Soarin'

Soarin'
Disney California Adventure
Name Soarin' Over California
Area Grizzly Peak Airfield
Coordinates 33°48′30″N 117°55′12″W / 33.80837°N 117.92000°W / 33.80837; -117.92000
Status Operating
Opening date

February 8, 2001

June 17, 2016 (Soarin' Around the World, planned)[1]
Fastpass available
Single rider line available
Epcot
Name Soarin'
Area Future World (The Land pavilion)
Coordinates 28°22′21.66″N 81°33′9.43″W / 28.3726833°N 81.5526194°W / 28.3726833; -81.5526194
Status Under Refurbishment
Opening date

May 5, 2005 (Soarin')

June 17, 2016 (Soarin' Around the World, planned)[1]
Closing date January 4, 2016 (Soarin')
Replaced Food Rocks (1994-2004)
FastPass+ available
Shanghai Disneyland Park
Name Soaring Over the Horizon
翱翔•飞越地平线
Area Adventure Isle
Status Under construction
Opening date June 16, 2016
Fastpass planned
Tokyo DisneySea
Area Mediterranean Harbor
Status Announced
Opening date Planned 2019
Canada Place
Name Soarin' Over Canada
Status developing soon
Opening date November 23, 2022
Butlin's Minehead
Name Soarin' Around the horizon
Status developing soon
Opening date November 22, 2022
Burnley
Name Soarin' over the world
Area Turf Moor
Status developing soon
Opening date November 24, 2022
General statistics
Attraction type IMAX Dome HD with Laser Simulator ride
Manufacturer Dynamic Structures
Designer Walt Disney Imagineering
Music Jerry Goldsmith
Height 80 ft (24 m)
Vehicles

6 in two theaters (California, Shanghai)

9 in three theaters (Florida)
Riders per vehicle Alpha 27, Bravo 33, Charlie 27
Rows 3
Participants per group 87 per theater
Duration 4:51 (Soarin')
Height restriction 40 in (102 cm)
Host Patrick Warburton
Film speed 48 frames per second
Must transfer from wheelchair
Closed captioning available

Soarin' is a flight motion simulator attraction at Disney California Adventure and Epcot, with versions planned to open in Shanghai Disneyland in 2016 and Tokyo DisneySea in 2019. The ride employs a mechanical lift system, a 4K film presentation on a large concave OMNIMAX projection screen, and artificial scents and wind to simulate a hang gliding flight over several California locations.

The original attraction, known as Soarin' Over California, was an opening day attraction at Disney California Adventure on February 8, 2001. In addition to the main ride and film presentation, the attraction features a pre-show tribute to the history of California's aviation industry. Soarin' Over California has consistently been a popular attraction at the park despite its low attendance during its early years, and the ride was duplicated at Epcot as Soarin' in 2005. A new version of the ride, titled Soarin' Over the Horizon, is planned to debut with the Shanghai Disneyland park in Shanghai, China on June 16, 2016. The American versions will be replaced with a new global version film, Soarin Around the World, on the next day, June 17.[1][2] In April 2016, Tokyo DisneySea announced plans for its own version of Soarin' that will be located in its Mediterranean Harbor section of the park and is scheduled to open in the park's 2019 fiscal year.[3]

Ride design

Three rows of seating for the ride

Soarin' Over California was first conceptualized in 1996 as "Ultra Flight," a name which can still be seen on the tower consoles of the California Adventure attraction. It was to feature an OMNIMAX screen with an inverted track allowing guests to fly over California's landmarks. The attraction would have three load levels and the system would operate on a horizontal cable, much like a dry cleaner's rack. This plan was abandoned, however, when it was determined that the construction and labor costs for that design would be prohibitive. It seemed that Soarin' wouldn't become a reality until engineer Mark Sumner developed a different idea for the ride vehicles, using an Erector Set and string to create a working model. This design would allow Disney to efficiently load guests on one level instead of three, thus cutting construction and labor costs greatly.

Each ride vehicle consists of three rows of seats under a wing-like canopy, and has a capacity of 87 guests at a time. After guests have been safely restrained in the vehicle using standard lap belts, the canopy descends slightly and a cantilever 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 of California are projected. The scenes were shot with an IMAX HD frame rate - 48 frames per second, twice the conventional output for regular films. Since the vehicle is moved forward toward the center of the dome, guests can only see the images projected on the screen and experience the sensation of flight. The ride structure contains about one million pounds (454,000 kg) of steel, and 37 tons (33.5 metric tonnes) are lifted during each ride cycle.

To enhance the illusion of flight, subtle vertical movements of the seats are synchronized to the film. Sensations of horizontal motion are created using a combination of vertical carriage movement and turning the image on the screen. In addition, scents complementing the various scenes are injected into the air streams blowing on riders. These scents include lemon blossoms in the Camarillo lemon grove scene, the aroma of evergreens in the mountain scenes, and a sea breeze scent in the Monterey and Malibu scenes.

Versions

Soarin' Over California

Ride experience

The original ride film, which lasts about four minutes and 51 seconds, takes guests on a simulated hang glider tour of California. The locations visited are: Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Redwood Creek in Humboldt County, Napa Valley, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park (including Yosemite Falls and Half Dome), the PGA West Palmer Course in La Quinta (credited in the queue video presentation as Palm Springs), Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles, and Disneyland itself during the Christmas season. The last few scenes transition from daytime to dusk and then to night, culminating in Disneyland's Holiday fireworks surrounding the riders in the nighttime sky. In addition to the state's various landscapes, the ride also highlights its diverse recreation, including snow skiing, river rafting, kayaking, golf, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, surfing and of course, hang gliding. The USAF Thunderbirds and aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, are also featured. An original score by film composer Jerry Goldsmith accompanies the imagery, and appropriate scents (citrus, pine, sagebrush, ocean mist) fill the air as the ride vehicles themselves move gently to simulate the sensations of flight.

Soarin' Over California exterior as it appeared from 2001-2014 at Disney California Adventure.

Disney California Adventure

Soarin' Over California is located in the Grizzly Peak Airfield section of Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort. It is one of the most popular attractions in the resort and usually has wait times ranging from 30 to 150 minutes. However, the attraction is tied into the park's FASTPASS system, allowing guests the option of bypassing a long wait.

While waiting in line, guests pass the Wings of Fame, an homage to significant aircraft in the history of aviation in California. Some of these include the P-51 Mustang, SR-71 Blackbird, and the Bell X-1. There is also a section dedicated to individuals such as John J. Montgomery, Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, Jack Northrop, the Wright brothers, Howard Hughes, Jacqueline Cochran, Kelly Johnson, and Chuck Yeager.

Before entering the theater area, guests are placed in one of three preshow areas, called "Alpha Gate", "Bravo Gate", or "Charlie Gate," (named for the first three letters of the NATO phonetic alphabet). Just before boarding, guests watch a pre-boarding video hosted by their chief flight attendant, Patrick, portrayed by actor Patrick Warburton wearing the uniform of a first officer.

In early 2015 the attraction closed for refurbishment. It reopened May 15, 2015 with updates to its screen and projection system.[4][5][6][7] The attraction now features the IMAX Laser 4K projection system.[8] In addition to the projection system changes, several exterior changes occurred, including a replacement of the mock-up RS-25 rocket engine with a fire lookout tower.

From January to March 2016, Soarin' Over California is operating intermittently in order to prepare for the new Soarin' Around the World attraction.

Epcot

Queue decor inside Epcot's Soarin'

The attraction was duplicated, simply as Soarin', and officially opened inside "The Land" pavilion at Epcot in Walt Disney World on May 5, 2005. Unlike the Disney California Adventure version, the idea is that guests are taking flights to California, rather than already being there. This is further reinforced in the theming that you are loaded into "gates" and with airport-themed spiels which reference "Flight 5505", which is a homage to the opening day of the attraction. Its cast members wear costumes that resemble flight attendant costumes, whereas the California version uses airfield crew costumes.

The Epcot standby queue originally featured pictures of natural wonders from around the world, not just California. There is very little reference to the fact that the ride only features California. The queue currently utilizes a new infrared technology that allows guests to participate in interactive games. In 2009, this interactive game technology appeared in the Magic Kingdom as part of a seven-month overhaul of Space Mountain.

The attraction flew its final flight over California on January 3, 2016 and closed for refurbishment on January 4, 2016, slated to reopen on June 17, with a third theater to coincide with the release of the new Soarin' around the World ride film.[9][10]

Soaring Over the Horizon

An updated version of the Soarin' attraction was announced for the "Adventure Isle" section of Shanghai Disneyland, which is expected to open on June 16, 2016.[11] This version of the attraction will feature scenes of Shanghai, Beijing Olympic Green Circuit and the Great Wall of China, as well as landmarks from each continent and california including Monument Valley in Colorado, Puerto Madero Street Circuit in Buenos Aires, Sydney Harbor, Vancouver International Airport in Vancouver, the plains of Africa, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Redwood Creek in Humboldt County, Napa Valley, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park (including Yosemite Falls and Half Dome), the PGA West Palmer Course in La Quinta (credited in the queue video presentation as Palm Springs), Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles, and Disneyland itself during the Christmas season.[12][13]

Soarin’ Around the World

On August 15, 2015 at the D23 Expo, it was announced that both attractions at Epcot and Disney California Adventure will debut a new ride film titled Soarin' Around the World. The new ride film, which is based on the Soarin over the Horizon film being created for Shanghai Disneyland, will feature scenes across six continents including the Great Wall of China, Monument Valley in Colorado, Puerto Madero Street Circuit in Buenos Aires, Sydney Harbor, Vancouver International Airport in Vancouver, and the plains of Africa.[14][15] The updated attractions are planned to open on June 17, 2016 at Disney California Adventure and Epcot, along with a third theater for the latter location.[1][10][16]

Tokyo DisneySea

Artist's concept of Tokyo DisneySea version of Soarin'

On April 27, 2016, officials with Tokyo Disney Resort announced a number of new attractions for both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea parks in the coming years.[3] Included in the announcement was a proposed version of Soarin' to be located in the Mediterranean Harbor section of Tokyo DisneySea.[3] The announcement revealed that this version will have a different theme, with the ride vehicles resembling Renaissance-era flying machines envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci, and that it was planned to open during the 2019 fiscal year for the resort.[3]

Soundtrack

The Soarin' and Soarin' over California versions of the ride use the same orchestral score by composer Jerry Goldsmith, who is said to have come down from his first ride in tears. In addition to finding the ride 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."[17] The soundtrack he wrote plays throughout the entire attraction, starting with a crescendo in the low strings while the screen is still dark. Numerous variations of a serene theme for horn and strings can be heard, as well as several statements of a fanfare that accompanies the film's grandest vistas. The entire ride score can be found on recent Walt Disney World official albums, and the exit music is also played as part of a loop in the Disneyland Resort Esplanade and Epcot's entrance plaza.

Inspirational music from a variety of films, many of them war- or flight-themed, is played in the queue hallways in both versions. Some film scores featured include Patton, MacArthur, Air Force One, The Blue Max, Explorers, (all by Jerry Goldsmith), The American President (by Marc Shaiman), DragonHeart, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (both by Randy Edelman), The Last Starfighter (by Craig Safan), Apollo 13 and The Rocketeer (both by James Horner), Always (by John Williams) and the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (by Michael Kamen). The Air Force Song and "Jupiter" from Gustav Holst's orchestral suite The Planets are also included, based on their use in The Right Stuff. In the California Adventure version of the attraction, the "History of Aviation in California" hallway of the queue uses the scores to many different films.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lim, Victoria. "Soarin’ Around the World Takes Flight at Disney Parks This Summer". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Glover, Erin (16 August 2015). "Soarin’ Around the World Coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts". DisneyParks Blog. Disney. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Drew Taylor (27 April 2016). "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST-THEMED LAND, BIG HERO 6 ATTRACTION ANNOUNCED FOR TOKYO DISNEYLAND". ohmy.disney.com. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Pimentel, Joseph (January 25, 2015). "Upgrades close several Disney rides". The Orange County Register. p. Local 2.
  5. ↑ "Soarin' Over California". Disneyland.
  6. ↑ Glover, Erin (March 9, 2015). "New Smokejumpers Grill Opens March 20, Part of Grizzly Peak Expansion at Disney California Adventure Park". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ Glover, Erin (May 15, 2015). "Grizzly Peak Airfield Now Open at Disney California Adventure Park". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  8. ↑ Mark Eades, OC Register. "New Grizzly Peak Airfield at Disney California Adventure recalls scenic national parks". Retrieved July 12, 2015. According to Scholz, advances in laser illumination technology allowed Disney to upgrade the projectors without a sacrifice in the quality of the show.
  9. ↑ Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks. "More Opportunities to Soar, Enjoy Toy Story Mania Coming to Walt Disney World Resort". Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Erik, Behind the Thrills. "D23: Soarin Around the World coming to both Epcot and Disney’s California Adventure!". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ Ben Fritz. "Disney Unveils Shanghai Disneyland Details". WSJ.
  12. ↑ Los Angeles Times (15 July 2015). "How 'Chinese' will Shanghai Disney be?". latimes.com.
  13. ↑ "Soaring Over the Horizon".
  14. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne (April 19, 2016). "Disney: More details on Frozen ride, new version of Soarin'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Soarin’ Around the World Coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts". Disney Parks Blog.
  16. ↑ Mauney, Matt (25 August 2015). "Epcot: Here's what the Soarin' update will look like". OrlandoSentinel.com.
  17. ↑ Jim Hill Media. "The new Disney California Adventure Official Album". Retrieved September 9, 2009.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, May 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.