Good morning from EPCOT where there is some new carpet under our feet! The Soarin’ Around the World queue is being updated with new carpet – not only a fresh installation, but a fresh design as well. The updates are, presumably, part of the Soarin’ Across America update, which debuts in a little less than a month. Here’s a closer look!
New Carpet & Design for Soarin’ Queue at EPCOT
Walt Disney World has been quietly updating the Soarin’ queue at EPCOT ahead of the Across America video update for the attraction. During our visit to EPCOT today, we spotted the new carpet installation and design right at the attraction’s entrance. Other parts of the queue still have the old carpet design, which makes a before/after comparison easy. Here’s a look!
We’ll start at the entrance to the attraction queue, which contains all-new carpet. We’ll get a before/after comparison a little later in the queue, where the progress is currently stopped. We assume a little bit is completed at a time when the attraction is closed during overnight hours.
These next few photos contain some before/after comparisons. The “before” pattern of the carpet featured a less busy, blocky design. The “after” pattern is far busier and more plush, thanks to less foot traffic when compared to the existing carpet. Both feature tan colors.
Soarin’ Around the World will close on May 14th for a brief refurbishment ahead of a May 26th reopening with the new Soarin’ Across America video.
When it reopens as Soarin’ Across America, Soarin’ Across America will showcase the United States – from sea to shining sea – highlighting some of the country’s natural beauty and iconic cityscapes. This will be brought to life with the iconic elements that make Soarin’ unforgettable – the flight, the sights and score, even the scents! In total, there will be more than a dozen breathtaking locations for the new flight, including the Grand Canyon.
It’s worth underlining here that the Soarin’ Across America version of the film is not currently planned to be a permanent replacement for Soarin’ Around the World. Instead, it is going to be a “limited-time journey” to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America.
Walt Disney World has not returned requests for comment about when the Soarin’ Across America film will end and when Soarin’ Around the World will return.
Last month, Walt Disney Imagineering filed a permit for set installation at Soarin’ Around the World. We jokingly asked if carpet was a set element when trying to get a carpet update from the Orlando International Airport. As it turns out, carpet may, in fact, be a set element.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!