So it's been almost 2 years now with the Soarin upgrade. Is it better?

[DWillowBay]

My "complaint" from the beginning has been that the quality (or lack of) distracts from the fact that the subjects are presented well. The fact that the transitions are abrupt and unnecessary and that the tall objects are bent, are far beneath the quality of video presentation that I expect from Disney. I honestly can't believe that Disney would allow such 'errors' to be presented to the public. Certainly, Disney has the technology to have produced Monument Valley or the Eiffel Tower without the distraction of prominent bend in them. Embarrassment!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What do you think? While I like the new one, my vote is that California was better. Good outweighs the bad IMO.

+ more peaceful and serene
+ better and less abrupt transitions
+ no CGI silliness
+ less crooked images from the sides
- Around the world has much higher definition



What say ye?

Although the high definition thing - I can't really tell the difference on that. So that's not a good/bad point for me.

 

[Klayfish]

I voted to give me back the old one, but I'm also somewhat indifferent.

The CGI doesn't bother me, one bit. It's totally fine with me. The distortion is weird, but I can even go along with that.

I just don't think the new one is as fun as the old one, just that simple. I liked the journey of California better...though I do like the new one ending over Epcot.

IMO, Soarin' is still a very enjoyable ride, I love going on it. But I also think it has SO much potential. Imagine the things they could do. I'd kill for an entire show called "Soarin' over Disney". Have it be a fly over of each and every Disney park around the world.

 

[Roy Disney]

California version by far.
They should show both versions, they have enough theaters now.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I was so excited for the new version. Now I've tried it three times, thinking maybe I'd get used to it. Nope. I especially miss the music and the relaxed feel of the original. I would go on Soarin' every visit, often more than once. Now it is not a priority at all.

 

[CarolynFH]

Used to love the old version, don't care for the new one, and no longer make Soarin' a priority.

This is us exactly. On our most recent visit (last week) we made morning FP for FoP on the days we planned to visit Epcot in the afternoon/evening. One day after FoP we booked a FP for TT and the other day we looked but didn’t book anything (we wanted Spaceship Earth, which wasn’t available), ended up riding FEA standby just before park closure. Just not interested in Soarin’ anymore.

 

[0sw@ld]

I too hate being on the ends. The bending and distortion actually had made me sick and I never get motion sick! I prefer and love the older Soarin' over California.

 

[Cindyd04]

I miss the orange smell on the California one. Also the Eiffel Tower curving in the new one makes me sick to my stomach :-\

 

[22Tink]

Soarin’ used to be one of our favourite rides and we would ride multiple times per trip but the new one is so disappointing. Our last trip to DLR we didn’t even bother going on it.

 

[Moliphino]

I would like it just as much as the original version, but the distortion is really bad.

 

[CAS239]

I'd prefer it if it add less CGI and more places.

I enjoyed overall the Soarin over California, but I have no interest in just seeing areas in California..like cmon. If anything the original Soarin should've been locations around the U.S. and then this upgrade is all around the world but no CGI.

I really don't find it necessary to see a CGI whale jump out of the water, but the new one does have some interesting scene transitions

 

[Davey Jones II]

I guess I'm in the minority because I love the new version, even with the CGI. It's a more thrilling flight, because of the "in your face" transitions, and has more exotic locales. However, I only have a slight preference for this new version.

 

[BrianL]

I'd prefer it if it add less CGI and more places.

I enjoyed overall the Soarin over California, but I have no interest in just seeing areas in California..like cmon. If anything the original Soarin should've been locations around the U.S. and then this upgrade is all around the world but no CGI.

I really don't find it necessary to see a CGI whale jump out of the water, but the new one does have some interesting scene transitions

It was originally all in California because it was designed for Disney's California Adventure way back when that was the theme of the park that everybody hated. The land was themed to California aviation. It always was a little weird when the ride came over to the other parks with the "Over California" removed and the Disneyland ending still intact. Context is key sometimes.

For all the talk of a Hollywood Studios rename, California Adventure may need one more.

 

[Louie7080]

The distortion really bothers me. I've only been to the new Soarin in DL. A couple of times I politely asked the CM if I could wait a round so I could sit in the middle and boy they were rude about it. I almost went to guest services to complain. I don't mind the CGI and actually like the transitions and smells, but it isn't really worth a wait if I get seated on the end because of the curving.

 

[Donalyn]

Someone above said it best - how did Imagineering look at the distortion and say, that's okay. How did this happen?

I generally liked the scenes of the old movie better. But now add the terrible distortion that impacts the scenes, to some degree, in most of the seats in the theater. Terrible. Fix it, so that the poor Tower doesn't look like it has ED, or return it back to the prior one.

I also like the idea of a film that is based on disney locations world wide, with maybe something from the host country thrown in.

 

[ChristineOH]

I think that the new one is appropriate for Epcot, because of the WS. I think they should show the California one in DL.

The first time we rode the new version, we were dead center, and it was awesome. The second time we rode, we were on the end, and the curving of the Eiffel Tower, etc., was very distracting. They really should have chosen locations that would not be as affected by the curvature, if there was no way to avoid it.

I also miss the orange blossom smell! What a missed opportunity to include that in the new version. How hard would that have been-- WDW is in Florida!

 

[NH-to-FL]

DW and I really prefer the original version. It was always a multiple ride at each Epcot visit. Nowadays we ride once.

When the news of a change was announced I had been hoping for a Soarin' over America. So many interesting places to fly over. And done with a camera, no CGI. As a previous poster noted the CGI takes a lot of the reality out of the experience.

We still like the ride and it remains one of our favorites. But it was better before.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

We have only ridden it once, I thought it was ok. The distortion is a distraction. We enjoyed the original though also. Indifferent.

 

[Tara8595]

I was so excited to ride this when it opened, and from the first scene of the polar bears, it was obvious that it was animated, and I thought, "Oh no..." And then sat through scene after scene of animation, and was completely disappointed. Everything was so obviously fake. I mean, I want to soar over the *real* world with beautiful cinematography, not through a fake one, with substandard CGI. Completely bummed. However, it doesn't seem to bother my family so much, so I end up sitting through it every trip.... being disappointed that it is only a shadow of what it was.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I never saw the old version and I am fine with the CGI but the distortion drives me crazy. Disney, the very thing you are founded on is making movies. Inexcusable that the distortion is so bad. Go shoot another movie. It cannot possibly cost that much.

My DH and kids are not at all bothered by it though.