In Soarin’ Around the World, guests will glide over iconic settings from across the globe on this immersive simulator, which was updated with a new film in 2016.
Ride Information Restrictions Location Fun Facts Top 5 Tips
Soarin’ Around the World Ride Information
Opening Day: May 5, 2005 (Soarin’); June 17, 2016 (Soarin’ Around the World)
Type of Ride: Simulator
Age Recommendation: All ages
Duration of Ride: About 5 minutes
Typical Queue Time: Very long; often approaching two hours, even on slower days
Single Rider Line: No
Chicken Exit Available: Yes
Baby Swap Available: Yes
Type of Vehicle: Hang glider
Type of Restraint: Seat belt
Attraction Open During Early Theme Park Entry: Yes. See our Early Theme Park Entry page for more information.
Ride Photo Available For Purchase: No
Soarin’ Around the World Ride Restrictions
Height Requirements: 40 inches
Flash Photography or Video Allowed: No
Soarin’ Around the World Location
Shopping: No major stores are featured in The Land pavilion, but guests can find a wide assortment of souvenirs across Future World at EPCOT’s premier gift shop, Creations.
Dining/Refreshment: Two restaurants, one table service establishment and one counter service eatery, are housed in The Land. On the pavilion’s upper level, guests can join classic Disney characters for a family style breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Garden Grill, which uniquely rotates to murals and settings from the Living with the Land boat ride. Breakfast offerings at Garden Grill include sticky buns, scrambled eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, bacon, ham, and Mickey waffles; lunch items include a salad, beef, turkey, sausage and peppers, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, vegetables, and cake; and dinner reprises the lunch menu in addition to fish. Meanwhile, adjacent to Soarin’ Around the World on The Land’s lower level, guests can enjoy a counter service breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Sunshine Seasons. Sunshine Seasons offers a diverse menu, including soups, salads, sandwiches, chicken, salmon, pork chops, beef, a stir-fry, and fish tacos.
Restroom: Facilities are located near Soarin’ Around the World on The Land’s lower level.
Smoking Location: Smoking is permitted in designated smoking areas only. Disney parks are smoke free.
Soarin’ Around the World Fun Facts
Did you know?
- Soarin’ Around the World takes place among three theaters. Guests sit in three-tier, stadium-style hang glider vehicles. Additionally, these seats swoop over a 180-degree, 80-foot IMAX projection screen, creating the illusion of flight.
- On Soarin’ Around the World, guests fly over settings such as the Matterhorn (Switzerland), the Arctic Circle, Sydney Harbor (Australia), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Kilimanjaro National Park (Tanzania), The Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramids (Egypt), the Taj Mahal (India), the West and East Mitten Buttes (United States), Lau Islands (Fiji), Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), the Eiffel Tower (France), and EPCOT.
- Soarin’ Around the World debuted at the new Shanghai Disneyland Park as “Soaring Over the Horizon” on June 16, 2016. In fact, the new film debuted at both EPCOT and Disney’s California Adventure on June 17, 2016. Excluding live entertainment, Soarin’ Around the World was the third attraction in Walt Disney World history to have previously debuted at one of Disney’s foreign parks, the “The Timekeeper” circle-vision film (Disneyland Park Paris on April 12, 1992; the Magic Kingdom on November 21, 1994) and Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show (Walt Disney Studios Paris on March 16, 2002; Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 5, 2005) being the others. The Timekeeper was replaced by Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in 2007, while Lights, Motors Action closed in 2016 to prepare for new Toy Story and Star Wars lands.
- The final scene of Soarin’ Around the World is different in each of its locations. Specifically, EPCOT is at EPCOT, Disneyland Park is at Disney’s California Adventure, and Shanghai is at Shanghai Disneyland.
- The first Soarin’ film debuted in EPCOT in 2005. In fact, it was part of Disneyland’s fiftieth anniversary festivities. To celebrate the occasion, Walt Disney World added one new attraction to each of its four theme parks. Specifically, three of these attractions came from other Disney parks—Soarin’ (EPCOT via Disney’s California Adventure), Cinderellabration (Magic Kingdom via Tokyo Disneyland Park), and Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show (Disney’s Hollywood Studios via Walt Disney Studios Paris)—while the Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest was unique to Walt Disney World. Cinderellabration closed in 2006; Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show closed in 2016; and Expedition Everest continues to thrill guests at the Animal Kingdom.
- The original Soarin’ film debuted with Disney’s California Adventure on February 8, 2001 as that park’s headliner attraction. Unlike EPCOT, where the attraction was termed “Soarin,” the Anaheim attraction was called “Soarin’ Over California.”
- The original Soarin’ film was the first of two Walt Disney World attractions to have previously debuted at Disney’s California Adventure, Under the Sea—Journey of the Little Mermaid (called “The Little Mermaid—Ariel’s Undersea Adventure” in California) being the other.
- Because the original Soarin’ film was designed for Disney’s California Adventure when that park’s focus was the Golden State, sights encountered on the original Soarin’ were exclusively from California: the Golden Gate Bridge, Redwood Creek, Napa Valley, Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Palm Springs, Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Downtown Los Angeles, and Disneyland Park during fireworks. The original version does return from time to time.
- Soarin’ Around the World incorporates related scents. For example, these include grass, the ocean, and roses. The original Soarin’ film also used scents. Specifically, these scents included lemon blossom, evergreen and sagebrush fragrances.
- The inspiring soundtrack for both Soarin’ films was the work of the late composer Jerry Goldsmith.
- Soarin’ Around the World’s queue features an interactive trivia game, Soarin’ Challenge. Specifically, it incorporates questions about world history, culture, landmarks, cuisine, and the like.
- Soarin’s queue added virtual games in July 2007. It was the first interactive queue at Walt Disney World. Other attractions, including The Haunted Mansion (2011), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (2010), Space Mountain (2010), and Dumbo The Flying Elephant (2012), have since added interactive elements to their queues.
- From EPCOT’s opening day, October 1, 1982 until 2004, Soarin’s real estate was occupied by a pair of food-based animatronic shows, “Kitchen Kabaret” (1982-1994) and “Food Rocks” (1994-2004). Kraft sponsored “Kitchen Kabaret.” Nestle sponsored “Food Rocks.”
- Soarin’ incorporated a single-rider queue with its 2005 debut. However, the single rider line no longer exists.
Hidden Mickeys:
Hot air balloons in the West and East Mitten Buttes form a Hidden Mickey. Also, watch for a Hidden Mickey in the fireworks scene.
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Top 5 Tips for Soarin’ Around the World
- Soarin’ Around the World is the best thrill ride for families at EPCOT.
- Guests afraid of heights should think twice about riding Soarin’.
- Participate in the queue activities. Specifically, the games are fun to play against others.
- Be aware that you may see dangling shoes from other guests.
- Shoes that are loose on your feet, such as flip flops and crocs, must be removed to ride.