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Soarin’ Around the World Is Now Open at Disney Parks

Jennifer Fickley-Baker

by , Editorial Content Manager, Walt Disney World Resort

The wait is over! Disney Parks guests can finally experience Soarin’ Around the World, the newly reimagined attraction that whisks guests on a journey above more than a dozen wondrous international destinations around the world.

The attraction is now open at three Disney Parks: Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort; Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort; and at Shanghai Disneyland (where the attraction goes by the name Soaring Over the Horizon).

Soarin’ Around the World elevates guests up to 40 feet into an 80-foot projection screen dome that fill’s a guest’s entire field of vision that gives them the sense of flight. During their journey, guests can expect to spy jaw-dropping natural and man-made landmarks like the Great Wall of China, Sydney Harbor in Australia, and the Matterhorn in Switzerland. Not only that, but a guest may find that their other senses are engaged, feeling, smelling and hearing the new world around them.

Soarin’ Challenge  at Epcot

In addition to the new attraction experience, the attraction at Epcot also added a third theater and reimagined its queue to feature a new game called “Soarin’ Challenge” that guests can play via smartphone while they wait. This complimentary travel trivia game allows guests to join hundreds of other players to answer questions on geography, cuisine, languages and more. Guests can also unlock passport stamps for their digital collection and aim to up their personal score on the leaderboard. Don’t have a mobile device? No problem – look to one of the in-queue displays to participate.

So tell us – what destination are you looking forward to flying over in Soarin’ Around the World?

Comments

  • Welcome back, Disney Parks Blog! Your daily Disney updates, previews, and information on events have been missed.

    As for Soarin’, going on it at Epcot on Sunday. Have managed to avoid all reviews of it, so will be a complete surprise other than the 1 or 2 locations in the 30 second video showing the helicopter taking video footage that you guys and gals originally released when it was announced. Looking forward to it!

  • Is this an app I can get on my iPhone?

  • The heck with any specific destination – we’re just looking forward to getting back on Soarin’. It’s our favorite attraction at WDW and we’ve sorely missed it the last few visits.

  • I hope Norway is one of the countries. I think Norway is the most beautiful country in the world. My opinion may be biased because my ancestors were Norwegian.

  • Watched the POV video on You Tube. From what it looks like, California is a far more interesting subject to photograph than the world. Soarin Over California had drama and thrills and beauty. This new film is just a travelogue and a boring one at that. Thanks to whoever posted on You Tube, saved my a few thousand this summer.

  • Soarin’ is our favorite ride! I can’t wait to soar over the Matterhorn and the Great Wall! Exciting!

  • Coming down in November, this is at the top and bottom of my to-do list!!

  • My family just returned from our annual trip to WDW and the new Soarin is now our absolute favorite ride. It is breathtaking! Classic Disney!

  • I am 26 years old with an incurable cancer. I will never be well enough to see these sights in person so I am beyond excited to experience a taste of them during Soarin’. The last Soarin’ made me cry so I can’t imagine how emotional/happy I’ll be watching this one! What a wonderful world <3 Thank you, Disney, for bringing my bucket list to me.

  • I wish you could have previewed the new video that goes along with the newly imagined ride. Virtual park rides are my favorite which is supported by how long the lines are for the original Soarin’.

  • My 14 year old son & myself just recently visited the Disney parks & stayed in a lovely resort. Our 10 year neighbor had just been diagnosed with stage 4 Birketts lymphoma. His 2 younger brothers had to stay with different relatives while his parents tended to him in a children’s hospital 4 hours away. He started chemo & with many prayers his body is handling it well. Before we left for Disney my son made a poster board that read “get well Braxton” on 1 side & “happy birthday Braxton” on the other side. He turn 10 while in the hospital. We would try & find any Disney character & wait in line just to take pics with the poster, to send to Braxton & get a smile. We still to this day still talk about how amazing Soaring was. We got to go around the world. My son has told Braxton about Soaring & how he’d love for them all to go one day & take Braxton on a trip around our beautiful earth.

  • At 63, I’m a kid at heart and nothing makes me feel the magical essence of being a child than when I’m at DISNEYLAND!!! I go at least twice a year, and one of my most favorite rides is SOARIN’. I’m one of those park-goers that when they finish a ride, they run right back to the entrance to wait in line again! It’s a sickness (per DocMcStuffins) called Disney-itis, and I NEVER want a cure!! In October, I’m headed to Walt Disney World for 5 days – first time!!! If I don’t come back, tell my family to look for me in one of the lines at the park…..probably at SOARIN’

  • I rode this for the first time two weeks ago. It was neat, however, it didn’t have the ‘smells’ that California had; I can only think of one occurrence on the ride. Also, if you’re not in the center, the castle and Eiffel Tower look tilted, which was disappointing.

  • Best ride ever. So good I wanted to get straight back in the very long line to go again. I was so spellbound that I didn’t notice any smells or what the music was. I now want to go again. Please bring this ride to EuroDisney and I will be on the train to get there.

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