In just over a month, guests will be able to enjoy a brand-new Soarin’ film for the first time in nearly a decade. The new film, titled Soarin’ Across America, will debut at EPCOT on May 26th and operate for a limited time. Recently, Walt Disney World posted operating hours for the new version of the classic EPCOT attraction.
Soarin’ Across America Operating for a Limited Time at EPCOT
Starting May 26th, guests will be taken on a journey from sea to shining sea as the Soarin’ Across America film debuts at EPCOT. To prepare for the new film, the current version of the attraction, Soarin’ Around the World, will be closed starting May 14th.
When it reopens May 26th, 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.
Walt Disney World has posted operating hours for the Soarin’ Across America version of the ride on its website. Soarin’ Across America will participate in Early Entry on its opening day, opening to hotel guests as early as 8:30am and then to the general public at 9am. Soarin’ Across America will also participate in Extended Evening Hours.
Here’s how Walt Disney World describes the new Soarin’ Across America film:
Buckle up and get ready for takeoff! The fan-favorite attraction Soarin’ is taking an all-new airborne adventure across the United States. Be part of this limited-time journey that honors the heart and spirit of the nation as it soars into its 250th birthday celebration.
Experience the iconic elements that make Soarin’ unforgettable: the flight, the sights, the score—even the scents!
The 180-degree, 80-foot IMAX digital projection dome, spectacular aerial footage, pleasant scents and graceful motion raise the soothing sensation of flight to incredible new heights.
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”. While “limited-time” wasn’t part of the text of the initial announcement, the webpage for Soarin’ Across America does have that designation. Furthermore, while the text of the initial announcement didn’t say “limited-time”, Patrick Warburton did say that the new film would be presented for a limited time in the announcement video.
At the risk of pulling back the curtain too much into just how far of a rabbit hole I’ve been down today, trying to get a better idea of what to expect in terms of how long the new film will be presented, Disney wrote about the Soarin updates across three different platforms (at least). None of those press releases said that the offering was limited time, but I digress.
With Soarin’ Across America tied to the 250th Anniversary celebrations, and with those celebrations set to conclude during the July 4th weekend, we have to wonder when the Soarin’ Across America version of the ride will conclude. Currently, Walt Disney World operating hours for all attractions are posted through June 20th, including Soarin’ Across America.
Walt Disney World did not respond to a request for comment about how long Soarin’ Across America would be presented, nor did they respond when asked if the Around the World version would return, so we’re going to speculate here a bit.
First, I think that Soarin’ Across America is going to be stunningly beautiful. Disney offered a sort of mini deep dive into the work that the teams were going through to create a beautiful film, captured on the latest technology, including a series of camera, lens, helicopter, and heavy-lift drone equipment tests to figure out the exact specifications needed to use a unified setup for filming all the new scenes.
To that end, I wouldn’t be surprised if Soarin’ Across America debuted to great reviews, especially when contrasted with the Soarin’ Around the World film that utilized some GCI. If I’m right, I think that the Across America version of the film will stick around a while, and that Disney would be wise to not commit to an end date at this time. I also think that we’ll continue to see different films be presented for limited-time engagements, as was the case for the return of the Soarin’ Over California film during the Disney100 celebration.
Unfortunately, speculation is not an answer, so if you want to see the Soarin’ Across America film, I wouldn’t wait to book a vacation. It’s possible, but unlikely, that it only lasts the Summer. I think that it should be around until at least the end of the year, if not longer. Again, my prediction is that it is visually stunning and well-received. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to return to this article a year from today, and there still be no end date in sight for Across America.
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!