Soarin' Over California
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| Soarin' Over California | |
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| Disney's California Adventure | |
| Land | Condor Flats |
| Designer | Walt Disney Imagineering, Mark Sumner |
| Attraction type | IMAX type hang glider simulation |
| Opening date | February 8, 2001 |
| Hosted by | Patrick Warburton |
| Ride duration | 4:41 minutes |
| Height requirements | 40" (102 cm) |
| Capacity | 87 guests per show |
| Screen height | 40 ft |
| Film speed | 48 frames per second |
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| Soarin' | |
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| Epcot | |
| Land | Future World (The Land pavilion) |
| Opening date | May 5, 2005 |
| Previous attractions | Kitchen Kabaret (1982-1994) Food Rocks (1994-2004) |
| Sponsored by | Nestlé |
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Soarin' Over California is a simulator attraction at Disney's California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The same attraction was built four years later at Epcot park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, as Soarin'.
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[edit] The ride
The attraction takes 87 guests at a time on a simulated hang glider tour of the Golden State. Guests "fly" over such California landmarks as San Francisco, Redwood Creek, Napa Valley, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Palm Springs (actually shot in nearby La Quinta), Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles and finally Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure's neighboring theme park.
The vehicle consists of three rows of seats under a wing-like canopy. After guests have been safely restrained in the vehicle, the canopy comes down and a cantilever system lifts the chairs forward and into the air with the guests' feet dangling free. The vehicle is lifted into a huge OMNIMAX Dome movie screen onto which scenes of California are projected. Since the vehicle is moved forward into the dome, the effect is such that guests can only see the images projected on the screen and are given the sensation of flying.
To enhance the illusion of flight, small motions of the seats such as tipping on turns and slight up-and-down movements are synchronized to the film. In addition, scents complementing the various scenes are injected into the air streams blowing on riders. In the Ventura orange field scene, for example, guests are treated to the scent of orange blossoms. The Monterey and Malibu scenes have the scent of a sea breeze while the Palm Springs and Anza-Borrego scenes feature the scent of sagebrush. The ride also features golfing, snow skiing, river running, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
Soarin' Over California is one of the most visited attractions at the entire Disneyland Resort (facing tough competition from fan favorites over at Disneyland) and usually has wait times from 30-150 minutes. However, the attraction is tied into the park's FASTPASS system, thus preventing the long wait. Also, the ride was originally going to have an all-Single Riders line, but the separate line has never been built, although a discreet sign near the FASTPASS return advertises a "Single Flyer" pass. The actual show is approximately five minutes long.
While waiting in line, guests can view portraits and biographical descriptions of people influential in aviation such as Amelia Earhart, Jack Northrop, and Chuck Yeager. The ride features an instructional "preboarding" video prior to guest entry into the theater. This video is hosted by Patrick Warburton.
[edit] Epcot's version
Currently, Soarin' shows the same footage flying over the state of California from Soarin' Over California. The attraction uses the same instructional preboarding video prior to guest entry into the ride, modified to be Soarin' instead of Soarin' Over California.The attraction opened inside The Land pavillion on May 5th 2005.[citation needed]
The queue features pictures of natural wonders from around the world, not just California. In fact, there is very little reference at all to the fact that the ride will take you only to California. There is a small sign out front that says "Now Departing: Soarin' Over California." Other than that, it is easy for some guests to assume the ride is showing them natural wonders from all over the world. The cast member costumes are meant to be flight attendant costumes, while at Disney's California Adventure they are airfield crew costumes. The idea is that you take a flight to California, rather than already being there and touring around.
Speculation persists that Walt Disney Imagineering will replace the current film in time for Epcot's twenty fifth anniversary. The only definite information about a new film is that it will certainly not feature Florida, though a Soarin' Over the World, which would tie in to World Showcase has not yet been discredited.[citation needed]
[edit] Soundtrack
- Outside the ride building and in the hallways where guests are waiting to enter the main theater, march music from a variety of Hollywood action and war films is played, including the themes from Patton (also by Jerry Goldsmith), The Last Starfighter, Air Force One, Apollo 13), The Air Force Song and "Jupiter" from the orchestral suite by composer Gustav Holst, these latter two from their use in the score to The Right Stuff.
[edit] Queue
| Song | Artist | Movie |
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| Girls of Many Nations in DC/Soft Rebellion/Reprise | Randy Edelman | The Distinguished Gentleman |
| Main Titles | Marc Shaiman | The American President (film) |
| Evening Tide | Roylance/Galvin | Battle of the Atlantic |
| You're On | James Newton Howard | Dave (film) |
| Victory at Ed Parker's | Randy Edelman | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story |
| Premier of the Big Boss | Randy Edelman | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story |
| End Titles | Marc Shaiman | The American President |
| The Blue Max Suite | Jerry Goldsmith | The Blue Max |
| The Generals | Jerry Goldsmith | The Generals |
[edit] Ride
The score for both versions of the ride are the same and was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, who is said to have come down from his first ride in tears. He thought the ride was visually beautiful and magical, "I'd do anything to be part of this project," he said, "I'd even score the film for free." The ride's score can be found on Music From Disney's California Adventure (2001 CD) and the newer Walt Disney World official albums.
[edit] Trivia
- At the end of the ride, guests fly over Disneyland park at Christmas time, complete with a Christmas parade traveling down Main Street, U.S.A., decorations on Sleeping Beauty Castle, and special Christmas fireworks.
- There is a Hidden Mickey on the golf ball, which is coincidentally launched by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, reportedly a big fan of golf.[citation needed]
- Another supposed Hidden Mickey can be seen in three simultaneously fired fireworks as guests fly over Sleeping Beauty Castle.
- The aircraft carrier seen near San Diego, California, is USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).
- The area of the attraction is 59,895 square feet (includes ticketing area, Great Hall, skyway, Concourses 1 and 2, gate areas and two flight theaters)
- The ride system is a Walt Disney Imagineering-developed motion-based technology, the original ride inception was based on an erector set model created by Imagineer Mark Sumner. One million pounds of steel provides the ride structure and 37 tons are lifted during each ride cycle.
- Locations featured in the attraction include: San Francisco, Redwood Creek, Napa Valley, Monterey Bay, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Palm Springs, Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles and Disneyland in Anaheim
- The Soarin' film uses IMAX projection systems, with high-speed (48 fps) high definition Omni-max film projectors. That's twice the speed of normal motion picture film.
- Many Walt Disney World guests mistakenly believe the ride depicts various scenes of Florida rather than the Californian landscape; in fact, a popular inquiry at Epcot's Guest Relations is from guests wondering why Cinderella Castle has been replaced with a smaller counterpart, as many guests think Disneyland is the nearby Magic Kingdom park.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- Amusement Apparatus and Method - Patent #6,354,954. US Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved on June 3, 2005. - Mechanism to lift riders into dome and simulate flight.
- Apparatus and method for curved screen projection - Patent #6,727,971. US Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved on November 16, 2005. - System to project into dome while maintaining illusion of being at the same point of view as the camera.
- Soarin Fan Site. Soarin Over California. Retrieved on April 10, 2006.
- Soarin'. WDWHistory.com. Retrieved on April 10, 2006.
- Soarin'. IMDB.com. Retrieved on April 10, 2006.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Soarin Fan Site at Soarin Over California.com
- Soarin' Over California at the Internet Movie Database
- Soarin' Over California discussion at mouseplanet.com
