Anyone disappointed in Soaring?

[DisneyDotty]

One of our favorite rides. Agree with the ocean smell idea, and maybe have a fish drop in your lap.

 

[tmanaster]

It was my FAVORITE ride when I was there earlier this year. It just goes to show you that everyone is different!

 

[Robo]

A friend of mine, who edits video for a living, didn't like it either - but I loved it and have been on at least twice every day that I have been in Epcot - you truly feel like you are flying - and isn't that the point??
After hearing these criticisms, I wondered how it could be made better and smoother experience, but without making the ride longer for the transitions, I don't think you could.
If there are any other film editors out there, I'd love to hear how you would 'fix' it.

Michael

I've been a professional editor (and shooter and producer) for decades.
I noticed the "cuts" the first time I rode "Soarin' Over California" in DCA years before it was built in Epcot (its the same film today).

I thought about it (as I'm sure the editors/producers of the film did) and I think the "Cuts" are the best choice.

There is no faster way to get the transitions to "go away" and just be on with the next scene.
Since you don't want the transitions to intrude AT ALL, making them last LONGER (dissolves or wipes) would not be an improvement.

Fades or dips to BLACK would not be good because:
A, its unnatural, and
B, you don't want to subject the audience to so many "black holes".

"Morphing" would just be TOO artifical (and bizarre).

The way the musical score is written (by the late, great Jerry Goldsmith), I think it enhances the editing as well as the scenes themselves.

One of the principle rules of editing (back when we HAD "rules") was,
"The most basic (and natural) transition in a motion picture (video or film) is a "cut".
This is because the actual way people SEE is by quickly darting their eyes from one view to the other (in effect creating a "cut").
Notice when you are looking around for something. You don't "pan" with your eyes open all the time, but you "dart" (maybe with a blink) from one "view" to another.

And again, knowing the pros at Disney, I'm SURE when they were creating this film they actually DID TRY a LOT of different transitions (I still do that in my work)... and I think they "landed" (pun noticed) on the CUT as the best choice for Soarin'.

The new "Soarin' Over America" film is scheduled to begin playing in the Epcot Soarin' theaters sometime after the 50th Celebration is over.

We'll see if the producers keep with the "cuts transitions" in that film as well.

 

[bytheblood]

No, I think Soarin' is fantastic. The waits are too long for it, but what a great attraction.

The only thing I did find disappointing was the obviously line in the screen they put together.

 

[Brooknwdw]

No, we weren't disappointed at all..in fact we were AMAZED...we rode this as much as possible & were absolutely enchanted by Soarin!

I've never been to California so it was especially cool to me. The smells could be stronger I guess...I never noticed them & didn't know they existed till I read this thread not like Philharmagic's apple pie...

yes water spray would be a nice touch now that ya'll mention it.

 

[rie'smom]

It's not fabulous. That's just my opinion. There was so much written about it that I really expected more. We'll ride it again in May because DD is bringing a friend who's never been to WDW but that's the only reason.

 

[HarryLeg]

The only problem we had with Soarin is that it wasn't long enough.

 

[Markstudy]

The editing is done to the music.

The cuts follow the music and if you listen with your eyes ....(think about it that way) the ride works just right!

You can't do 15 shots any other way, without the quick cuts.
(You could have 7 shots with longer cuts, but that wouldn't be as much fun)

 

[slmjam]

We liked the ride but also felt the transition from scene to scene was a little too abrupt. It's funny that water being sprayed was mentioned in this thread. That's the one thing I told my husband would have made the ride better. We went during Christmas so stand-by lines were ridiculously long (2 hours). We rode it fast pass and the comment my husband made afterward was it was a good ride, but he sure would have been disappointed if he had waited in line 2 hours to ride it.

 

[Robo]

The editing is done to the music.

Well, that's not always the case.

In professional film-making, the cutting of a film is generally done first, then a custom score is written to match the pace and timing of editing.

In "music video" production, of course the images are cut over the recorded music bed.

Since Soarin' is more of a music video "style", but still a fully original film creation, its likely the music score was written to enhance the KIND of scenes they knew they were going to use... and probably the orchestra was conducted and recorded while viewing a "rough-cut" of the footage.

Then, the editors could have made some additional adjustments to fine-tune the cuts exactly to the final completed music track.

 

[remmy_7]

To me, you get the best experience of Soarin if you sit in the front row. If you're in the back or middle row, then you get to see 20 pairs of feet dangling in front of you, which ruins the illusion. My dad and I always ask for the front row and it's only a little wait

 

[NoelGypsy]

I was disappointed also. I dont know if it was all the hype or what. Dont get me wrong, it is a good ride, but I think I was expecting more. From what everyone was talking about I was expecting another mission space... but the intensity is not there. The scenery is beautiful, and the smells make the ride memorable...but I feel it is just missing something, but I do not know what it is . I was happy I got a fast pass and only waited about 5 minutes to get on, if I would have waited an hour I would have been a little upset. I will go on it again next time I am there and see if I feel differently about it, cause I do think my some of feeling of disappointment had to do with the hype

 

[outlndr]

We went in August 05 and we loved it, I hope they plan to keep it. DH, Dd9 and Dd6 got in first row, Ds3 and I got into back row. He is scared of heights and I get vertigo easily. We all did great and went back on it a second time. Having the feet above us seemed to help him to realize he really wasn't so far up off the ground. It made it easier and he actually asked to go on again after the 2nd trip.

 

[PixiDust04]

We all love Soarin'! Last time we were there (me, a friend, and dad) we rode it 3 times the day we were at Epcot! I have done it so many times before (in DL and right after it opened at WDW) and I still love it! The smells are just one thing that make it so memorable (another thing is how my dad always laughs at the guy doing the pre-flight video, and I can't figure out why!) I agree...front row is better because then you can't see the feet, but still good no matter what. My dad got us Fastpasses all 3 times (I can't really imagine waiting in line for 65 minutes no matter how much I like the ride), and it was only a short wait for us then. I would recommend getting Fastpasses for your first time, because then if you are disappointed by it, you won't have wasted an hour in line. I don't really mind them jumping from picture to picture...I guess its all in the imagination! I tend to get so into it that I forget we're on a ride and I really feel like I'm there. I know when its coming each time, but I still flinch every time the golf ball comes flying! Even my boyfriend who is afraid of heights loved the ride...and that's saying something!

 

[eeyoregirl]

Is this the exact same presentation as the one in Disney's California Adventure? If so, I can't WAIT to ride it in May.

 

[PixiDust04]

Is this the exact same presentation as the one in Disney's California Adventure? If so, I can't WAIT to ride it in May.

Yes, it is the exact same one! The only difference is the name...in Disneyland, its called Soarin' Over California and in WDW, its just called Soarin'.

 

[SammieG]

This is one ride where IMHO it really does matter where you sit.

Like you I was disappointed in the ride the first time we tried it. The second time we sat right in the centre of the screen (The top or middle rows are best, but any in the middle is preferable) - and the effect was AMAZING! Now its one of my very favorite rides. (but only if we are sitting in the middle!)

By the way .. perhaps its just me, but I DO smell the ocean when Im on that ride!

 

[kmkja1]

My family all loved it. It was everyone favorite but every ride is not for everyone. Nobody bats 1000, not even Disney.

 

[cleo]

I'm right there with you, Robo. I always thought the quick cuts were the best option as a slow fade-out or other transition just wouldn't have the same 'WOW!' factor. When they quick-cut it has a much more powerful impact, like you've suddenly taken the top off a gift and it's absolutely glorious!

I didn't go into Soarin' with any expectations, but it is probably my favorite attraction now, in part on it's own merit but also because the first day we rode it (5 times in a row with no wait...thank goodness for soft openings!) we met an 80+ year old man who had ridden it 23 times and a 3 year old boy riding it for the first time. Both of them LOVED it, and I think that says an awful lot about the success of the attraction.

 

[Stacerita]

We enjoy riding Soarin. We have ridden it many times at DCA and only rode it once at Epcot (with fastpass). It is the same ride at both. We are looking forward to the change when the 50th is over. We were a bit disappointed in the que area. I enjoyed the one at DCA much more.