2008 Woodie Awards
Walt Disney World Soars to New Heights
Epcot unveils new attraction Soarin' just in time for the "Happiest Celebration on Earth."
Nicole Fluet
Issue date: 4/22/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment
- Page 1 of 1
|
Soarin' previewed last weekend for passholders and Vacation Club members only. The ride is scheduled to open officially in May of 2005 with the kickoff of the Happiest Celebration on Earth.
The ride itself is a hang-gliding adventure over the sights of California. Guests are seated eight to a row, with three rows. The top row sits above the other two rows, the middle sits in between, and the bottom row closest to the bottom of the screen. This way every row has a front row view of the IMAX screen.
Soarin' can be found inside The Land. The Land is a glass-enclosed structure found in between The Living Seas and Imagination rides. Inside of The Land, guests will also find a trip through EPCOT's organically grown food department, a nature show featuring the characters from The Lion King, a rotating garden-themed restaurant, and a number of smaller, fast-food style places to eat for kids. Soarin' is a welcomed addition to this nature-themed exhibit.
The ride simulates a trip about forty feet above land through areas such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Napa Valley, downtown Los Angeles, and a special surprise visit at the conclusion. Each destination is equipped with sounds and smells so that the riders really feel like they are there.
The only downside to the ride is that the riders can look to either direction and see the other riders. This takes away from the effect of really flying, but not from the ride itself. It is very smooth; however those with extreme motion sickness are advised not to ride from the captain at the beginning, who looks strangely like Alec Baldwin.
Another downside is the fact that riders can see the feet of the riders above them dangling in front of the screen. Those with flip-flops or loose sandals are told to place them in the compartments so they will not fall out onto the screen while flying. The upside to that, however, is the sensation of really flying with bare feet!
All in all, the ride is awesome. Passholders this past weekend rode it five or six times during the day, regardless of the forty-five minute wait. Those who have been to Disneyland say that the ride is also popular there, and tends to have a long wait on normal days. This will no doubt be true of Soarin' in EPCOT.