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View Full Version : Where did Soarin Over California come from?



R.D.
05-16-2005, 08:54 AM
Was this ride the first?
Or did they take it from another Disneyland park?

stan4d_steph
05-16-2005, 08:56 AM
Soarin' Over California is original to DCA.

bradk
05-16-2005, 08:58 AM
I believe until recently, it was exclusive to Disneyland. They've subsequently copied it at WDW (titled simply Soarin') which I believe even uses the same film.

while there have been other attractions that use IMAX format screens and the '4d concept,' I'm not aware of any others that take it quite to SOC's level.

Opus1guy
05-16-2005, 11:18 AM
The origin of Soarin' dates back to the popularity of one particular scene in the old Epcot Horizons attraction, where your attraction vehicle passed through an OmniDome with a completely surrounding Imax-like movie projection covering your entire visual range. Had short scenes of a Space Shuttle launch, an underwater scene...etc, etc. The fine grain and the large format film stock (perhaps coupled with a higher FPS projection speed...don't recall now) made for an exceptional immersive viewing experience.

Guest comments about this scene were always very strong and positive and immediately ideas were tossed around at Imagineering of designing an attraction that would place you in a simulator within the dome, to complete the virtual experience. There was even talk of attempting to 3D the movie!

Like a lot of ideas at Imagineering, they get filed away for one reason or another. But often not forgotten!

While Soarin' does not involve any sort of sophisticated simulators like Star Tours employs, or any super-thrilling and extreme sensory roller-coaster like experiences, it was a relatively inexpensive way to create a simple yet still enjoyable "mini-simulator" attraction in conjunction with the OmniDome film experience. And it's "tame-ness" adds to it's total "Disney" family appeal.

The "hang-glider" aspect being the most unique show element compared to the other concepts that were considered from those ideas derived from Horizons.

With the added effect of "Smell-O-Vision" (which was also incorporated in parts of the Horizons attraction at Epcot)...Soarin' makes for a truly great (and relatively low-tech) Disney show! And as has already has been mentioned...it debuted as a California Adventure original.

But there's not a single time I go on Soarin' that I don't think of Horizons!

Disney Vault
05-17-2005, 02:45 PM
Was this ride the first?
Or did they take it from another Disneyland park?
Why did you have the rolling eye icon? Because of how many other rides in DCA are clones?