Soarin'

Soarin' is an interesting choice for adding to Epcot. The simulated hang glider is an innovative use of technology that fits in with Epcot, but the ride's original (2005-2016) film was conceived and filmed for Disney's California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort. Every scene depicted in the original film was in California.

Due to the overwhelming demand for the attraction, in 2016, Epcot added a third theater to the attraction (theoretically, a 50% increase to capacity). With the opening of Shanghai Disneyland, a new ride film, Soarin' Around the World was installed. Each Disney Park that has a Soarin' attraction has a unique local ending and Epcot's includes a flyover of Future World's Fountain of Nations approaching Spaceship Earth with fireworks launching from the park's parking lot.

Soarin' remains a crowd pleaser, using the giant screen projection and motion simulation to put riders into the scenes. To add to feeling, at key moments, scents are piped in to augment what is seen on the screen.

Walt Disney World > Epcot > Future World

General Information

Location: In the back of The Land pavilion which is on the right (West) side of the park between The Living Seas and the Imagination pavilion.

Date Opened: 5/5/2005

# of Ride Units: Three theaters

Ride Capacity: Each theater contains three glider machines, each with 29 seats in three rows.

Restraint Method: Shoulder bars and seatbelt

Ticket Rating: E Ticket

Ride Photo: No

Time Commitment

Open/Close: Opens and closes with the park. This attraction is open during both morning and evening Extra Magic Hours.

Wait Times: Use FastPass if at all convenient. Standby line times vary seasonally, and even after the addition of the third theater can often be at least 40 minutes and potentially much longer.

Length of Ride: 10 minutes

FastPass: Yes

Single Rider: No

Queue Description: Play Disney - a trivia game which includes questions shown on video screens in the queue.

Access Information

Health Restriction: Riders with a fear of heights or easily susceptible to motion sickness should consider not riding.

Ride Access: The queue is accessible to both wheelchairs and ECVs.

Wheelchair Transfer: It is required that you transfer from a wheelchair or ECV into the seats of the simulator.

Service Animals: No

Audio: Video captioning devices are available for the preshow video of this attraction from Guest Services.

Weight and Size Issues: Height should not be an issue. While the shoulder restraints and buckle combination may be tight, it should accommodate all but the largest of people.

Parenting Information

Height Restriction: 40" (113 cm.) to ride.

Child Swap: Yes

Other Issues: Because the attraction was built as an addition to The Land pavilion, it is quite a lengthy walk from the attraction's entrance to the theaters and from the theaters back to the lower level of the pavilion itself.

History and Trivia

At this location: Most of the 60,000 square foot show building for the original two Soarin' theaters is new construction added to the back of The Land pavilion. The third theater building was all new back-stage construction added to the existing structure and sharing the queue and exit.
When originally built, the entrance to Soarin', however, required closing and removing of Food Rocks and its theater. Food Rocks opened on March 26, 1994, and was an animatronic musical show on the topic of nutrition. The animatronic figures were food items of various types. Food Rocks closed on January 3, 2004. Food Rocks had itself taken the place of Kitchen Kabaret, a similar show that ran from October 1, 1982 to January 3, 1994. The milk carton was the only figure common to both shows.
The Attraction's History: The attraction was converted to digital projection with the opening of the new theater, and the original ridefilm, Soarin' Over California, was replaced with Soarin' Around the World, June 17, 2016.