''Soarin, also known as ''Soarin' Over California'', ''Soarin' Around the World'', ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' and ''Soaring: Fantastic Flight'', is a

flight motion simulator Flight or flying is the motion of an object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift associated with gliding or propulsive thrust, aero ...

attraction at

Disney California Adventure Disney California Adventure is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. The park is themed after Disney's interpretation of California ...

, Epcot,

Shanghai Disneyland Shanghai Disneyland (; Pinyin: ''Shànghǎi díshìní lèyuán'', Shanghainese: ''Zaon-he Diq-zy-nyi Loq-yoe'') is a theme park located in Chuansha New Town, Pudong, Shanghai, China, that is part of the Shanghai Disney Resort. The park is oper ...

, and

Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, just next to Tokyo. It opened on 4 September 2001, at a cost of 335 billion yen. The Oriental Land Company owns the park, and licenses intellectual prope ...

. It employs a mechanical lift system, a projected presentation on an concave 180-degree dome screen, and artificial scents and wind to simulate a

hang gliding Hang gliding is an air sports, air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised, fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium al ...

flight over locations in six of the world's continents. Many consider it the first

flying theater A flying theater is a Theme park, themed entertainment technology and adjacent show style. It is a type of simulator ride which consists of one or several motion systems and a large screen. This type of attraction is also known as a panoramic flyin ...

. The attraction's first iteration, ''Soarin Over California'', was an opening-day attraction at Disney California Adventure on February 8, 2001. It took guests over several locations in California and included a pre-show on the history of California's aviation industry. It was also installed at Epcot in

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...

as ''Soarin'' in 2005. The current global version of the ride debuted at

as ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' on June 16, 2016. The American versions were also replaced with the new film as ''Soarin Around the World'' on June 17. A fourth version of the attraction, ''Soaring: Fantastic Flight'', opened at

on July 23, 2019. After an initial limited return engagement in the summer of 2019, the original ''Soarin' Over California'' has since returned to the California park annually as part of the park's Food & Wine Festival during the spring season.

Ride design

Soarin over California - Disney California Adventure Park

''Soarin'' was first conceptualized in 1996 as ''Ultra Flight'', a name that can still be seen on the tower consoles of the California Adventure attraction. It was to feature an

OMNIMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating, with the ...

screen with an inverted track, allowing guests to fly over California's landmarks. It was to have three load levels, with a system operating on a horizontal cable, much like a dry cleaner's rack. The plan was abandoned when it was determined that the design's construction and labor costs 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 Erector Set (trademark styled as "ERECTOR") was a brand of metal toy construction sets which were originally patented by Alfred Carlton Gilbert and first sold by his company, the Mysto Manufacturing Company of New Haven, Connecticut, in 1913. ...

and string to create a working model. The new design allowed Disney to efficiently load guests on one level instead of three, significantly cutting its building costs. Each ride vehicle consists of three rows of seats under a wing-like canopy, with a capacity of 87 guests. After guests have been safely restrained in the vehicle with standard lap belts, the canopy descends slightly and a

cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is unsupported at one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cantilev ...

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 are projected. The original film's scenes were shot at an IMAX HD frame rate of 48 frames per second, twice the conventional rate of regular films. The vehicle is moved forward toward the center of the dome so guests can see only the projected images and experience the sensation of flight. The ride structure contains about one million pounds (454,000 kg) of steel; 37 tons (33.5 metric tonnes) are lifted during each ride cycle. To enhance the illusion, subtle vertical movements of the seats are synchronized to the film. Sensations of horizontal motion are created with a combination of vertical carriage movement and turning the image on the screen. Scents complementing the scenes are also injected into the air streams blowing on riders. When it opened, the scent was only present during the Redwood Creek scene and the Valencia Orange Farms scene. In the updated show, scents include rose blossoms in the Taj Mahal scene, grass in the Africa scene, and a sea breeze in the South Pacific scene.

Versions

Disney California Adventure

Soarin Over California Updated Entrance - July 17th 2015

''Soarin Around the World'' is in the Grizzly Peak Airfield section of

at the

Disneyland Resort The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Experiences division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland and Dis ...

. One of the resort's most popular attractions, it utilizes the park's Lightning Lane Multi-Pass system, allowing guests to reserve specific ride times to avoid long queues. While in line, guests pass the Wings of Fame, an homage to California's aviation history, including profiles of the

P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...

SR-71 Blackbird The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a retired long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. Its nicknames include " Blackbird" and ...

, and

Bell X-1 The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics– U.S. Army Air Forces– U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by B ...

. There is also a section dedicated to aviators such as

John J. Montgomery John Joseph Montgomery (February 15, 1858 – October 31, 1911) was an American inventor, physicist, engineer, and professor at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, who is best known for his invention of controlled heavier-than-air ...

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...

Jimmy Doolittle James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his raid on Japan during World War II, known as the Doolittle Raid in his honor. He ma ...

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

Jack Northrop John Knudsen Northrop (November 10, 1895 – February 18, 1981) was an American aircraft industrialist and designer who founded the Northrop Corporation in 1939. His career began in 1916 as a draftsman for Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing ...

, the

Wright brothers The Wright brothers, Orville Wright (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur Wright (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were American aviation List of aviation pioneers, pioneers generally credited with inventing, building, and flyin ...

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...

Jacqueline Cochran Jacqueline Cochran (May 11, 1906 – August 9, 1980) was an American pilot and business executive. She pioneered women's aviation as one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. She set numerous records and was the first woman to br ...

, Kelly Johnson,

Paul MacCready Paul Beattie MacCready Jr. (September 25, 1925 – August 28, 2007) was an American aeronautical engineer. He was the founder of AeroVironment and the designer of the human-powered aircraft that won the first Kremer prize. He devoted his life t ...

, and

Chuck Yeager Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in his ...

. Inspirational music from a variety of aviation-related films is played in the queue areas, including '' Patton'', ''

MacArthur MacArthur or Macarthur may refer to: Arts and media * INSS MacArthur, a fictional starship featured in the science fiction novel ''The Mote in God's Eye'' * ''MacArthur'' (1977 film), a movie biography of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur * ' ...

'', ''

Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control-designated Aviation call signs, call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. The term is commonly used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modifie ...

'', ''

The Blue Max ''The Blue Max'' is a 1966 war film , WW I film directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Karl Michael Vogler, and Jeremy Kemp. The film was made in DeLuxe Color and was one of the last movies filme ...

'', ''

Explorers Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some expectation of discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organisms capable of directed locomotion and the abilit ...

'' (all by

Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer, conductor and orchestrator with a career in film and television scoring that spanned nearly 50 years and over 200 productions, between 1954 and 2003. He was consid ...

), ''

The American President ''The American President'' is a 1995 American political romantic comedy drama film directed and produced by Rob Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin. The film stars Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd, a widower who pursues a romanti ...

'' (by

Marc Shaiman Marc Shaiman ( ; born October 22, 1959) is an American composer and lyricist for films, television, and theatre, best known for his collaborations with lyricist and director Scott Wittman, actor Billy Crystal, and director Rob Reiner. Shaiman ha ...

), ''

DragonHeart ''Dragonheart'' (stylized as ''DragonHeart'') is a 1996 fantasy adventure film directed by Rob Cohen and written by Charles Edward Pogue, based on a story created by him and Patrick Read Johnson. The film stars Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, ...

'', '' Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story'', Angels in the Outfield (1994) (both by

Randy Edelman Randy Edelman (born June 10, 1947) is an American musician, Record producer, producer, and composer and Conducting, conductor for Film score, film and television. He began his career as a member of Broadway theatre, Broadway's pit orchestras; he ...

), ''

The Last Starfighter ''The Last Starfighter'' is a 1984 American space opera film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan (Lance Guest), a teenager who, after winning the high score in an arcade game that's secretly a simulation test, is rec ...

'' (by

Craig Safan Craig Safan (born December 17, 1948, in Los Angeles, California) is an American composer for film and television, whose biggest scores include ''The Last Starfighter'', ''Angel'', '' Mr. Wrong'', '' Stand and Deliver'', '' Fade to Black'', ''Major ...

), ''

Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo program, Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the landing was abort ...

'', and '' The Rocketeer'' (both by

James Horner James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American film composer. He worked on more than 160 film and television productions between 1978 and 2015. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements alongside tr ...

), ''

Always Always may refer to: Film and television * ''Always'', a 1985 film directed by Henry Jaglom * ''Always'' (1989 film), a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg * ''Always'' (2011 film), a 2011 South Korean film, also known as ''O ...

'' (by

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

) and the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' (by

Michael Kamen Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer (especially of film scores), orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, songwriter, record producer and musician. Early life Michael Arnold Kamen was born in ...

). ''The Air Force Song'' and "Jupiter" from

Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...

's orchestral suite ''

The Planets ''The Planets'', Op. 32, is a seven- movement orchestral suite by the English composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1917. In the last movement the orchestra is joined by a wordless female chorus. Each movement of the suite is name ...

'' are also heard, based on their use in '' The Right Stuff''. Before entering the theater area, guests are placed in one of three preshow areas, called Alpha Gate, Bravo Gate, and Charlie Gate (named for the first three letters of the

NATO phonetic alphabet The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet or simply the Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet, is the most widely used set of clear-code words for communicating the letters of the Latin/Roman ...

). Just before boarding, guests see a pre-boarding video hosted by their chief flight attendant,

Patrick Warburton Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor. His live action TV roles include David Puddy on ''Seinfeld'', the Tick (character), title character on ''The Tick (2001 TV series), The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less than Perfect'' ...

. The attraction opened with the park in 2001 as ''Soarin Over California'' in what was then the park's Condor Flats area. In early 2015, it closed for refurbishment as the surrounding area was transformed into Grizzly Peak Airfield. It reopened on May 15, 2015, with new exterior theming and updates to its screen and projection system. It now utilizes a laser illuminated digital projection array, replacing its original IMAX systems. Several exterior changes include the replacement of the mock-up

RS-25 The RS-25, also known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), is a liquid-fuel cryogenic rocket engine that was used on NASA's Space Shuttle and is used on the Space Launch System. Designed and manufactured in the United States by Rocketd ...

rocket engine with a

fire lookout tower A fire lookout tower, fire tower, or lookout tower is a tower that provides housing and protection for a person known as a " fire lookout", whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness. It is a small building, usually on the summit ...

. From January to March 2016, the attraction intermittently operated as ''Soarin Over California'' to prepare for the introduction of the ''Soarin Around the World'' ride film. The original film was shown until June 16, when the attraction was closed to prepare for the new film's debut on June 17. Since ''Soarin Around the World'''s opening on June 17, 2016, visitors to Disney California Adventure are usually able to find ''Soarin Around the World''' playing. However, on various occasions, Disney has brought back the original ''Soarin Over California'' for return engagements. The first was on May 23, 2019, Disney announced that ''Soarin Over California'' would temporarily return to the park for the month of June, following the opening of ''Star Wars'': Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park on May 31. On June 21, they announced that the limited return had been extended to August 31, 2019, due to popular demand. On February 28, 2020, the California version of the ride returned to California Adventure for the

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival is a food and drink festival that takes place each spring in Disney California Adventure in the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The festival includes a number of themed kiosks, each f ...

. The limited engagement was scheduled to run through April 21, but ended prematurely when the resort began its extended closure due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

on March 13. When the resort reopened on April 30, 2021, "Soarin' Around the World" was being shown. The following year, the California version began its annual temporary return for the duration of the Food & Wine Festival.

Epcot

The attraction was duplicated, simply as ''Soarin'', and officially opened inside " The Land" pavilion at Epcot in

on May 5, 2005, along with Lights, Motors, Action!: Extreme Stunt Show at

Disney's Hollywood Studios Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. Based on a concept by Marty Sklar, Randy Br ...

as part of the

Happiest Celebration on Earth The Happiest Homecoming on Earth or the Happiest Celebration on Earth was the eighteen-month-long celebration (May 5, 2005 through September 30, 2006) of the 50th anniversary of the Disneyland theme park, which opened on July 17, 1955. It commemo ...

festival. Unlike the Disney California Adventure version, the show had guests taking flights ''to'' California. The concept was reinforced with theming of guests being loaded into "gates", with airport-themed spiels referring to "Flight 5505", an homage to the attraction's opening day. Cast members wear costumes resembling flight attendant uniforms, whereas the California version wear airfield crew uniforms. The Epcot queue originally had pictures of natural wonders from around the world, not just California. It utilized a new infrared technology that allows guests to participate in interactive games. In 2009, this interactive technology appeared in the

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

as part of a seven-month overhaul of

Space Mountain Space Mountain is a space-themed indoor roller coaster attraction located at five of the six Disneyland-style Disney Parks. Although all five versions of the attraction are different in nature, all have a similar conical exterior façade that i ...

. These interactive games were replaced with the ''Soarin' Challenge'', a team-based game of trivia with questions pertaining to geography, landmarks, and cultures. Guests utilize displays throughout the queue and the companion ''Play Disney Parks'' smartphone app to join one of four colored teams (red, purple, yellow, and green) and help their team achieve the highest score by answering questions correctly and quickly. The attraction closed for refurbishment on January 4, 2016, and was originally slated to reopen on June 17, with a third theater to coincide with the release of the new ''Soarin Around the World'' film. The ride reopened with the original film on May 27, and the change to the new film occurred on June 17, 2016. Disney announced that ''Soarin' Over California'' would temporarily return to the park on September 22, 2023, as part of Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration. This return run ended February 27, 2024 and ''Soarin' Around the World'' returned. The film ends with a flyover of Epcot's Future World (now World Celebration). In the original 2016 version, this included the Fountain of Nations, Innoventions, and Spaceship Earth. After a redesign of Future World that was completed in 2024, the film was updated to remove the former signage and buildings, all of which were prominently visible in the film, with an updated visual that included the redesigned World Celebration area. This updated ending premiered on November 20, 2024. The new ending also fixed the Eiffel Tower scene, which had become popular due to the way it distorted as the camera flew over it. The new ending, which stays farther away from the tower, has less distortion.

Shanghai Disneyland

The attraction was retooled as ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' for

. It was not part of the park's original plan, but was added to it after

Walt Disney Imagineering Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, Inc.—commonly referred to as Walt Disney Imagineering, Imagineering, or WDI—is the research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation, design, and construc ...

began developing similar attractions for the U.S. parks. Located in the park's Adventure Isle area, it opened with the park on June 16, 2016. Embedded in the Adventure Isle setting, the attraction is presented as an ancient observatory and temple to the Arbori tribe's Condor god. The preshow and safety spiel are hosted by a shaman of the tribe who grants guests the ability of flight, but has trouble controlling her own shapeshifting abilities.

Tokyo DisneySea

On April 27, 2016,

Tokyo Disney Resort The (local nickname ''TDR'') is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. The resort is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company, the Oriental Land Co., a subsidiary of the Keisei Electric Rai ...

announced a number of coming attractions for

Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...

and

parks, including a proposed version of ''Soarin'' (titled ''Soaring: Fantastic Flight'') to be in the Mediterranean Harbor section of Tokyo DisneySea. The announcement said this version would have a different theme, with ride vehicles designed as

Renaissance-era The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

Dream Flyers created by aviator and Society of Explorers and Adventurers member Camellia Falco. It opened on July 23, 2019. In this version of the attraction, rather than an aviation terminal, it is set in the Museum of Fantastic Flight, which is hosting a retrospective on the life of Camellia Falco. Her spirit takes guests to see some of her Dream Flyer gliders, and invites them on a flight of fantasy around the world. (Falco's name was first seen by guests at

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

's Tropical Hideaway restaurant as one of the names on a series of oars belonging to members of the Society.) Two other differences can be seen in this version of the film: the Paris scene is replaced with Tokyo at sunset, with

Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano located on the Japanese island of Honshu, with a summit elevation of . It is the highest mountain in Japan, the second-highest volcano on any Asian island (after Mount Kerinci on the Indonesian island of Sumatra), a ...

in the background; and the finale is a flight over Tokyo DisneySea.

Ride films

''Soarin' Over California''

The original ride film, which lasts four minutes and 51 seconds, takes guests on a simulated hang-glider tour of California. Appropriate scents (citrus, pine, sagebrush, ocean mist) fill the air as the ride vehicles move gently to simulate the sensations of flight. In addition to the state's various landscapes, it also highlights its diverse recreation, including

snow skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International ...

, river

rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the u ...

hot air ballooning Hot air ballooning is the recreational and competitive Extreme sport, adventure sport of flying hot air balloons. Attractive aspects of balloon (aircraft), ballooning include the exceptional quiet (except when the propane burners are firing), th ...

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

, and

. Its locations are: *

Golden Gate Bridge The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean in California, United States. The structure links San Francisco—the northern tip of the San Francisco Peni ...

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

Marin County Marin County ( ) is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is ac ...

* Redwood Creek in Humboldt County *

Napa Valley Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Napa County, California. The area was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on February 27, 1981, after a 1978 petition submitted by the Napa Valley Vin ...

* Monterey Bay Sanctuary *

Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe (; Washo language, Washo: ''dáʔaw'') is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the Western United States, straddling the border between California and Nevada. Lying at above sea level, Lake Tahoe is the largest a ...

and

Heavenly Mountain Resort Heavenly Mountain Resort is a ski resort located on the California–Nevada border in southeastern Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It opened for business on December 15, 1955 and has 97 runs and 30 lifts that are spread between ...

Yosemite Falls Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park, dropping a total of from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall. Located in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in t ...

and

Half Dome Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three s ...

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

* PGA West Palmer Course in

La Quinta La Quinta (a Spanish idiom meaning "the country villa") is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. Located between Indian Wells and Indio, it is one of the nine cities of the Coachella Valley. The population was ...

(credited in the queue as

Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

) * Valencia orange groves of

Ventura County Ventura County () is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura. Ventura County comprises ...

(credited in the queue as

Camarillo Camarillo ( ) is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 70,741, an increase of 5,540 from the 65,201 counted in the 2010 Census. Camarillo is named for brothers Juan and ...

) *

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, AN-zə bə-RAY-goh'') is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California, United States. Created in 1932, the park takes its name from 18th ...

Imperial County Imperial County is a county located on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 179,702, ranking as the least populous county in Southern California. The county seat and largest city is ...

* USS ''John C. Stennis'' (CVN-74) at Coronado’s

Naval Air Station North Island Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...

near

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

* Malibu Beach at sunset *

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is the central business district of the city of Los Angeles. It is part of the Central Los Angeles region and covers a area. As of 2020, it contains over 500,000 jobs and has a population of roughly 85,000 residents ...

at night *

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...

, featuring

Tinker Bell Tinker Bell is a fictional character from J. M. Barrie's 1904 play '' Peter Pan'' and its 1911 novelisation '' Peter and Wendy''. She has appeared in a variety of film and television adaptations of the Peter Pan stories, in particular the 1953 ...

, and ending with fireworks The original ''Soarin Over California'' ride film at both Disney California Adventure and Epcot has an orchestral score by

, who is said to have come down from his first ride in tears. In addition to finding it 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." His soundtrack plays during the entire attraction, starting with a crescendo in the low

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

while the screen is still dark. Numerous variations of a serene theme for

horn Horn may refer to: Common uses * Horn (acoustic), a tapered sound guide ** Horn antenna ** Horn loudspeaker ** Vehicle horn ** Train horn *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various animals * Horn (instrument), a family ...

and strings are heard, and several statements of a fanfare accompanies the grandest vistas. The original ride score was included on

and Walt Disney World official albums, including '' Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Disneyland''. It continues to be heard as ambient music in the Disneyland Resort Esplanade and Epcot's entrance plaza.

''Soaring Over the Horizon'', ''Soarin' Around the World'', and ''Soaring: Fantastic Flight''

An updated version of the ''Soarin'' attraction debuted at the Adventure Isle section of

Shanghai Disneyland Park Shanghai Disneyland (; Pinyin: ''Shànghǎi díshìní lèyuán'', Shanghainese: ''Zaon-he Diq-zy-nyi Loq-yoe'') is a theme park located in Chuansha New Town, Pudong, Shanghai, China, that is part of the Shanghai Disney Resort. The park is ope ...

as ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' on June 16, 2016. On August 15, 2015, at the

D23 Expo D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, also known as Disney D23 or simply D23, is the official fan club for The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 2009, the organization is known mainly for its biennial exposition event, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Eve ...

, it was announced that the attractions at Epcot and Disney California Adventure would debut versions of the new ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' ride film, titled ''Soarin Around the World'', featuring locations, landscapes and landmarks across six continents. Unlike the original film, the updated version heavily utilizes

computer generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is a specific-technology or application of computer graphics for creating or improving images in art, printed media, simulators, videos and video games. These images are either static (i.e. still images) or d ...

, including animated transitions between scenes, such as close encounters with a

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...

, a

kite A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have ...

, and an

eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

. The updated attractions opened on June 17, 2016, at Disney California Adventure and Epcot, along with a third theater for the latter location. The film's locations are: *

Matterhorn The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Isfjord Isfjord, meaning 'Ice Fjord' in the Danish language, is a fjord in King Christian X Land, eastern Greenland. The Isfjord is part of the Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord complex''Prostar Sailing Directions 2005 Greenland and Iceland Enroute'', p. 120 in ...

Greenland Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...

Port Jackson Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta ...

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Neuschwanstein Castle Neuschwanstein Castle (, ; ) is a 19th-century Historicism (art), historicist palace on a rugged hill of the foothills of the Alps in the very south of Germany, near the border with Austria. It is located in the Swabia (Bavaria), Swabia regio ...

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Kilimanjaro National Park Kilimanjaro National Park (''Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Kilimanjaro'', in Swahili) is a national park of Tanzania located south of the equator in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. The park is located near the region of Moshi. The park includes the ...

and

Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, at above sea level and above its plateau base. It is also the highest volcano i ...

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

The Great Wall of China The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' long wall") is a series of fortifications in China. They were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

* The Great Pyramids in

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

West and East Mitten Buttes The West and East Mitten Buttes (also known as the Mittens) are two buttes in the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in northeast Navajo County, Arizona. When viewed from the south, the buttes appear to be two giant mittens with their thumbs f ...

Monument Valley Monument Valley (, , meaning "valley of the rocks") is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of sandstone buttes, with the largest reaching above the valley floor. The most famous butte formations are located in northeas ...

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Lau Islands The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited. T ...

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

Iguazu Falls Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls ( , ; ; Tupi: Y Ûasu "big water") are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together, they make up the largest waterfall sys ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

and

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889. Locally nicknamed "''La dame de fe ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

(Shanghai Disneyland version, Disney California Adventure version, Epcot version);

Tokyo Tower , also known as the Japan Radio Tower (, ) is a Radio masts and towers, communications and observation tower in the district of Shiba-koen in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, completed in 1958. At , it was the List of tallest structures in Japan, tallest ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

(Tokyo DisneySea version) *

Lujiazui Lujiazui (, ) is a locality in Shanghai, a peninsula formed by a bend in the Huangpu River. Since the early 1990s, Lujiazui has been developed specifically as a new financial district of Shanghai. The decision to earmark Lujiazui for this purp ...

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

(Shanghai Disneyland version);

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, United States (Disney California Adventure version); Epcot,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, United States (Epcot version);

, Chiba (Tokyo DisneySea version) also featuring

and ending with fireworks. ''Soarin Around the World'' and ''Soaring Over the Horizon'' received a new score by

Bruce Broughton Bruce Harold Broughton (born March 8, 1945) is an American orchestral composer of television, film, and video game scores and concert works. He has composed several highly acclaimed soundtracks over his extensive career and has contributed many ...

, heavily based on Goldsmith's original score, and performed by the London Studio Orchestra. All versions (except the Disney California version & Shanghai Disneyland version) have their home park flyover set as the grand finale.

Notes

References

* - Mechanism to lift riders into dome and simulate flight. * - System to project into dome while maintaining illusion of being at the same point of view as the camera. * *

External links

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Resort - Soarin' Around the World

Walt Disney World Resort - Soarin'

Walt Disney World Resort - Soarin' Over California

Shanghai Disneyland - Soaring Over the Horizon

Tokyo DisneySea - Soaring: Fantastic Flight
* {{Tokyo DisneySea Adventureland (Disney) American adventure films American short films Amusement rides introduced in 2001 Amusement rides introduced in 2005 Amusement rides introduced in 2016 Amusement rides introduced in 2019 Amusement rides manufactured by Dynamic Structures Aviation attractions Condor Flats Disney California Adventure Epcot Films scored by Bruce Broughton Films scored by Jerry Goldsmith Films set in Argentina Films set in Bavaria Films set in California Films set in China Films set in Egypt Films set in Fiji Films set in Florida Films set in Greenland Films set in Paris Films set in Shanghai Films set in Switzerland Films set in Sydney Films set in Tanzania Films set in Tokyo Films set in Utah Films set in Uttar Pradesh Films shot in Argentina Films shot in Bavaria Films shot in California Films shot in China Films shot in Egypt Films shot in Fiji Films shot in Florida Films shot in Greenland Films shot in Paris Films shot in Shanghai Films shot in Switzerland Films shot in Sydney Films shot in Tanzania Films shot in Tokyo Films shot in Utah Films shot in Uttar Pradesh Future World (Epcot) Grizzly Peak (Disney California Adventure) IMAX short films Mediterranean Harbor (Tokyo DisneySea) Shanghai Disneyland Simulator rides Tokyo DisneySea Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions Walt Disney Parks and Resorts films World Nature Films set in amusement parks Films about fairies Films set in resorts Films set in Los Angeles Films set in national parks

Ride design

Versions

Disney California Adventure

Epcot

Shanghai Disneyland

Tokyo DisneySea

Ride films

''Soarin' Over California''

''Soaring Over the Horizon'', ''Soarin' Around the World'', and ''Soaring: Fantastic Flight''

See also

Notes

References

External links