Disney official .... Soarin'

[g-dad66]

Mission Space, Nemo, Imagination, Turtle Talk, Energy, Captain EO. The Soarin closing is devastating because there's no doubt it's a tier one ride, but we can still find plenty to keep busy with at EPCOT between what will be open World Showcase and what will be open in Future World. It'll be just like pre-Soarin, only without Maelstrom.

Hmmm... this is the second Epcot thread lately where no one has mentioned Sum of All Thrills.

Is this as well-kept a secret is it would appear to be, OR.... are my grandkids just more easily amused than most people by intense simulator attractions?

 

[g-dad66]

I wonder what they will move into Tier 1 to replace all of those FPs?

Maybe the fountains outside Captain EO?? Our grandkids love to try to catch the jumping water.

 

[samsteele]

Hmmm... this is the second Epcot thread lately where no one has mentioned Sum of All Thrills.

Is this as well-kept a secret is it would appear to be, OR.... are my grandkids just more easily amused than most people by intense simulator attractions?

It is hidden away and by far one of my fav attractions in Epcot. No FP - yet - so the lines can really build by late morning. By its very nature, being a choose your own adventure/track simulator experience, it just doesn't have the capacity to deal with crowds. So maybe its best that it remains a hidden gem.

 

[wdw71]

I can't even begin to express how disappointed I am with this.

 

[wdw71]

I opened my big mouth to my "If you had wings" lovin mom who hasn't been to WDW in 33 years about how much she was going to LOVE Soarin I'm soooo sad

 

[g-dad66]

I opened my big mouth to my "If you had wings" lovin mom who hasn't been to WDW in 33 years about how much she was going to LOVE Soarin I'm soooo sad

It will be open at Disneyland. Just made a resort reservation for DLR instead of WDW for mid-March....

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Hmmm... this is the second Epcot thread lately where no one has mentioned Sum of All Thrills.

Is this as well-kept a secret is it would appear to be, OR.... are my grandkids just more easily amused than most people by intense simulator attractions?

I ALWAYS forget about Sum of All Thrills! I think it's the location and you're right, it's not talked about very much. Sum of All Thrills is excellent.

 

[boufa]

I wonder what they will move into Tier 1 to replace all of those FPs?

I would bet that the tiering system would be suspended or removed during the refurb. It is just to balance out the rides, between TT and Soarin, since Soarin won't be an issue, then I would see no need for the tiers.

In that case, my 2 fastpasses in Feb would be Test Track and Illuminations, and whatever else it takes to fill in the 3rd FP slot.

 

[epcotty]

Thankfully when I go w/ relatives in early December (especially since one used to be a pilot and hasn't seen it) it'll be open then

 

[Jeannie in NJ]

I just booked our trip today. We will be flying in early morning as in 8:30 Jan 2 so we will be able to see Osborne Lights and Soarin. Two of my favorite things.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I would bet that the tiering system would be suspended or removed during the refurb. It is just to balance out the rides, between TT and Soarin, since Soarin won't be an issue, then I would see no need for the tiers.

In that case, my 2 fastpasses in Feb would be Test Track and Illuminations, and whatever else it takes to fill in the 3rd FP slot.

That's a good point. And then they will also have the Frozen ride to deal with.

 

[DisneyFan2013]

"Soarin' will close for refurbishment beginning January 4, 2016 and shall reopen in the summer of 2016."

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/epcot/soarin/

Ok, well I guess that's going to motivate me to start planning a Fall 2016 trip after I return from my Fall 2015 trip!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I get that this has to happen, and I know it is hard to predict when they will finish, but as Soarin' is such a major part of Epcot, the least Disney could do would be to give a more exact re-opening date. Under-promising of course. That way people could at least plan summer trips around this if it were important to them.

I have a choice of going in either late June or early August this summer. I was leaning towards late June, but a June or July Soarin' opening would push me over the edge, bc that attraction really IS that big of a deal in Epcot's current state.

 

[Tomh]

I'll be there in summer 2016, so I'm looking forward to it. But for people going while Soarin is closed.... I can't imagine how bad the Test Track lines will be. They need to think of SOMETHING to swallow up all those people that would otherwise be on line for Soarin.

For your listening pleasure, while Soarin' is under refurbishment, the Soarin' Singers will be entertaining guests, with shows starting hourly!

 

[havoc315]

For your listening pleasure, while Soarin' is under refurbishment, the Soarin' Singers will be entertaining guests, with shows starting hourly!

lol.... I almost forgot about the Test Track singers.

But that renovation happened before the dynamics of FP+...

With the tiered system in Epcot.... Guess the demand for Living with the Land will soar with the FPs for Soarin disappearing at double the speed?

We may actually see the Soarin FP become like the 7DMT... Disappearing 30-60 days in advance, as it becomes the tier 1 choice of almost everyone.

My guess, is that up till now.... 35% of advance FPers were getting Soarin, 35% getting TT, maybe 20% were getting Illuminations, and 10% grabbed the Living with the Land! (Hard to imagine anybody intentionally grabbing Living with the Land, but there may be some people who just don't know anything and picked it randomly, then some people with very young children or elderly, who didn't think TT or Soarin would be good for them).

Maybe the new Norway-Frozen dark ride will open and they can treat it as a Tier-1 attraction. (hmm, it's supposed to open in May.... so that doesn't work... change Captain EO to a Tier 1? lol)

 

[BrianL]

We all knew the Soarin' refurb was coming. They already went Digital at DCA and with the new theater being built, queue reconfiguration was necessary at Epcot. Soarin' needs the upgrade badly. I guess we'll just have to deal with it.

 

[DisneyDude71]

Are they just adding new film, or a third screen?

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm a bit surprised it will be down that long but am looking forward to seeing the end product when it opens back up. As much as I like Soarin' I wouldn't let it being down alter my trip plans.

Are they just adding new film, or a third screen?

My understanding is new queue (or part of the queue), third theater, new projection technology, and new film.

It is a lot but I thought they would open the new theater with the new technology and film before closing the existing two.

 

[HopperFan]

Are they just adding new film, or a third screen?

I'm a bit surprised it will be down that long but am looking forward to seeing the end product when it opens back up. As much as I like Soarin' I wouldn't let it being down alter my trip plans.

My understanding is new queue (or part of the queue), third theater, new projection technology, and new film.

It is a lot but I thought they would open the new theater with the new technology and film before closing the existing two.

The new queue construction will greatly impact the old queue, the front area is to change and of course all the work to be done in the existing theaters. There really isn't any other option than shut it down.

 

[NYHeel]

This stinks. Going to be there late January and now have Soarin and the Buzz Lightyear ride in MK closed. Was last in Disney January 2012 and had Big Thunder closed as well as the Fantasyland construction. Truth is I'm most disappointed by the closure of The Hulk at Universal. That's one of my favorite coasters and was really looking forward to riding it. Last time my oldest (as a 9 year old) was an inch too short and was really upset not being able to ride it. He was really excited to being able to ride the Hulk this time. Oh well.

This makes Epcot a really shaky day. Sum of all thrills will probably be the rope drop attraction for us if we get fast passes for test track. We didn't even know about Sum of all Thrills on our last visit in 2012. After that there isn't all that much. Probably a half day to 2/3 of a day for us as world showcase doesn't really interest us. My kids are 7, 9 and 13 but I still don't think they'll like WS. Heck I don't even think I'd like it. I always found it incredibly boring as a kid and the one time I went as a teenager. We can see the American experience and that may be it for WS. To each their own of course but I'm not excited at all for WS.