Jun 11
28
The Roots of Soarin’
Photo courtesy of Dennis Brown
Coming over from Disneyland during “The Happiest Celebration On Earth”, Soarin’ takes you on a hang gliding adventure over the state of California. Soarin’ Over California, the Disneyland version was deemed “the most technologically advances attraction at Disney’s California Adventure.”
How was Soarin’ created? Lots of trial and error! It started as a series of little hang gliders on a conveyor belt system. After multiple failed efforts, it was Mark Sumner, a ride engineer, that took the problem home to his erector set. He created a crank-like system that lifted riders into the screen.
Filming for this attraction was tricky. Places like Yosemite National Park had restrictions as to flying over the park’s valleys. After making some arrangements with the Department of the Interior, Disney was granted a four hour window in which to get their shots.
The film is also projected at 48 shots per second. This is twice the speed of a normal motion picture film. This not only makes for excellent definition, but also for a clear, crisp picture. Add this with the enchanting smells of evergreens, ocean waters, and orange groves, and you have yourself something VERY special…
Between soaring over America, going on a mission to Mars in Mission:Space, and zooming around on Test Track, Epcot offers all the best ways to travel!
Contributed by: Jen Ginn Jen is the creator of Hyperion Travel Company.
