News Soarin' Over California returning to EPCOT for a limited time

[osian]

The story I heard was that the new cameras, process, HD they now use does not bode well with the shape of the screens and it appears distorted. I’m sure I don’t have it 100% accurate, but it’s along those lines…

No, it's nothing to do with the equipment used. It's all about the shape of the screen. There is only one perfect spot and that's right in the centre. The filming has already taken into account the curvature of the screen in order to project it back with appropriate adjustments but it's only got one focal point. If you were to sit in the centre and draw a straight line (as it appears to you) right in front of you from the top to the bottom of the screen, the line will appear bent to anyone sitting over on the left. Try it with a mixing bowl! Put some sticky tape on the inside, start with a point on the rim furthest away from you, take it down the inside of the bowl, across the base of the bowl then up the other side to the point on the rim closest to you. Now tilt the bowl to your right so you're looking at it from the left side of the bowl and the tape will appear bent. No camera or lens can solve this, the picture would need to be regenerated for each person from their own viewpoint to look perfect from every seat and it would need some screen technology that we haven't got yet so that each person only sees the pciture that was generated for them. It's like a 3D film which shows two images at the same time but with ~90 different pictures shown at the same time rather than 2!

 

[Twirlnhurl]

The story I heard was that the new cameras, process, HD they now use does not bode well with the shape of the screens and it appears distorted. I’m sure I don’t have it 100% accurate, but it’s along those lines…

I wold be shocked if that was a surprise. The impact of a curved screen has long been known to cinematographers as it relates to Omnimax-style screens. In fact, the design of the sets and locations used in Back to the Future: The Ride (1992) were famously selected to include more curves and organic shapes because the ride film director understood this effect. (That ride used a similar screen shape, but flipped upside down.)

 

[Tha Realest]

I wold be shocked if that was a surprise. The impact of a curved screen has long been known to cinematographers as it relates to Omnimax-style screens. In fact, the design of the sets and locations used in Back to the Future: The Ride (1992) were famously selected to include more curves and organic shapes because the ride film director understood this effect. (That ride used a similar screen shape, but flipped upside down.)

Yes, but I also heard they didn’t realize how sick people got until they had a fixed point to look at (Biff’s car). Without that, it really made people sick. Perhaps they underestimated how wonky the more vertical straight lines would look

 

[SplashJacket]

Just now saw this! So excited! It seems they’re actually giving us the direction we’ve been craving. World of Motion Test Track. Better Soarin. I am so hyped for Luminous to debut and hope it continues that trend. I may be setting myself up for disappointment, but they finally seem to get it.

Funnily enough, I need to run back to Epcot to ride the mediocre version before it returns to the superior classic film. I haven’t actually seen around the world in a while, went to California and they were running the original, and it’s just as fantastic as we all remember. Super excited to get it back here, and excited for the direction of the parks, especially as we seem to be entering into this new Epcot chapter.

 

[NJFam]

As part of the Disney100 celebration, Soarin' Over California will return for a limited time beginning September 22.

Original Soarin' Over California film to return to EPCOT's The Land pavilion

Original Soarin' Over California film to return to EPCOT's The Land pavilion

www.wdwmagic.com

We miss the OG Soarin'! The new one is lackluster. With any luck the old one is here to stay.

 

[MisterPenguin]

"It doesn't fit the theme!"

It's an attraction in a pavilion called The Land. California has some very beautiful land. Simple as.

In Japan, we’re learning that by adding composted leaves and other plant material to our soil, we can reduce the need for fertilizers.

In California, we're dedicating dwindling land resources to a game played by relatively few wealthy golfers. We're learning to use up the remaining fresh water needed to sustain human life to keep the fairways green.

In Saudi Arabia and Mexico, we’re learning to produce food on desert seacoasts by developing and planting crops that thrive on saltwater.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Then it would make more thematic sense as a “terminal” as there would be multiple destinations to fly to.

You're looking for sense when there not only isn't any, but it makes negative sense!

We're at an airport terminal to hang glide hundreds or thousands of miles.

The ride can switch from Over California to Around the World midway through and have no effect on 'the sense' of the attraction.

 

[Captain Culpepper Cline]

Tell me the producers and directors of this ad didn’t have Soarin’ over California in mind…

Her head bothers me.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

No, it's nothing to do with the equipment used. It's all about the shape of the screen. There is only one perfect spot and that's right in the centre. The filming has already taken into account the curvature of the screen in order to project it back with appropriate adjustments but it's only got one focal point. If you were to sit in the centre and draw a straight line (as it appears to you) right in front of you from the top to the bottom of the screen, the line will appear bent to anyone sitting over on the left. Try it with a mixing bowl! Put some sticky tape on the inside, start with a point on the rim furthest away from you, take it down the inside of the bowl, across the base of the bowl then up the other side to the point on the rim closest to you. Now tilt the bowl to your right so you're looking at it from the left side of the bowl and the tape will appear bent. No camera or lens can solve this, the picture would need to be regenerated for each person from their own viewpoint to look perfect from every seat and it would need some screen technology that we haven't got yet so that each person only sees the pciture that was generated for them. It's like a 3D film which shows two images at the same time but with ~90 different pictures shown at the same time rather than 2!

Like I had said, I knew I didn’t have it accurate, but thanks for the schooling

 

[celluloid]

No, it's nothing to do with the equipment used. It's all about the shape of the screen. There is only one perfect spot and that's right in the centre. The filming has already taken into account the curvature of the screen in order to project it back with appropriate adjustments but it's only got one focal point. If you were to sit in the centre and draw a straight line (as it appears to you) right in front of you from the top to the bottom of the screen, the line will appear bent to anyone sitting over on the left. Try it with a mixing bowl! Put some sticky tape on the inside, start with a point on the rim furthest away from you, take it down the inside of the bowl, across the base of the bowl then up the other side to the point on the rim closest to you. Now tilt the bowl to your right so you're looking at it from the left side of the bowl and the tape will appear bent. No camera or lens can solve this, the picture would need to be regenerated for each person from their own viewpoint to look perfect from every seat and it would need some screen technology that we haven't got yet so that each person only sees the pciture that was generated for them. It's like a 3D film which shows two images at the same time but with ~90 different pictures shown at the same time rather than 2!

If only a major theme park owned by a major motion picture studio could have known to avoid such issue on an Omnimax the way theme parks and entertainment venues have for nearly 50 years.

There is always slight curves to Omnimax screen-based things, but the production typically avoids such a situation that would be such a focal point error.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

If only a major theme park owned by a major motion picture studio could have known to avoid such issue on an Omnimax the way theme parks and entertainment venues have for nearly 50 years.

There is always slight curves to Omnimax screen-based things, but the production typically avoids such a situation that would be such a focal point error.

If only said theme park operators could have sat some executives and cast members in the seats to “try it out” before rolling it out in Epcot to the general public…they were probably triple checking Patrick in the pre show to make sure he didn’t say anything problematic…

 

[NJFam]

We can agree to disagree…the Cali film is better, the scents are even better. Let’s compromise…again, put the Cali in one and the world in the other 2…in 1 month the wait times for Cali will be such that they’ll reverse it. I’m tired of looking at the Eiffel Tower bent when I haven’t even made it to the F&W festival yet…

The bent Eiffel Tower is awful. Honestly years ago, we didn't realize it was completely about CA. It seemed more of a US theme to us and we always thought it would be fun to have NYC in there -but now we know why it didn't lol. Still a better show. The fighter jets...

 

[Smiley/OCD]

The bent Eiffel Tower is awful. Honestly years ago, we didn't realize it was completely about CA. It seemed more of a US theme to us and we always thought it would be fun to have NYC in there -but now we know why it didn't lol. Still a better show. The fighter jets...

Yup, no need to see the Statue of Liberty’s torch pointing to Suffolk County…

 

[LittleBuford]

Fantastic news! I'm curious, has anyone associated with Imagineering ever formally or informally addressed the distortions in the World film if you're not sitting in the center? Did they decide it wasn't a big deal? Did it catch them by surprise and it was too late to change?

The same distortions are there in the original film; they are an unavoidable result of the screen’s curvature. You just don’t notice them as much because most of the scenes are of nature rather than architecture.

 

[osian]

People talk about the CGI in the current film, but there is also a certain amount of it in the old one. The golf ball is the obvious one, but I've also wondered about the hang glider and the helicopter. Something about them just seems "off", lack of detail and texture I think. What do others think?

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I never had a problem with the Cali version and no one in the family ever brought it up…

 

[Consumer]

People talk about the CGI in the current film, but there is also a certain amount of it in the old one. The golf ball is the obvious one, but I've also wondered about the hang glider and the helicopter. Something about them just seems "off", lack of detail and texture I think. What do others think?

A comped in element to enhance the show is significantly different than an entire scene being a computer graphic.

 

[osian]

A comped in element to enhance the show is significantly different than an entire scene being a computer graphic.

Yep, I know, I wasn't criticising, just wondering if other people thought the same about those two objects because I've been wondering abpout them for ages. What is real and what isn't!

 

[DisneyDebRob]

And the crowd goes wild! Bringing back something old instead of reworking and making something amazing. What happened to the Disney I grew up with starting about 45 years ago when they tried to blow people away with what they came up with. People are going crazy over something from 20 years ago instead of demanding they up their game.
Ho hum to this and most of which has been announced as “ considering “ or “ thinking about”.
I’m turning into a angry old man.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Personally, I think attractions like Soarin' are a bit overdone these days... Just about every tourist destination has a skyfly attraction now... Even Pigeon Forge Tennessee managed to make a very cohesive themed attraction.

Time to move on from this and put something new here... By all means, it's time for Disney to figure out the next brand new huge simulator attraction.