Soarin: What's the Big Deal

[jakeybake]

Hi,

We went to WDW the week of August 26th. Stayed at the BC and had the time of our lives. Very little wait for any ride that wasn't Soarin.

Our last day there I walked over and did Soarin, and I have to say, what's the big deal?

I mean it was cool but why the long waits when great rides like TOT, Space Mountain, Test Track etc had 10 minute waits tops?

Help me to understand why people flock to it?

Thanks,
Jay

[tinkerbelle75]

For one, it's still relatively "new". People who haven't been in a few years haven't gotten to ride it yet.Second, it is different.There's just no other ride in the parks like it.
It is also a really great ride. It's probably in my top 10 of all time at WDW. But that's what's so wonderful about WDW, there is something for everyone!:mickey::thumbsup:

[DessertDivaFL]

I am one of the few that haven't been on this ride. I will finally get that chance in November. I am looking forward to all the sensations I have heard you can experience. Isn't there the smell of pine trees or something?

[Juggalotus]

And unlike ToT, SpaceMountain or Test Track, there's no restrictions to ride Soarin (like not pregnant, and free of heart/back problems). It is open to a much broader audience than the thrill rides are.

[Lynn J Mc]

You do smell the orange trees and the pines and the ocean. My father can't ride a lot of things because he gets motion sick. We were trying to talk him into riding it and he was refusing. My 6 YO niece said " But Granddaddy, don't you want to smell the oranges?" I think the great thing is that it does appeal to a wide audience. I love it and could ride it over and over. After 6 times on it I'm ready to go right now.

[cal5755]

MMM the smell of orange trees and pine trees.... oooh and I so want to dip my feet in the ocean!! It is one of the best rides and will always be a family favorite. We love the fact that the whole group of us can go on now that DD4 is tall enough where TOT and SM are rides my ds12 and mom just don't do.

[crltkcagle]

Just tell grandpa if he starts to feel sick just to close his eyes. We took my 4 and 6 year old on it and the loved it. For the thrill seeker next time your ride it lean forward just a tad and look down instead of straight. be sure not to hold on to anything. it makes the ride a little more thrilling for those who may find it boring.

[mcjaco]

I'm with you on this. I don't get this ride at all. I think it's boring, unimaginative, and what does it have to do with the Land Pavillion?

Seriously, why wait two hours for a seven minute ride, that is really just an IMAX screen with movable chairs, a few smells thrown in, and fans blowing on you? Zzzzzzzz.

[RBrooksC]

That is the whole point of the ride. It is all about this Land of ours and it fits perfectly into that pavillion. It is a wonderful ride. It is something different. Is it just an Omnimax screen? Yes it is but does every great ride have to be a thrill ride? I should hope not. I would think it is more boring if every great ride was a thrill ride.

How often does one get to see the wonderful sites shown in that film in the way they are presented? I bet not many considering one scene was filled in a National Park that has no fly rules and Disney was given special permission to fly in there to get the shots they wanted.

[DNS]

This is one of my top five, maybe even three, favorite rides in all of WDW. It's just incredible to me. It's so realistic. And the smells add so much to the ride also. Some rides/attractions are great for just one time, or a few times. Some are great for as many times as you can get and this is one of those for me. I can't imagine ever tiring of it.

[LoriMistress]

Hi,

We went to WDW the week of August 26th. Stayed at the BC and had the time of our lives. Very little wait for any ride that wasn't Soarin.

Our last day there I walked over and did Soarin, and I have to say, what's the big deal?

I mean it was cool but why the long waits when great rides like TOT, Space Mountain, Test Track etc had 10 minute waits tops?

Help me to understand why people flock to it?

Thanks,
Jay

The ride is okay. And I've been on it numerous times at DLR/DCA. There are several reasons why this ride is popular. One, it's one of the few newer attractions that the majority of the family can enjoy. It doesn't have any jerky movements, doesn't move fast, and most people do not get sick on this attraction. And to top it all of, the attraction doesn't scare people either.

[TFrauts]

I would honestly never ride it again, if I didn't have a fastpass....IMHO it is not worth a wait over 30minutes...

[wjrhw]

I thought this ride wasn't as great as the line warranted after my first visit as well. But the more times I rode it, the more it stuck with me. I think the music has a lot to do with everyone’s love for this ride.

[SAHDad]

I think it also has to do with the architecture of the ride - Space Mountain, Test Track, Mission Space, etc may all have a larger system capacity. Soaring has the two large concourses, and they can't speed that up by adding extra cars or anything.

But yeah, the fact that it is new, and does not have the "Warning: Do not go near this ride if you are pregnant, claustrophobic, have heart problems, are afraid of the dark, have male pattern baldness, have an ingrown toenail"-Mission: Space style warnings.

It was good, but not worth a long wait, IMO.

[thrillme]

But yeah, the fact that it is new, and does not have the "Warning: Do not go near this ride if you are pregnant, claustrophobic, have heart problems, are afraid of the dark, have male pattern baldness, have an ingrown toenail"-Mission: Space style warnings.

It was good, but not worth a long wait, IMO.

:haha::funny::rotfl: I wonder about those warnings sometimes.

[Followthatmouse]

I wasn't exactly enthralled with Soarin', either.

Perhaps they were having technical difficulties the day I rode. We already had a malfunction in a previous theatre and my group was led to another. In the new theatre, I didn't notice any aromas and, no I didn't have a cold. My seat was in the lowest row to the right. The dangling feet were a little distracting. I think a different day and a different view and I may have a different response.

[SpecJoe Magic]

I understand that its broad appeal to many different age groups, its newness and its relatively low rider capacity contribute greatly to the long waits, and I agree with the topic starter and others that have said that they don't see what the big deal is all about. I admit that I first rode it at California Adventure in 2001 and was amazed by it. I remember commenting that it was one of the best Disney rides that I have ever been on. However, the passage of time and having ridden it multiple times now have led me to grow a little tired of it. Don't get me wrong, I still think that it's one of the best experiences in Future World, but it doesn't maintain that timeless appeal for me that Disney classics such as the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean do. So, we'll have to wait and see how well the popularity of Soarin' holds up over time.

[mouseketeer mom]

For the five of us, its a not miss attraction. We are 47, 42, 13, 11, and 8 now. We've been riding it since its debut at WDW. The five of us all have the same reaction. We come off that ride SMILIN' and talking about it, and loving the sensation it gives us. We all love the free, flying sensation. It just might be our favorite ride at WDW.:tink:

[GrmGrninGost]

It's a family ride. Period. It can be enjoyed by all. It is on my list of can't miss rides. The sights are amazing and the feeling of actually soarin' over California is awe inspiring. My family and I have been on this ride many times and I can't imagine growing tired of it! It is tremendous! :mickey:

[baldburke]

It isn't supposed to b a thrill ride, it is a fun family ride. More often than not, Disney isn't about the thrill but the experience. And it is a wild experience.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

Rode it once, will never waste our time on it again.
While every attraction doesn't have to be a thrill ride (Horizons and WOM were two of our all-time favorites) in this case I think the hype far exceeds the reality.

[pixiesmimi]

You do smell the orange trees and the pines and the ocean. My father can't ride a lot of things because he gets motion sick. We were trying to talk him into riding it and he was refusing. My 6 YO niece said " But Granddaddy, don't you want to smell the oranges?" I think the great thing is that it does appeal to a wide audience. I love it and could ride it over and over. After 6 times on it I'm ready to go right now.

Tell your father that I don't do roller coaster type rides. I get motion sick very easily. I'm the one that sits out most of the thrill rides. My DH gets frustrated with me. He loves SM, RRC, MS and Soarin. The first time he rode it he kept saying I needed to ride it. I would get aggrevated with him because he knew I got sick on rides like that. In August we went just the two of us and I was determined that I was going to ride as many things as I could with him and even took Dramamine each day. We went on Soarin first thing in the morning before I took any and were in the front row. I was very nervous about it and was prepared to close my eyes. After the first couple of minutes, I began to enjoy it and did just fine. So we rode it again and I enjoyed it more this time. Never got sick. I did try SM and the reaction was just the opposite. I will never go on it again! But Soarin, yes. DH is a helicopter pilot and loves anything like this. Tell your father to at least try it once.

[RSGBSG2002]

I'm actually a big fan of Soarin.

You see, I can't stand the ride, but a whole lot of people don't mind wasting hours standing in line over there for a seven minute movie viewed in a swing.

With that many people corralled into one place, I'm sure it helps the lines everywhere else. :thumbsup:

[Daisy'sMom]

I think it's wonderful. It's one of our favorites. And the best thing about it, it's not a thrill ride. Since when does everything have to be about thrill rides at Disney? JMO:mickey:

[CandleontheWater]

You know, I felt the same way about Soarin' initially, but after a few trips, it really started to grow on me. I do love the music, which I think is a big part, but my favorite part is when the helicopters fly off the aircraft carrier. My husband is the Navy and flys that same helicopter and when he was deployed I would love to go and watch it because experiencing what he does everyday was the closest I could get to him when he was gone. I guess having a personal connection to the film helped me bond with the attraction, now I hit it every time I go.

[luv_cinderella]

Seriously, why wait two hours for a seven minute ride, that is really just an IMAX screen with movable chairs, a few smells thrown in, and fans blowing on you? Zzzzzzzz.

We could not agree with you more! Yea... spray some pine-sol and citrus air freshener in my face... wa-hoo! No thank you.

We've come to the decision we're delighted if people love Soarin' and will wait for hours to ride it... that's frees up more line time for Test Track, Mission Space, etc. So, go ahead, ride it to your heart's content everyone! :thumbsup:

[PeterPan]

It only stands to reason that some people are going to hate Soarin. Is there a single ride/attraction/show/fireworks/etc. that EVERYONE loves? The answer is NO. It is impossible.

BUT as far as Soarin' goes - this time, the Imagineers really hit it OUT OF THE PARK (so to speak.) IF they were after a thrilling (and yes, I use that word carefully) experience that the WHOLE FAMILY can enjoy - from the toddler to the grandmother, they get an unqualified A+++. It shows us one of the most beautiful places in the world (California) in a way that almost NONE of us will ever experience. PLUS - what is keeping them from making it "Soarin' over Florida" or "Soarin over America" or "Soarin' over Europe" (etc. forever). THEY CAN DO IT in a heartbeat. You would never know when you went in what your destination would be. I see that coming.

Boring? What kind of special, charmed life some of you must lead! You must live in some video game-virtual reality world other than the one I live in if you think Soarin' is boring. There is NOTHING in my every day life that comes even close. Honestly, some of you must be astronauts or race car drivers or something.

Name me one other ride in any park on the PLANET where so many in your family can sit literally side by side and experience those thrilling sensations, sights, smells and emotions ALL TOGETHER. Not even Cinderella's Carousel, because not everyone can hike up onto those horses. What a wonderful feeling, to look to my left and look to my right and see my whole precious family with huge smiles on their faces!!! It just doesn't happen that often.

And some of you gripping about the wait - well, that is totally your fault. Go the very first thing in the morning, be there when the gate opens, walk to The Land, get a fast pass, and then hop on and ride. Ride it again later with your FP. Why would you EVER wait? If there is a line, skip it - come back later or forget about it. If you don't like to wait in lines, get out of the line and go do something else.

Yes, They hit it out of the park with this one. Soarin' is an immediate classic - it will never go away.

[Speedy1998]

And unlike ToT, SpaceMountain or Test Track, there's no restrictions to ride Soarin (like not pregnant, and free of heart/back problems). It is open to a much broader audience than the thrill rides are.

Actually, you have to be 40 inches to ride. Also I belive you are not supposed to ride if you are pregnant. There are also warnings that if you have ashtma (sp?) that the chemicals used to create the smells can trigger an attack. And come to think of it I think there are the usual warnings about motion sickness, heart and back problems.

And motion sickness is a real problem on the ride, I have been on with 2 people that got sick (although I have to admit one of them gets sick on Winnie the Pooh).

[Red Randal]

What's so great about Soarin'? Well, you mean besides EVERYTHING!?! (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=87398)

[kmo84]

What I like about the ride is the beauty of the scenery in the film. While I have never been to California, even if I did go, I don't imagine I would ever be able to see so much of it, or from such a wonderful vantage point.

Dull? Sure, I guess in comparison to TOT or RNRR. I like those rides too. But I don't think every ride has to be a thrill a minute experience. Maybe that has something to do with my age. :D

[tinksmom02]

I like to watch Puddy in the pre-flight show. For some reason, that just cracks me up.

Seriously, I really enjoy Soarin', but I wouldn't wait more than 20 minutes for it. We did it twice last week, and FP'ed it each time. For our family, it's a must-do, but honestly, we don't have that many must-do rides at Epcot. It WAS DD5's fave, but then she rode TestTrack...

(Oh, and we were in the "bad" seats both times. It was fine. Actually, the scents were more noticeable in the "bad" seats than they were in the "great" seats we had in January.)

[WEDTOPIA]

What's so great ? Well , for starters , no other park , except Disney , has this type of ride. It's a great simulator , much better than Mission Space , because virtually no one gets sick and it contains actual scenery .The whole family can ride it , unlike some of the coasters and M:S. And it's exhilarating. The very nature of this attraction lends itself to using updated movies in the future.

However ,if you have to ask why a ride is popular after riding it yourself , my guess is that you'll never like it , and no one could convince you otherwise.

I doubt that Disney will ever build an attraction that can live up to all guests expectations. My personal opinion is that Disney aced this one.


:mickey:

[A Big Kid]

I'd rather spend my time eating tonga toast. :thumbsup:

My wife likes Soarin', but then again, she orders macadamia and pineapple pancakes.

[jakeybake]

Lots of good points on here but for me i go by feel and I just don't feel it on there.

Like you all have said, to each his own I guess.