Soarin'
- This article is about Soarin' Over California a ride at Disney's California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort. For the ride at Epcot see Soarin'.
Soarin' Over California is a simulator attraction at Disney's California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.
The ride
Template:CaliforniaAdventure The attraction takes 87 guests at a time on a simulated hang glider tour of the Golden State. Guests "fly" over such California landmarks as San Francisco, Redwood Creek, Napa Valley, Monterey, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Palm Springs (actually shot in nearby La Quinta), Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles and finally Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure's neighbouring theme park.
The vehicle the guests ride in consists of three rows of seats under a wing-like canopy. After guests have been safely restrained in the vehicle, the canopy comes down and a cantilever system lifts the chairs forward and into the air with the guests' feet dangling free. The vehicle is lifted into a huge IMAX Dome movie screen onto which scenes of California are projected. Since the vehicle is moved forward into the dome, the effect is such that guests can only see the images projected on the screen and are given the sensation of flying.
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To enhance the illusion of flight, small motions of the seats such as tipping on turns and slight up-and-down movements are synchronized to the film. Fans also blow breezes across the faces of riders to increase the sensation of flight. In addition, scents complementing the various scenes are injected into the air streams blowing on riders. In the Ventura orange field scene, for example, guests are treated to the scent of orange blossoms. The Monterey and Malibu scenes have the scent of a sea breeze while the Palm Springs and Anza-Borrego scenes feature the scent of sagebrush.
Soarin' Over California is one of the most visited attractions at the entire Disneyland Resort (facing tough competition from fan favorites over at Disneyland) and usually has wait times from 30-150 minutes. However, the attraction is tied into the park's FASTPASS system, thus preventing the long wait. Also, the ride was originally going to have an all-Single Riders line, but the separate line has never been built, although a discreet sign near the FASTPASS return advertises a "Single Flyer" pass. The actual show is approximately five minutes long.
While waiting in line, guests can view portraits and biographical descriptions of people influential in aviation such as Amelia Earhart, Jack Northrop, and Chuck Yeager. The ride features an instructional "preboarding" video prior to guest entry into the theater. This video is hosted by Patrick Warburton.
Attraction facts
- Grand opening: February 8, 2001 (Opened with Disney's California Adventure)
- Designer: Walt Disney Imagineering
- Vehicle theme: Hang-glider
- Height: 40 feet
- Show length: 4:41
- Height requirement: 40" (102 cm)
- Number of riders per cycle: 87
Trivia
- The score for Soarin' Over California and Soarin' was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, who is said to have come down from his first ride in tears. He thought the ride was visually beautiful and magical. "I'd do anything to be part of this project," he said, "I'd even score the film for free." The ride's score can be found on Music From Disney's California Adventure (2001 CD)
- At the end of the ride, guests fly over Disneyland park at Christmas time, complete with a Christmas parade travelling down Main Street, U.S.A., decorations on Sleeping Beauty Castle, and special Christmas fireworks.
- There is a Hidden Mickey on the golf ball, which is coincidentally launched by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, reportedly a big fan of golf.
- In the end of the film, the fireworks that are launched behind Sleeping Beauty Castle resemble the shape of Mickey's head.
- Outside the ride building and in the hallways where guests are waiting to enter the main theater, march music from a variety of Hollywood action and war films is played, including the themes from Patton (also by Jerry Goldsmith) and The Last Starfighter and also Air Force One.
- The queue's music listing can be found here: Disney Music Loops: Soarin' Over California Queue Music
References
- "Amusement Apparatus and Method - Patent #6,354,954". US Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved June 3.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - Mechanism to lift riders into dome and simulate flight. - "Apparatus and method for curved screen projection - Patent #6,727,971". US Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved November 16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - System to project into dome while maintaining illusion of being at the same point of view as the camera.