Why the heck WON'T "California" work at Epcot in Florida??
"Canada" works in Florida.
"France" works in Florida.
"Norway" works in Florida.
"China" works in Florida.
"Ellen's Energy Adventure" was shot in California -- not a real primeval forest.
"Mission Space" was shot in California-- not really on Mars or a Cape Canaveral-based Mission Control.
"The Seas" film was shot in California--- not off the coast of Daytona.
"Honey I Shrunk the Audience" was shot in California -- not an Orlando Imagination Institute.
"Test Track" boarding video was shot in California -- not a real GM testing facility.
WHO THE HECK CARES that "Soarin'" was also shot in California??
Can you really tell the difference between the Pacific and the Atlantic?
Can you really tell the difference between the Rockies and the Smokies?
Can you really tell the difference between a Palm Springs golf course and and Orlando-area golf course?
Can you really tell the difference between a California orange grove and a Florida orange grove?
Can you really tell the difference between a California cornfield and an Iowa cornfield?
Can you really tell the difference between the Downtown L.A. skyline and any other major city (minus New York, Chicago, and Seattle)?
So basically--- the only thing that distinguishes "Soarin'" as CALIFORNIA is the Golden Gate Bridge and Disneyland --- both of which you'd probably WANT in a hanggliding tour of the U.S.
So--- what are you REALLY asking for? Should Disney plunk down a few more bucks and add shots of the New York skyline, the New England coast, and maybe a Texas oil field?
Or--- wouldn't it just make sense for Disney to put the SAME friggin' film at Epcot---a film that's gotten RAVE reviews at California Adventure?
If it ain't broke-- don't fix it. "Body Wars" and "Dinosaur" are perfect examples of Disney transforming a successful California attraction ("Star Tours" and "Indiana Jones Adventure") into something NEW for Florida that just doesn't work as well as the original.