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Humanity has had an age old fascination with flight. In its early years, innovations in
technology, curiosity and an innate hunger to explore, kept the idea of human aviation
aloft. As decades passed by, mankind’s relationship with flight evolved. People began to harness
it for all sorts of purposes including public transportation, warfare and commercial transport.
Much like the railroads and automobiles before it, the spirit of adventure in the field of
aviation was lost. Disney’s Imagineers sought out to rekindle that spirit and channel into
a memorable experience with Soarin’, an attraction that would have people of all ages
rediscover the wonder one can have by traveling across some of the world’s most awe-inspiring
landscapes.
Plans for Soarin’ Over California first took flight in 1996, five years before Disney
California Adventure even opened. The early designs for Soarin’ looked much different
than what is seen today. Originally called Ultra Flight, guests would have be surrounded
by an IMAX dome screen and be carried forward by a horizontal cable mechanism, much like
the mechanical components seen at a dry cleaner’s. The design, however, proved to be impractical
and the idea was abandoned. Much time later, Imagineer Mark Sumner revisited the concept
and managed to craft a scaled prototype using pieces from an old Erector Set he found in
his home. Sumner presented his model to Imagineering and the design was deemed to be feasible in
regards to engineering, execution and most importantly efficiency. Instead of three separate
loading areas as dictated by the previous design, the Imagineers could now combine the
three into one and increase rider capacity by adding more seats in the ride vehicles.
Composer Jerry Goldsmith immediately agreed to score the attraction, after he experienced
the ride for the first time and was emotionally moved by it, because it reminded him of his
father’s love for California. In fact, he wanted so desperately to become part of this
project, that he offered to do it for free. In the end, Goldsmith was hired and his wish
came true.
The ride system features several techniques that work in tandem with one another to simulate
the illusion and sensation of flight. The cantilever propulsion system lifts each hang
glider vehicle 40 feet above the loading area and into the show area, which consists of
a massive 360° inverted projection screen. The ride footage is projected at 48 frames
per second, instead of the standard 24, as a way to make the imagery appear life-like
as opposed to a flat, conventional movie screen. At times, the vehicle seats will make certain
movements in accordance to what is unfolding on-screen. To enhance the experience even
more, scented wind is ejected from the canopy of the vehicle towards the faces of the riders
during certain scenes to generate reactions in their tactile and olfactory senses. Such
smells include evergreen pine, citrus blossom, sagebrush and sea breeze. Soarin’ Over California
made its debut with Disney’s California Adventure Park on February 8, 2001 and became
one of the park’s most popular offerings. Although the park it was contained in was
initially considered inferior by visitors and fans, Disney recognized the success of
Soarin’ Over California and duplicated the attraction for installation at Walt Disney
World’s Epcot theme park. The second incarnation of the attraction, referred to simply as Soarin’,
opened on May 5, 2005 at Epcot’s The Land pavilion. Soarin’ replaced the pavilion's
former attraction, Food Rocks, which had already replaced Kitchen Kabaret, both of which were
musical stage shows based on nutrition and healthy living.
Soarin’ at Disney California Adventure is located in a hangar themed building and its
queue is decorated with photographs and artifacts of various aeronautic icons. Located in the
heart of The Land pavilion, Epcot’s queue is designed as a classy, modern-day airline
terminal. After cast members are done separating guests into rows that’ll eventually lead
them into their assigned ride vehicles, a video starring actor Patrick Warburton is
played overhead. Patrick, as he refers to himself, delivers the attraction’s preflight
safety briefing. Once the cast members are given the go-ahead, the riders enter a dimly
lit theatre designed to resemble an airport runway, where they are each instructed to
take their seats and secure their valuables on their assigned hang glider. Patrick tells
the riders that they are ready to depart and all the hang gliders suddenly take off at
once. The flight takes riders on a 5 minute journey over numerous sights in the state
of California. Such vistas include the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the forests
of Redwood Creek, the vineyards of Napa Valley, the rough waters off of Monterey, the snow-capped
mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe, the majestic peaks in Yosemite National Park, the resort
city of Palm Springs (which is actually the neighboring city of La Quinta), the orange
groves of Camarillo, the vastness of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the USS John C. Stennis
stationed in San Diego, the surf of Malibu Beach, the busy nighttime streets of Downtown
Los Angeles, and finally the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. After a brief fireworks finale,
the hang gliders then slowly descend back to ground level, where the guests collect
their belongings and exit the attraction.
Without hesitation, one can say that the sky is certainly not the limit for Disney's Imagineers.
Although Soarin’ might be classified as an adolescent in the eyes of some people due
to its relatively brief existence, its sheer brilliance in unifying technology with an
affectionate tour of one of the world’s most majestic spots, allows it to stand honorably
in the grand pantheon of Disney attractions.