Will they ever fix Soarin' distortion?

[skubersky]

If the distortion bothers you, just request to wait an extra cycle and sit in row B1. Problem solved!

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

You have made some good points about quality and in as much as I do not know what type of technology might have corrected that, I cannot really say anything about that but really some of your responses on this pose tend to make me say wow!

In this case, we are dealing with a situation that I cannot control and being happy with the fact that we land in WDW instead of Disneyland is somehow "low standards"? Or have I also lived on this planet long enough that I can truthfully say that there is no such thing as anything without flaws. I have also learned that I am much happier if I accept that seeing some 3D object in 2D is distorted by the lack of that third dimension. Your house is in true 3D and your optic ability is governed by your eyes ability see something in full dimension and your brains optic center adjusts what you are looking at in a manner that makes it appear properly. Try this experiment. If you have that swing you are talking about, go on it and look straight ahead. Now pay attention to what happens when the house outside dimensions move from your straight on vision to your peripheral vision. I think you will find a lot of distortion there. What you see as you look straight ahead at Soarin' is that the screen is acting as your peripheral so it does make a difference depending on what direction you are seeing it from. I think that a lot of the concern really be chalked up as unrealistic expectation. Just because Disney is good doesn't mean that it can alter the laws of physics.

The problem with this is that you're talking about a person's vision being distorted at the edges of our vision, peripherally so to speak. The distortion of the Eiffel Tower when you're watching SatW is while it's in the center of the screen, but seen from the sides. This is not distortion due to the landmarks being seen peripherally. It's DEAD CENTER on the screen. You're acting like we're attacking the film because it's distorted on the edges. Nope. It's distorted right in the middle for 2/3 of the audience. That's just not acceptable for Disney that charges thousands of dollars per trip just for a couple, and much more for a family.

Trust me, you don't need to be Robin Hood for Disney. They're well aware of the issues they have and refuse to correct. Case in point, Expedition Everest starring Olivia something-or-other. Think it's okay for Olivia not functioning in A-mode? "Ah, it's only in your peripheral vision, and for a split second. Disco Olivia is just as good."

No more free passes for Disney. Trust me... Disney would never give any of us a free pass, literally. Just fix these problems. Argue that you like the film of SatW better than the experience of SoC. Fine. I can accept that opinion. Say that we're being picky when Disney takes shortcuts and changes a superior experience with poor cinematography and CGI... yeah, I have an issue with that.

 

[WondersOfLife]

If the distortion bothers you, just request to wait an extra cycle and sit in row B1. Problem solved!

Or... OR... hear me out...

Being the leading theme park industry in the world... just.. ya know.... do it right... like the first time. Lol.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The problem with this is that you're talking about a person's vision being distorted at the edges of our vision, peripherally so to speak. The distortion of the Eiffel Tower when you're watching SatW is while it's in the center of the screen, but seen from the sides. This is not distortion due to the landmarks being seen peripherally. It's DEAD CENTER on the screen. You're acting like we're attacking the film because it's distorted on the edges. Nope. It's distorted right in the middle for 2/3 of the audience. That's just not acceptable for Disney that charges thousands of dollars per trip just for a couple, and much more for a family.

Trust me, you don't need to be Robin Hood for Disney. They're well aware of the issues they have and refuse to correct. Case in point, Expedition Everest starring Olivia something-or-other. Think it's okay for Olivia not functioning in A-mode? "Ah, it's only in your peripheral vision, and for a split second. Disco Olivia is just as good."

No more free passes for Disney. Trust me... Disney would never give any of us a free pass, literally. Just fix these problems. Argue that you like the film of SatW better than the experience of SoC. Fine. I can accept that opinion. Say that we're being picky when Disney takes shortcuts and changes a superior experience with poor cinematography and CGI... yeah, I have an issue with that.

No that is not what I am saying. What I'm saying because you are basically sitting in one spot the curvature of the screen is acting as your peripheral vision. If it wear actually 3D you wouldn't need the curved screen to make you fell like you were actually flying. Why? Because when you are in a 3D situation (optically speaking) your rounded eye takes care of that so whatever location you are facing will be undistorted no matter what direction you are facing. When you are in a real life situation no matter where you look straight ahead will be stable, but if you are in a screened produced environment you have to be looking straight on to keep the main target clear, the side will be seen but not without distortion. If you are looking at that screen at an angle, (left or right of center) it will appear to be distorted because of how your vision works.

Like I said before, it has been mentioned by someone, sometime that there was a special camera or projection lens that might correct that, but there has been no confirmation of that, so I have to think that there isn't. I have never once denied that from the sides it appears very distorted, but not from the center and since I actually witnessed that, my mind will not be changed that straight ahead it looks fine and if there is some minor distortion toward the top curve of the screen it is hardly worth mentioning. Besides that when I said only put people in the center section I hope that no one believed I was serious about that whole suggestion.

I am hardly a champion for the Disney Company (also known as Greed Incorporated). I just occasionally think that there are processes out of Disney's control, the laws of physics being one of them. It's a fun ride despite this mechanical misstep that obviously wasn't thought about during filming. Should have been, yes, because they should have known. But, now you are saying because those brief moments in the film and they are very brief they should go out and refilm it at a huge cost because your sensibilities are having trouble dealing with a couple of seconds of issue. That is not me defending Disney that is you worshiping the place so much that you feel they really can do magic.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

No that is not what I am saying. What I'm saying because you are basically sitting in one spot the curvature of the screen is acting as your peripheral vision. If it wear actually 3D you wouldn't need the curved screen to make you fell like you were actually flying. Why? Because when you are in a 3D situation (optically speaking) your rounded eye takes care of that so whatever location you are facing will be undistorted no matter what direction you are facing. When you are in a real life situation no matter where you look straight ahead will be stable, but if you are in a screened produced environment you have to be looking straight on to keep the main target clear, the side will be seen but not without distortion. If you are looking at that screen at an angle, (left or right of center) it will appear to be distorted because of how your vision works.

Like I said before, it has been mentioned by someone, sometime that there was a special camera or projection lens that might correct that, but there has been no confirmation of that, so I have to think that there isn't. I have never once denied that from the sides it appears very distorted, but not from the center and since I actually witnessed that, my mind will not be changed that straight ahead it looks fine and if there is some minor distortion toward the top curve of the screen it is hardly worth mentioning. Besides that when I said only put people in the center section I hope that no one believed I was serious about that whole suggestion.

I am hardly a champion for the Disney Company (also known as Greed Incorporated). I just occasionally think that there are processes out of Disney's control, the laws of physics being one of them. It's a fun ride despite this mechanical misstep that obviously wasn't thought about during filming. Should have been, yes, because they should have known. But, now you are saying because those brief moments in the film and they are very brief they should go out and refilm it at a huge cost because your sensibilities are having trouble dealing with a couple of seconds of issue. That is not me defending Disney that is you worshiping the place so much that you feel they really can do magic.

Understand what you're saying now. For the record, I never said they should go out and re-film. Quite the contrary. They should revert to the previous film which had less noticeable distortions due to fewer recognizable landmarks, more use of nature with fewer straight lines, blah, blah, blah. That change should cost little to nothing. The older film had the same distortions, but were much less noticed. Not to mention SoC was just superior to SatW in every way. That's an opinion though, so we don't have to re-hash that discussion. Just trying to get the last word in.

 

[Major Havoc]

I’m not arguing that you do or don’t see distortion. But…

For the record, projection/image distortion and 3D are not related in the way you think. Even if you were wearing 3D glasses and they projected a 3D of mage, it’s still a projected image, just two projections, one for each eye. If there is distortion because of filming, lens configuration, or screen shape in 2D, it will be there in the 3D as well. It could also effect your ability to properly see a 3D image at times.

And 3D and a curved screen are also not related as you think. They curve the screen to fill more of you field of vision (and sometimes to keep the distance from the projector to the screen constant.) If the screen were flat, it would have to be much bigger to fill your field of vision. Just want to separate the two. Space was obviously a consideration in the design of this attraction.

Now, if their lens is crap and not designed for the curved screen, or the image not digitally or optically corrected for the curve, or not filmed with a lens for a curved screen, you will probably get distortion, which is likely what is happening. 3D will not change that, it is still projected the same way.

As for the curved screen to the ”side” for peripheral vision , that does actually help in creating a feeling of motion. Usually better than 3D alone. Think about how different the motion in a car would feel with no side windows. It is why some CircleVision films actually make people sometimes fall down or grab the rail for balance. Peripheral view of motion works.

And remember, most 3D glasses block your peripheral vision anyway, so you loose that sense of speed from the side in most 3D. 3D is not the solution you are looking for here.

 

[RollerCoaster]

Did it ever occur to any of you that possibly Disney isn't trying to pass this off as if you were flying over the real places?

Some of the distortions are simply the fact that you're projecting a flat image into a Omnimax domed-style screen. There is little you can do about it and the visual experience changes from every seat, some being better and some being worse.

However the real issue with SoW is the fact that the original Soarin' Over California was filmed with IMAX cameras, projected with an IMAX projector running the far superior 15/70 film. The new version, unfortunately, was filmed with digital cameras or digitally created with significantly less resolution and to the best of my knowledge, I believe projected with dual 4k projectors, which may have been upgraded to laser now. Even with the better laser projector, it is a stretch to fill a screen that size with a good quality image. The IMAX projector had no problems projecting an image that large, but when you take a lower resolution image and project it larger than it should be you get more distortion.

There was less distortion in the original film because of the IMAX technology and the fact that it was shot and projected on film. The world has yet to produce a digital projector that can meet the quality of 35mm film and isn't even close to matching 15/70mm film.

Those of you who are accusing Disney of being cheap or spot on. The cost of producing a digital image and projecting it digitally is far less than the cost of film.

 

[RollerCoaster]

I carefully watched for it when I rode the center group and saw no noticeable distortion at all. Others may vary, but that was my observation. I must admit though that I also had seen it from the sides and did notice the distortion, but, frankly didn't care at all.

It's definitely not noticeable when you ride with your eyes closed.

 

[Goofyernmost]

It's definitely not noticeable when you ride with your eyes closed.

Just as long as no one over emphasizes a small issue all will be OK. However, I agree, eyes closed hides literally thousands of issues that present themselves in WDW. It helps if everyone keeps their minds clinched tight as well.