Unhappy with Soarin'

[chirurgeon]

I still love this ride. 8 times so far this trip. But the film is really DIRTY. Every time I have ridden this trip there have been big pieces of dirt showing on the screen. And it is in both sides. It was really distracting to me this morning. I had to make myself not look at them on my 2nd ride of the morning. On the 2nd ride it did help that I was in the first room of section B, smack dab in the middle. I am definitely writing a letter to Disney about this. I don't even know why they are using film. Why isn't it digital?

Kim

 

[sc9500]

8 times and twice this morning... I wont be there for quite a while, Id take dirty film right now .. lol
Write them though ..

 

[dalt01]

i had the same issue with Back To The Future the last couple of years it was there. most all of the film attractions (HISTA, MV3D, ST'S) are showing age.

 

[exwdwcm]

sorry to hear it Kim- i've noticed it too- in December and it is SO distracting to me too. I am one of those that focuses in on something and can't let it go

 

[txvjc]

Why isn't it digital?

I had read somewhere that they were in the process of digitizing all of the attraction films so that they would look as nice as the Disney 3d films that are being released in the theaters. I don't remember what kind of time table was projected, but I believe Muppets (which looks worse than Soarin') was going to be the first, followed by the other 3d films, and then the rest. Hopefully what I read was true because some of them def need some TLC.

 

[wishspirit]

I still love this ride. 8 times so far this trip. But the film is really DIRTY. Every time I have ridden this trip there have been big pieces of dirt showing on the screen. And it is in both sides. It was really distracting to me this morning. I had to make myself not look at them on my 2nd ride of the morning. On the 2nd ride it did help that I was in the first room of section B, smack dab in the middle. I am definitely writing a letter to Disney about this. I don't even know why they are using film. Why isn't it digital?

Kim

I would write!

I had a similar problem when I was there in September, the film had dark spots right where my eye line was, ruining any realism.

I do love Soarin' so I hoped it was just me having an issue with it, but obviously that isn't the case!

 

[huskerji]

Sorry to hear the news about Soarin. We look forward to checking this out later this year!

 

[doconeill]

I could be wrong, but I believe that Soarin' is using an Omnimax format film (they certainly reused the Omnimax screens from Horizons). I'm not sure how easy it might be to create a digital Omnimax projector.

 

[aspen37]

On the Backstage Magic tour on the ABD trip we got to go below and stand under the screen while the ride was running. It was very cool. The screen is metal and has holes all over.

 

[ADP]

Maybe Soarin could use a little TLC. A short refurb maybe.

 

[hookedonears]

I'm sure cleaning the screens are a major complicated deal.

 

[Blumonkeyboy]

I could be wrong, but I believe that Soarin' is using an Omnimax format film (they certainly reused the Omnimax screens from Horizons). I'm not sure how easy it might be to create a digital Omnimax projector.

If anyone can do a projector, Disney can.

 

[newdrama12]

i had the same issue with Back To The Future the last couple of years it was there. most all of the film attractions (HISTA, MV3D, ST'S) are showing age.

Muppets is going down for a refurb in May. I don't remember for how long though

 

[PrincessBelle39]

We noticed this last September and also found it distracting. We assumed it was the screen that was dirty.

 

[Golf4food]

Muppets is going down for a refurb in May. I don't remember for how long though

A couple of weeks. It reopens on May 14th.

Thankfully we arrive on the 13th and will be in DHS on the 16th so we'll get to see the new queue area and refurbed film.


I definitely agree that the Soarin' film is grainy, dirty, and could use a good "cleaning". It is slightly distracting. But we still love it...

 

[disneyholic family]

I still love this ride. 8 times so far this trip. But the film is really DIRTY. Every time I have ridden this trip there have been big pieces of dirt showing on the screen. And it is in both sides. It was really distracting to me this morning. I had to make myself not look at them on my 2nd ride of the morning. On the 2nd ride it did help that I was in the first room of section B, smack dab in the middle. I am definitely writing a letter to Disney about this. I don't even know why they are using film. Why isn't it digital?

Kim

I agree Kim - i already found the dirt distracting two years ago!!

 

[Miss Monorail 1971]

When I first saw the title of the thread I was like "What! how could anybody be dissapointed with Soar'in?" Then I read on and I was relieved. I agree that it's time to update some of the films at WDW. But nothing is worse than standing in line for over an hour because there are no more fastpasses and one of the theater's is not running only to have someone above you taking photo's with a flash through the whole ride. I almost yelled "Stop taking Photos" But my Family told me to just shut up and stop complaining we are on Soar'in. I live with such nice people.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I agree. I'm a techy A/V guy, and it really bugs me to see poor quality films at Disney when I've got a better setup at home and I don't even have a high end system. But, for what we pay to go to the parks, you would think Disney would step it up to try and provide something better than what they have.

 

[SkaGoat]

There are rumours that Soarin' will go digital. It's filmed with IMAX HD technology. The degradation of the film is a common problem with IMAX HD. Since it uses 48 frames per second (twice what you see in a normal theatre) to reduce flicker it wears down the film much faster.

I can see Disney not wanting to do a reprint of the movie if they plan to update to digital technology very soon. IMAX prints aren't cheap, they use 70mm film.

Unfortunately digital projectors that can project onto a screen that large are rare and very very expensive. Also the digital IMAX projector only works on a 70' screen and I believe Soarin' uses an 80' screen.

 

[Mr. Plutes]

I also have noticed the screen being dirt. But I just try to block it. Just like I block the dirty feet I have to see overhead also ))