Who here has been on Soarin' in DL?

[nile455]

How does it work exactly? Do the cars actually leave the ground or is it just a stationary simulator ala back to the future in Universal Studios?

Can you describe it? How would you rate it as a ride overall? Outstanding? Just okay?

 

[KNWVIKING]

The ride simulate hang gliding. There are three different heights, IMO the best ride is at the highest level. The screen is IMAX proportion, stunningly sharp visuals. You "glide" over the Ca. landscapes. It is so realistic you will lift your feet to keep them dry. You will smell oranges as you glide over the groves.

It's a great ride. My DW gets motion sick in Star Tours and Body Wars. She loves this ride.

 

[Pinnie]

I loved this ride when we were there and can't wait to see it at EPCOT and ride it again when we head back out to CA this summer.

It is one of the best rides I have ever been on. I agree that the "front row" is the best because the dangling feet of the row in front of you is non existant.

Love the "hidden Mickey" on the golf ball!

pinnie

 

[ekmdisney]

This is one of my favorite rides at DCA.

The ride is made up of three sections, each sections has three rows. Each row hold 12 people. (Scale just give idea, not perfect.)

_________________(Screen)_____________________

Sec. 1 Sec. 2 Sec. 3

Row 1 __________ ___________ ___________
Row 2 __________ ___________ ___________
Row 3 __________ ___________ ___________

When the movie starts, the light will go out and the rows will be lifted 45 feet into the air. Row 1 being the highest, row 2 in the middle, row 3 being closed to the ground. They are all lifted up in front of a IMAX screen

l
l <---facing screening Row 1 __
l (side of row of seats.)
l
l <--- Screen Row 2 __
l
l
l Row 3 __
l
l
-------------------------(ground)------------------------------------

During the film, you are taken, flying over points of intrest of California. Like Yosemite National Park, San Fransisco, Palm Springs, San Diego and a few others.

When you fly over pines trees you will smell the pines, when you fly over orange grooves you smell oranges...etc. (But the last time I was there (9-04) the only thing I got was the pine smell.)

When you are done flying over California you end up at the DLR. Then while you get closer and closer to the fireworks, the lights go out and you are brought back to the ground going backwards.

Hope this has been of some help.

 

[iceskatejen]

For some reason the scents don't always work right. I've ridden Soarin' upwards of 75 times, and it's simply amazing. People always clap at the end of it. I agree that the top-middle is the best section--it's called B-1 (B for Beta). Next best is B-2, followed by A- (alpha) or C- (Charlie) 1, A- or C-2, A- or C-3, then B-3 is my least favorite because you can see both edges of the screen too easily.

 

[KNWVIKING]

.... but the landfill odors didn't get the rave reviews they were hoping for. Go figure.

 

[Peter Pirate]

This is one of the great all time experiences, IMO...But BE WARNED: Enjoy it to the hilt the first time for IMO it loses alot of its over the top amazement on subsequent rides (still great but NEVER as mind boggling as that first time).

 

[MPLsDad]

And I wasn't impressed at all. The "smell-o-vision" wasn't apparent at all and I felt like I was in a swing watching a circle vision movie. I also felt like the people above me were going to kick me in the head the whole time. I was dissappointed that they decided to duplicate it in EPCOT. My wife also thought it was terrible...

 

[Peter Pirate]

Wow. I don't think I have ever talked to anyone who didn't love it (especially the first time)...Well, that's what makes life interesting.

 

[MPLsDad]

I was almost afraid to post since this is one of those untouchable rides...But I know that this forum has members that respect each other!

 

[Peter Pirate]

It's OK with me to disagree...It reminds me that different tastes do exist, that's why I think the 'untouchable' list is really an excercise in futility. After all what is really untouchable?

Obviously Disney will close/replace anything if circumstances arise (low ridership/maintenance issues/outdated, etc.).

It wasn't long ago that Jungle Cruise was rumored to be near death. That's unfathomable to me and luckily it didn't happen but who knows what happens when some set of circumstances I'm not familiar with arises?

 

[Planogirl]

The ride does go up ala Back to the Future. Your feet hang free and of course the ride is smooth since it's emulating a hang glider. Other than that, it's basically the same thing as BTTF.

 

[dpic]

Originally posted by MPLsDad
I was almost afraid to post since this is one of those untouchable rides...But I know that this forum has members that respect each other!

I know what you mean. I think I am one of the ten our so who didn't like Finding Nemo. Where's a gill net when you need one?

 

[Mooobooks]

The ride uses a circular, concave OMNIMAX screen--not an IMAX screen.

I can always judge how happy this ride makes people by the way they dangle their feet and swing them slightly.

By general agreement, this is the best thing WDI has done since Indiana Jones.

When this opens in May at Epcot the lines will be enormous (90 minutes and up) and drain away some of the wait from Test Track (at long last).

With two strong E-tickets like Test Track and Soarin in Future World, and a thrill ride like Mission Space, Epcot will be well on its way back to higher attendance. Combined with the redo of the rest of The Land pavillion, and the eventual completion of the Nemo overlay at Living Seas, things will have certainly gotten more interesting.

 

[Sarangel]

Some trivia about Soarin' from the AP preview in Feb 2001. The film was shot in 48 frames/second instead of the standard 24 frames/second which is part of the reason it seems so realistic.

Also, the smell-o-vision has deteriorated since it opened. On the first ride you could tell the distinct scents of pine, oranges and sea. Now it's all a sort of tangy mish-mash. I believe that this is because they use the same spray nozzle for the scents with the result that they have blended over time.

Sarangel

 

[raidermatt]

I agree with Pete, its a great ride, especially the first time you ride it. Its still fun after that, but it does seem to lose more than other top notch rides.

I think part of the reason for it losing some of the repeatability, and also not being a true "classic level" attraction is its lack of story and themeing.

Its in a hanger type building, there's some aviation decorations, and a funny pre-boarding video with Puddy from Seinfeld, but the ride isn't built into any kind of real story.

To take a basic example, in Peter Pan's Flight, you know why you are flying over the city. But with Soarin', its just a collection of images.

I repeat, it IS fun, but they came up short on the basic Disney storytelling front. Especially for an attraction of this magnitude.

We were told that the Epcot version would improve in this area, so hopefully it does.

 

[KNWVIKING]

But from what I remember about Soarin' I think it has a better preshow then SM. SM is a fun coaster inside a dramatic building, but pre-show itself is pretty bland.

 

[SoCalKDG]

Soaring is one of the few rides that appeals to ages 3-100. Almost all age groups will give it 4 or 5 stars out of 5(I'd give it a 4). I'll be going this coming Monday, and my MIL is looking forward to this ride more than any other, at either park.

 

[CLC]

The sign for Soarin' at Epcot makes it look like it is a plane vs. a hanglider-shows a plane and a runway. I've been on Soarin' at DL-which is terrific. Anybody hear whether this will actually be a hanglider or a plane?

 

[stlphil]

Raidermatt really captures the essence of this ride. It's a great and unique experience, due to the location of the Omnimax screen being below you, but I don't think it's a great Disney attraction due to lack of story and weak theming.

While I got the feeling of flying, especially having the wind blow on you, but I never for even an instant felt that I was on a hang glider. The main reason for this is that you walk into the room and see this monstrosity of a ride system, which only vaguely attempts to give the impresson of a hang glider. This is in strong contrast to a ride like BTTF at Universal, where you only presented with your own individual Delorean (at least if you don't stretch to look around.) Another contributer to this lack of buy-in is that if you are on the lower two levels you have feet dangling just above your heads. As an aside, I thought it was a totally different experience and far superior to be on the top level.

The lack of story derives from the weak theming in the queue, and in the ride film which just seems to randomly jump from setting to setting- no transition and no explanation, sort of like a dream sequence without the dreaming.