Articles | Disneyland | Walt Disney World
Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: My Disney Top 5 - Things to Love About Soarin' Around the World

  1. #1
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet AutoPoster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    MousePlanet Global HQ

    My Disney Top 5 - Things to Love About Soarin' Around the World

    My Disney Top 5 - Things to Love About Soarin' Around the World by Chris Barry

    Chris takes to the skies with a Soarin' Top 5 list.

    Read it here!


  2. # ADS

    Join Date
    Location
    Posts
     

  3. #2

    Definitely an attraction worth of a "Top 5"!

    Briefly, re: the opening mention of considering an October trip... I'm feeling similar to you and the other MP staff. Even though 10/1 is now full for Park Reservations for current capacity limits for MK (I thought I had read EPC filled up as well after the Remy announcement, but it showed green when I just looked), I'm half considering a trip including that date in hopes capacity will open up and many (probably not all, I realize) things could start returning to normal by then. It's been way too long... but I'm still just thinking, not yet committed. I think I'll keep an eye on the news watching for any possible bad COVID spikes after the spring break events that have been happening in FL over the last few weeks. If those don't cause spikes, maybe it's a sign we can start safely returning to normal for more things over the next 6 months, with more and more people being vaccinated by then.

    So now, back to the Top 5 content :

    1) Agree on Patrick being a great narrator (though I need to admit I've never seen The Emperor's New Groove - I probably should check it out one of these days) You left out "Rules of Engagement" as one of his works. He was pretty funny in that show most times. But yes, he's a great narrator for Soarin'. Glad they kept him with the change in 2016.

    2) Smells - 1st thing in my mind every time is "that's not what elephants smell like!" (not that I really wish they had done that.... eewww ). The grass effect is good, but I think I may prefer the roses during the Taj Mahal scene. The scent when you fly over the Fiji island scene isn't bad either. I do miss the orange groves smell of the original though (I would probably call that my favorite smell effect from either version of Soarin').

    3) I can't add much but to say I fully agree the mechanism is cool, especially the erector set back story.

    4) I wouldn't say the Castle scene is my favorite, but I do think it is a good one. While it's not as much of a "big" visual effect, I like the detail of the people walking on the bridge as you turn away. Not sure why that sticks with me, but it does. I think my favorite scene may be the waterfalls. The rumbling of the water as you glide into the area is a great audible effect, IMO (feeling the rumbling of the bass helps it too! ). I also like the Taj Mahal scene, but for almost the opposite reason of it being so tranquil and just enjoying the calmness of it with the visual and the rose smell previously mentioned.

    5) Fully agree on the soundtrack. It would not be the ride we all know and love with any other soundtrack.

    So for the "which is better?" part.... I think I have to go with original. (not that I don't enjoy the new, I do, especially if I can ask to wait for the midle section - see below )

    The main reason being the "elephant in the room" of the much more obvious curvature present in certain scenes as we all have noticed. As well documented in discussions here on MP and elsewhere, it's much more extreme in the new version (at least for most seats). I'm not sure if the filming technique was different to make it more noticeable, or if the scenes in the original just did not have as many elements that we would all immediately notice as curved more than they should be. But once you've seen the Eiffel Hockey Stick effect, it's something you can't un-see, and it causes my eye to look for similar effects in all the scenes. In my mind, the Monument Valley scene with the red rock towers also shows it a bit (though I'm not sure I ever would have noticed without the Eiffel), and the Taj Mahal is pretty badly curved in ways it should not be from many seats as well. I notice it for the Pyramids and Matterhorn also. Of course, asking to sit in the middle section (when that's possible) can make this significantly less noticeable.

    There are a few scenes from the original I miss as well. The scene with the Thunderbirds was great and I miss that. Also the golf ball effect (though I'll give props to the sea plane effect in the new version being close to the same feeling).

    I guess the changeover from the original to the new now puts the shoe on the other foot for which visitors to the American parks wonder what the connection is. All those years of ending in DL for FL park goers now flips around for all the CA park visitors wondering why the ride ends at Epcot . At least I'm pretty certain it ends at Epcot in DCA's version as well (I am pretty sure I went on Soarin' at DCA in early 2018 and thought it was the same as EPC)... I saw one on-line reference to the ending being different at different sites, but that might have been just for the international park versions.

    -Dave

  4. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Long Beach CA
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave1313 View Post
    Definitely an attraction worth of a "Top 5"!

    Briefly, re: the opening mention of considering an October trip... I'm feeling similar to you and the other MP staff. Even though 10/1 is now full for Park Reservations for current capacity limits for MK (I thought I had read EPC filled up as well after the Remy announcement, but it showed green when I just looked), I'm half considering a trip including that date in hopes capacity will open up and many (probably not all, I realize) things could start returning to normal by then. It's been way too long... but I'm still just thinking, not yet committed. I think I'll keep an eye on the news watching for any possible bad COVID spikes after the spring break events that have been happening in FL over the last few weeks. If those don't cause spikes, maybe it's a sign we can start safely returning to normal for more things over the next 6 months, with more and more people being vaccinated by then.

    So now, back to the Top 5 content :

    1) Agree on Patrick being a great narrator (though I need to admit I've never seen The Emperor's New Groove - I probably should check it out one of these days) You left out "Rules of Engagement" as one of his works. He was pretty funny in that show most times. But yes, he's a great narrator for Soarin'. Glad they kept him with the change in 2016.

    2) Smells - 1st thing in my mind every time is "that's not what elephants smell like!" (not that I really wish they had done that.... eewww ). The grass effect is good, but I think I may prefer the roses during the Taj Mahal scene. The scent when you fly over the Fiji island scene isn't bad either. I do miss the orange groves smell of the original though (I would probably call that my favorite smell effect from either version of Soarin').

    3) I can't add much but to say I fully agree the mechanism is cool, especially the erector set back story.

    4) I wouldn't say the Castle scene is my favorite, but I do think it is a good one. While it's not as much of a "big" visual effect, I like the detail of the people walking on the bridge as you turn away. Not sure why that sticks with me, but it does. I think my favorite scene may be the waterfalls. The rumbling of the water as you glide into the area is a great audible effect, IMO (feeling the rumbling of the bass helps it too! ). I also like the Taj Mahal scene, but for almost the opposite reason of it being so tranquil and just enjoying the calmness of it with the visual and the rose smell previously mentioned.

    5) Fully agree on the soundtrack. It would not be the ride we all know and love with any other soundtrack.

    So for the "which is better?" part.... I think I have to go with original. (not that I don't enjoy the new, I do, especially if I can ask to wait for the midle section - see below )

    The main reason being the "elephant in the room" of the much more obvious curvature present in certain scenes as we all have noticed. As well documented in discussions here on MP and elsewhere, it's much more extreme in the new version (at least for most seats). I'm not sure if the filming technique was different to make it more noticeable, or if the scenes in the original just did not have as many elements that we would all immediately notice as curved more than they should be. But once you've seen the Eiffel Hockey Stick effect, it's something you can't un-see, and it causes my eye to look for similar effects in all the scenes. In my mind, the Monument Valley scene with the red rock towers also shows it a bit (though I'm not sure I ever would have noticed without the Eiffel), and the Taj Mahal is pretty badly curved in ways it should not be from many seats as well. I notice it for the Pyramids and Matterhorn also. Of course, asking to sit in the middle section (when that's possible) can make this significantly less noticeable.

    There are a few scenes from the original I miss as well. The scene with the Thunderbirds was great and I miss that. Also the golf ball effect (though I'll give props to the sea plane effect in the new version being close to the same feeling).

    I guess the changeover from the original to the new now puts the shoe on the other foot for which visitors to the American parks wonder what the connection is. All those years of ending in DL for FL park goers now flips around for all the CA park visitors wondering why the ride ends at Epcot . At least I'm pretty certain it ends at Epcot in DCA's version as well (I am pretty sure I went on Soarin' at DCA in early 2018 and thought it was the same as EPC)... I saw one on-line reference to the ending being different at different sites, but that might have been just for the international park versions.
    DCA's version still ends at Disneyland. You can spot the Matterhorn in the background. But, Tinkerbell has been upgraded via computer graphics. She looks out of place because she's almost 3D now. LOL.

  5. #4

    I far prefer the original Soarin over CA than the World. The CGI and distorted world landmarks ruin the World version. I loved the nature scenes in the CA version. I never felt the CA version was out of place at Epcot and I felt it tied in well with the Land theme. I did the CA version almost every time I visited Epcot or DCA but I generally skip the World version unless it has a short wait. I agree with almost all the items in your Top 5. I liked the Neuschwanstein scene but I haven't been on it enough to call it my favorite scene. My 5:
    1. Soundtrack – I love the soundtrack, especially the CA version.
    2. Ride Mechanism – the soundtrack and the mechanism propel Soarin from just an ordinary Imax movie/screen-based ride
    3. Scenes – I like the scenes but I haven't determined my favorite one yet.
    4. Sights and smells
    5. Patrick Warburton


  6. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Gulf Coast of Florida
    Quote Originally Posted by MousePlanet AutoPoster View Post
    My Disney Top 5 - Things to Love About Soarin' Around the World by Chris Barry

    Chris takes to the skies with a Soarin' Top 5 list.

    Read it here!
    For me, the Fast Pass system made Soarin better. And good for them for expanding the bays too. I laugh and laugh about the distortion. A multi billion dollar company and the Eiffel Tower looks like it is trying to touch it's toes.
    My top 5 is Fast Pass, Fast Pass, Fast Pass, David Puddy, Fast Pass.

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by wdwchuck View Post
    For me, the Fast Pass system made Soarin better. And good for them for expanding the bays too. I laugh and laugh about the distortion. A multi billion dollar company and the Eiffel Tower looks like it is trying to touch it's toes.
    My top 5 is Fast Pass, Fast Pass, Fast Pass, David Puddy, Fast Pass.
    I'll take Section B, row 2 seat 4 or 5 please..... (OK, maybe row 1 is better for people with the dislike of seeing dangling feet - that never bothered me much) The Eiffel Tower looks fairly reasonable from those 2 seats. Progressively worse as you work your way out to the edges where it turns into the "touch it's toes" view.....

    More seriously, I'm never that specific. I will politely request waiting for Section B, but I don't really care much about it beyond that. I would consider asking more specifically than that making more of a PITA of myself to the cast members than I am comfortable with.

    I may have scored the specific "dead center" seats I called out by luck once though... but then there was the time I did not ask for B and was on the wall edge seat on Section A or C. That might be where I was sitting the first time I noticed the Taj Mahal trying to bend also.

    And also, yes on the FP. I also found it a great ride for multiples during real Extra Magic Hours in the evening on at least one occasion. I think during a family trip a few years ago I took my mom on the ride twice in a row within less than a half an hour right near the time when regular hours turned into EMH time.
    Last edited by Dave1313; 03-21-2021 at 05:35 PM.
    -Dave

  8. #7

    Consider me part of the crowd that liked Soarin over California more than the World version because it felt more "normal" to me. I find the blends between one place and the next are a lot of "jump scare" with a whale jumping at me, a plane flying at me, fireworks shooting at me, etc that is more jarring than I remember with the original (i only can remember the golf ball one). I noticed also that there was less distortion on it than there was on the new ride as well- as many people have said the curvature of Icons is a bit distracting. Don't get me wrong, this is easily a top 5 attraction for the entire resort, it's just I preferred the original one a bit better. Also, it was pretty cool that due to pure dumb luck and the arrival of various friends I got to see the California on it's last week of operation and then was immediately back for the first week of the World.

    Moving forward, I think there's a lot of opportunity, assuming they can resolve the bending issue for locations. There's no reason I can tell that they couldn't randomize a la Star Tours so that each experience was a new one. However, with the current financial situation, Iwouldn't expect Soarin to be updated anytime this decade.


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •