What is going on with Soarin'?

[wdisney9000]

Since you already spilled the proverbial beans (see how it all ties together) it is going to be Soarin' over Citizen Kane. The third theater was deemed necessary since it is now a 119 minute attraction not counting the new Frozen ride preview or ads for fried LWTL veggies.

So is the new Soarin' film all about a sled?

 

[wdisney9000]

What's going on with Soarin' is that the film is degrading badly and the experience is heavily impacted by it. All of those specs, dust, etc. in the film. The effect of a golf ball flying by your head is diminished when it disappears behind the big black dot in the sky. Is that an daylight eclipse?

I've said it before that I've learned to love the black spots in the film. We've all watched them grow over the years.

As far as the golf ball, I read a cool story the other day about making it seem real for kids. Keep an actual golf ball in your pocket when you go on the ride. When the ride starts, put it in your hand and when the golf ball flies over your head during the ride you pretend to catch it. Hand the golf ball to your kid and they think you actually caught it. (If they're young enough to fall for that). Anybody ever done that? I Can't wait to try it.

 

[DManRightHere]

How long did the star tours overhaul take? I would hope soarin gets more than just a new film. I'm also hoping for a randomizer.

 

[DisneyCane]

Soarin' at DCA (both theaters) is closing for over four months for the digital conversion this winter/spring. From the latest refurbishment calendar for Disneyland Resort:

Soarin' Over California – closed January 6 through May 14 for refurbishment.

I don't have much else of a WDW scoop on this. I just thought this might be interesting for us to realize what kind of a time investment this will take to convert the existing theaters at Epcot to the upgraded digital format.

There has to be more to it than changing projectors for it to take that long. I don't think that a normal IMAX theatre closes for more than a day or two for the conversion. They can set everything up except for the final step of positioning and calibrating the projectors without shutting anything down.

 

[JillC LI]

As far as the golf ball, I read a cool story the other day about making it seem real for kids. Keep an actual golf ball in your pocket when you go on the ride. When the ride starts, put it in your hand and when the golf ball flies over your head during the ride you pretend to catch it. Hand the golf ball to your kid and they think you actually caught it. (If they're young enough to fall for that). Anybody ever done that? I Can't wait to try it.

I wish my kids were still young enough to fall for that! I'd definitely do it.

 

[JohnD]

There has to be more to it than changing projectors for it to take that long. I don't think that a normal IMAX theatre closes for more than a day or two for the conversion. They can set everything up except for the final step of positioning and calibrating the projectors without shutting anything down.

How about taking apart, inspecting, overhauling, and reassembling the lift mechanism. I'm sure it could use a good cleaning, oil change, and WD-40 as it were.

 

[CentralFLlife]

I've said it before that I've learned to love the black spots in the film. We've all watched them grow over the years.

As far as the golf ball, I read a cool story the other day about making it seem real for kids. Keep an actual golf ball in your pocket when you go on the ride. When the ride starts, put it in your hand and when the golf ball flies over your head during the ride you pretend to catch it. Hand the golf ball to your kid and they think you actually caught it. (If they're young enough to fall for that). Anybody ever done that? I Can't wait to try it.

What if they drop it...

 

[wdisney9000]

What if they drop it...

The effects of gravity would cause the ball to fall to the ground. What did you think would happen?

 

[RSoxNo1]

I've said it before that I've learned to love the black spots in the film. We've all watched them grow over the years.

As far as the golf ball, I read a cool story the other day about making it seem real for kids. Keep an actual golf ball in your pocket when you go on the ride. When the ride starts, put it in your hand and when the golf ball flies over your head during the ride you pretend to catch it. Hand the golf ball to your kid and they think you actually caught it. (If they're young enough to fall for that). Anybody ever done that? I Can't wait to try it.

What if they drop it...

We did this with my oldest nephew a few years ago. He thought it was great and was really excited about the golf ball. The next time we went on, we didn't have another golf ball so we all tried to catch it but missed. He justified it by saying that you can only catch it in the top row.

Fast forward to last January and we wanted to do it again. This time we had three golf balls and three kids to give them to. One was my oldest nephew who thought it was great, another family friend was also entertained, but he had been on the attraction before so this didn't really register as a "trick" to him. The last was a third family friendly who hadn't been on the ride before. She didn't get it, was spooked, and pushed the ball away. It fell down into the no man's area between the screen and the railing. The adults spent the remainder of the ride laughing hysterically, and then immediately getting all of the kids out of the theater as soon as possible.

 

[wdisney9000]

We did this with my oldest nephew a few years ago. He thought it was great and was really excited about the golf ball. The next time we went on, we didn't have another golf ball so we all tried to catch it but missed. He justified it by saying that you can only catch it in the top row.

Fast forward to last January and we wanted to do it again. This time we had three golf balls and three kids to give them to. One was my oldest nephew who thought it was great, another family friend was also entertained, but he had been on the attraction before so this didn't really register as a "trick" to him. The last was a third family friendly who hadn't been on the ride before. She didn't get it, was spooked, and pushed the ball away. It fell down into the no man's area between the screen and the railing. The adults spent the remainder of the ride laughing hysterically, and then immediately getting all of the kids out of the theater as soon as possible.

Great story, LMAO. I will have to paint the hidden mickey on the golf balls because my youngest niece and nephew dont play around when it comes to hidden mickeys. They would probly throw them back if they didnt have the mickey head on them. They also think the scene where the guy snow skiing wipes out and makes the funny noise is some hidden feature. It is actually pretty funny if you listen closely to it.

 

[CentralFLlife]

The effects of gravity would cause the ball to fall to the ground. What did you think would happen?

A golf ball would fall 15+ feet, possibly onto concrete which I think would be hilarious to hear the "BONK BONK BONK" of the ball bouncing inside the theater, just imagine the look on the CMs face when that happens. Or like another poster says it falls into no mans land. (which technically if they see anything fall off the ride they should e-stop it).

Don't get me wrong its a tremendous idea, especially if the kid believes it. But maybe wait till after the ride and say "hey look what landed in my lap during the ride" then hand it to them.

 

[DisneyGentleman]

I've said it before that I've learned to love the black spots in the film. We've all watched them grow over the years.

As far as the golf ball, I read a cool story the other day about making it seem real for kids. Keep an actual golf ball in your pocket when you go on the ride. When the ride starts, put it in your hand and when the golf ball flies over your head during the ride you pretend to catch it. Hand the golf ball to your kid and they think you actually caught it. (If they're young enough to fall for that). Anybody ever done that? I Can't wait to try it.

Yeah, great idea - until someone wings a golf ball at the screen, and we will be whining about the growing black holes they produce.

 

[KronosKeeper]

Shanghai has a 3 year exclusive on the film. 2020 at earliest.

 

[Bairstow]

Shanghai has a 3 year exclusive on the film. 2020 at earliest.

You sure it's 3 and not 1?

 

[WondersOfLife]

Like it's really that hard to wipe the lens of the projector and upgrade the video quality. Come on, Disney. What's your excuse for this one?

 

[backinaction]

This is just me wishing...not a rumor...but I really hope that if the Soarin' attraction has to be down for months that they also consider using that time to space the seats a little farther apart so that you don't see guest's feet above you which totally kills the illusion (in my opinion it kills the illusion anyway).

Additionally, while I'm going there, it would be wonderful if they expanded the width of the screen too so that A and C groups don't see the sides of the screen anymore. In my opinion, this kills the illusion too.

I think it's possible for them to reconfigure the ride so that everyone gets the B1 experience.

Fully agree 100 %. That's why we always ask to be sat in the top row. When your sitting on top, you dont have to see people's dangling feet. Also, I feel like when your seated on top, you don't see the bottom of the screen, which adds to the overall experience.