2016.
Embedded in the Adventure Isle setting, the attraction is presented as an ancient observatory and temple to the Arbori tribe's Condor god.[28] The preshow and safety spiel are hosted by a shaman of the tribe who grants guests the ability of flight, but has trouble controlling her own shapeshifting abilities.[29]
On April 27, 2016,Tokyo Disney Resort announced a number of coming attractions forTokyo Disneyland andTokyo DisneySea parks,[7] including a proposed version ofSoarin' (titledSoaring: Fantastic Flight) to be in the Mediterranean Harbor section of Tokyo DisneySea.[7] The announcement said this version would have a different theme, with ride vehicles designed asRenaissance-era Dream Flyers created by aviator and Society of Explorers and Adventurers member Camellia Falco. It opened on July 23, 2019.
In this version of the attraction, rather than an aviation terminal, it is set in the Museum of Fantastic Flight, which is hosting a retrospective on the life of Camellia Falco. Her spirit takes guests to see some of her Dream Flyer gliders, and invites them on a flight of fantasy around the world. (Falco's name was first seen by guests atDisneyland's Tropical Hideaway restaurant as one of the names on a series of oars belonging to members of the Society.)[30]
Two other differences can be seen in this version of the film: The Paris scene is replaced with Tokyo at sunset, withMount Fuji in the background; and the finale is a flight over Tokyo DisneySea.
The original ride film, which lasts four minutes and 51 seconds, takes guests on a simulated hang-glider tour of California. Appropriate scents (citrus, pine, sagebrush, ocean mist) fill the air as the ride vehicles move gently to simulate the sensations of flight. In addition to the state's various landscapes, it also highlights its diverse recreation, includingsnow skiing, riverrafting,kayaking,golf,horseback riding,hot air ballooning,surfing, andhang gliding. Its locations are:
The originalSoarin' Over California ride film at both Disney California Adventure and Epcot has an orchestral score byJerry Goldsmith, who is said to have come down from his first ride in tears. In addition to finding it visually beautiful and magical, he said that his father was a pilot who loved all things Californian. "I'd do anything to be part of this project," Goldsmith said. "I'd even score the film for free."[31] His soundtrack plays during the entire attraction, starting with a crescendo in the lowstrings while the screen is still dark. Numerous variations of a serene theme forhorn and strings are heard, and several statements of a fanfare accompanies the grandest vistas. The original ride score was included onDisneyland Resort and Walt Disney World official albums, includingWalt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Disneyland. It continues to be heard as ambient music in the Disneyland Resort Esplanade and Epcot's entrance plaza.
An updated version of theSoarin' attraction debuted at theAdventure Isle section ofShanghai Disneyland Park asSoaring Over the Horizon on June 16, 2016.[32][33] On August 15, 2015, at theD23 Expo, it was announced that the attractions at Epcot and Disney California Adventure would debut versions of the newSoaring Over the Horizon ride film, titledSoarin' Around the World, featuring locations, landscapes and landmarks across six continents.[34][35] Unlike the original film, the updated version heavily utilizescomputer generated imagery, including animated transitions between scenes, such as close encounters with aseaplane, akite, and aneagle.[3] The updated attractions opened on June 17, 2016, at Disney California Adventure and Epcot, along with a third theater for the latter location.[5][23][36] The film's locations are:[3]
Soarin' Around the World andSoaring Over the Horizon received a new score byBruce Broughton, heavily based on Goldsmith's original score,[4] and performed by the London Studio Orchestra.[37]
All versions (except the Disney California version & Shanghai Disneyland version) have their home park flyover set as the grand finale.
According to Scholz, advances in laser illumination technology allowed Disney to upgrade the projectors without a sacrifice in the quality of the show.
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| World Discovery | ||
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| World Showcase | ||
| Annual events | ||
| Other | ||
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