Soarin @ WDW picture quality

[DisDream09]

My husband has been complaining about this for a few years now. Very surprised Disney has let it go this long.

 

[Disney Queenie]

An update is long over due, I use to love this ride but, each year it has become more and more distracting all the specs, and problems with the film and screen quality. Even when it was in top condition while I would love the ride, I could not help thinking why California? Disney can afford to do a film made specifically for DW too. That just seemed "undisney" to me then, but not know with this MB fiasco.
The image of Disney in my mind has changed, I use to hold Disney standards up on a pedestal, but that is not the case now.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I seem to remember reading that projected films have to have the actual film replaced VERY often. ...like a movie at the theatre will have to be replaced every three weeks or so. This is a HUGE expense to the film distributors, and a large part of the push for digital projection (which, IMHO, doesn't look near as good).

SO - I'd be willing to bet that it's deterioration of the equipment you might be seeing, not the film itself. At any rate, I still enjoy Soarin', and plan to ride it NEXT WEEK!

 

[rteetz]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I seem to remember reading that projected films have to have the actual film replaced VERY often. ...like a movie at the theatre will have to be replaced every three weeks or so. This is a HUGE expense to the film distributors, and a large part of the push for digital projection (which, IMHO, doesn't look near as good). SO - I'd be willing to bet that it's deterioration of the equipment you might be seeing, not the film itself. At any rate, I still enjoy Soarin', and plan to ride it NEXT WEEK!

Yes the equipment is old and hasn't changed since they built the attraction. It's not even digital so disney looks like they will be taking a couple of steps forward and not just going digital but ultra HD or 4k which is the best stuff out there right now. DCAs soarin is even older than ours so they will get the upgrade first before WDW gets it.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Yes the equipment is old and hasn't changed since they built the attraction. It's not even digital so disney looks like they will be taking a couple of steps forward and not just going digital but ultra HD or 4k which is the best stuff out there right now. DCAs soarin is even older than ours so they will get the upgrade first before WDW gets it.

We got Sorian around what year, 2003?

 

[rteetz]

We got Sorian around what year, 2003?

Around there maybe 2004 not exactly sure.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Around there maybe 2004 not exactly sure.

Oh ok. Still we need an upgrade. I love the ride to death and would love to see it go digital. So maybe they will move over to us after they finish over there.

 

[rteetz]

Oh ok. Still we need an upgrade. I love the ride to death and would love to see it go digital. So maybe they will move over to us after they finish over there.

we can only hope

 

[Redarrow5150]

Yeah and can't imagine Walt Disney being happy with this. Hard to be imagination free when crap like that starts showing up.

I'm all for enjoying the ride, but I also expect it to be maintained and updated ......it is a main attraction after all.

 

[DVCcurious]

I have thought for a long time that Disney WORLD should have Soarin over the WORLD, not Soarin over California.

I mean, who cares about California?

They could have multiple movies so your ride experience would be different each time you ride.

Soarin over North America, Soarin over South America, Soarin over Africa, Soarin over Europe, Soarin over Middle East, Soarin over East Asia, Soarin over Australia, Soarin over Antarctica.

Just think how much better it would be to go Soarin over the Pyramids or over the Great Wall of China, or over that statue of Jesus in Brazil or over a bunch of penguins.

 

[rteetz]

I have thought for a long time that Disney WORLD should have Soarin over the WORLD, not Soarin over California. I mean, who cares about California? They could have multiple movies so your ride experience would be different each time you ride. Soarin over North America, Soarin over South America, Soarin over Africa, Soarin over Europe, Soarin over Middle East, Soarin over East Asia, Soarin over Australia, Soarin over Antarctica. Just think how much better it would be to go Soarin over the Pyramids or over the Great Wall of China, or over that statue of Jesus in Brazil or over a bunch of penguins.

I agree with you. Hong Kong has soarin as well and they are also getting a new video but I'm not sure if they have soarin over California. WDW won't get their rehab for another year or so that means they could possibly film something new for WDW.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

I have thought for a long time that Disney WORLD should have Soarin over the WORLD, not Soarin over California.

I mean, who cares about California?

They could have multiple movies so your ride experience would be different each time you ride.

Soarin over North America, Soarin over South America, Soarin over Africa, Soarin over Europe, Soarin over Middle East, Soarin over East Asia, Soarin over Australia, Soarin over Antarctica.

Just think how much better it would be to go Soarin over the Pyramids or over the Great Wall of China, or over that statue of Jesus in Brazil or over a bunch of penguins.

Hopefully this is part of the reason they are making the change. The beauty of digital vs film is they could change the movie every show or even change individual scenes and have a random experience like they do with Star Tours.

I really hope this is the direction they eventually go, as much as I love Soarin over California I'd love to see multiple movies.

 

[rteetz]

Hopefully this is part of the reason they are making the change. The beauty of digital vs film is they could change the movie every show or even change individual scenes and have a random experience like they do with Star Tours. I really hope this is the direction they eventually go, as much as I love Soarin over California I'd love to see multiple movies.

Well I do know for a fact that they did film over DLR last week. Whether that same film comes to WDW is yet to be seen but they are gearing up for the DLR 60th anniversary and the new soarin film is part of the upgrades.

 

[chartle]

1. The new 4K projectors will actually have a much lower resolution than the existing 70mm Imax projectors

2. but they'll be much easier to maintain since the picture won't deteriorate and get "dirty" like the existing film does.

1. Yes 4k has a vertical resolution of a little over 2000 lines. The effective resolution of imax film on the finished print is around 4,500 lines.

"Old" 35 mm film is equivalent to a 20 megapixel camera and this is how much bigger imax film is over 35 mm

It seems to me what they have to do is install two 4k projectors to give you the same quality as film. I have worked a little with projection systems and getting just one lined up and adjusted is hard enough.

2. I'm going to think though that clean lower res digital will look better than dirty film. In December of last year I really tried to look for all the dust. Didn't really see much except at the very beginning of the show.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

I'm all for enjoying the ride, but I also expect it to be maintained and updated ......it is a main attraction after all.

Actually, this is how attractions become "non-main" attractions. I'd much rather seem them add a new headliner than to spend time and money on Soarin'. It's not THAT good.

 

[briand1023]

I agree multiple options at lower res would be better

 

[seashoreCM]

I am guessing that the film is changed every couple of months.

It's probably an hour long film on the reel or spool. The program runs about 5 minutes not including guest entering and exiting, and is duplicated about a dozen times. So the entire reel is played through in about two hours. So in a typical day (9 AM to 11 PM) the film is played about 7 times.

Although color film has an effective resolution of so many lines per millimeter, there is some generation loss due to the duplicating process. At the very minimum, the film is shot and after editing, a master from the original film exists. Next, "submasters" are made from the master. The prints distributed to the theaters are made from the submasters.

There may be yet more generation loss, for example, if editing is done using copies instead of the camera original.

 

[soar2014]

I disagree with making Soarin' over the World. California is the place that most folks around the world see as an event, as the be all end all. They really look up to California, when they think of America it is usually the places like that which they envision. I hope to go there one day myself. I think it is incumbment upon me as an American to see my country and Soarin' is a wonderful prelude to that

 

[rteetz]

I disagree with making Soarin' over the World. California is the place that most folks around the world see as an event, as the be all end all. They really look up to California, when they think of America it is usually the places like that which they envision. I hope to go there one day myself. I think it is incumbment upon me as an American to see my country and Soarin' is a wonderful prelude to that

That is true a lot of people that come to WDW are not from the USA. WDW is a world destination.

 

[KathleenlovesMickey]

We were so disappointed when we went on this ride. We have been going to DCA since it opened and the film,queue and ride is amazing! The one in WDW is terrible right from the beginning the queue is boring and ugly!!! the screen quality was so far below Disney standards I can't believe it has been allowed to be there. I also think soar'n over CA played in Florida is stupid too. Good grief Disney has plenty of money to have made another movie for this park and state. I can't believe the lines for this ride still. I would not waste a fast pass on this for anything.
Now got to DCA and see what the ride should be!