Soarin' Across America is up and running ahead of its May 26 public opening at EPCOT, and having ridden it during previews, here's what you can expect — including a full POV video of the new film and a complete breakdown of every location in it.
Soarin' has been a fixture at EPCOT since 2005, when it opened as Soarin' Over California — a film that took guests on a hang glider flight above the Golden State's most recognizable landscapes. That version ran for eleven years before Disney replaced it with Soarin' Around the World in 2016, expanding the flight path to cover global landmarks including the Matterhorn, the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China.
Soarin' Around the World ran until May 13, 2026 — a ten-year run that made it one of EPCOT's most consistent crowd-pleasers despite some criticism over its heavy use of CGI and the distortion of tall structures on the wide dome format.
Soarin' Across America is the third version of the film and brings the attraction back to its American roots. The update is tied directly to Disney's "Disney Celebrates America" initiative, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Disney used the milestone as an opportunity to shoot new aerial cinematography across the country — from the New England coastline to Alaska and Hawaii — giving the attraction genuinely new content for the first time in a decade.
The Queue
The queue itself is largely unchanged from previous versions. The most visible addition is a new Soarin' Across America banner just past the entrance — a patriotic crest design featuring an eagle, the Statue of Liberty's torch, and the attraction logo.
The new Soarin' Challenge Across America interactive trivia game — built with National Geographic — is installed in the queue but wasn't operational during previews. We'll cover that separately once it's running.
The Preshow
Patrick Warburton is back, and he's been promoted. Previously a senior flight attendant in the Soarin' preshow, he now returns as a captain. After a brief introduction in his new role, the preshow transitions back to the original safety briefing footage that Soarin' fans will know well. It's a fun nod to continuity rather than a full replacement — Warburton's charm is intact, and it works.
The Ride
The show room and seating are unchanged. If you've ridden any previous version of Soarin', you'll sit down and feel right at home.
The film opens with an Artemis rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center — lifting off and climbing through the clouds, which serves as the gateway into the journey across America. It's a strong opening that feels fitting given the attraction's location at EPCOT.
Full Soarin' Across America POV
Every Location in Soarin' Across America
Disney confirmed several locations ahead of opening, but the full flight covers more ground than the official announcements suggested. Here's every scene in the film:
Kennedy Space Center, Florida — Artemis rocket launch (opening sequence)
New York Harbor, New York — Lower Manhattan skyline and One World Trade Center viewed from the harbor in golden light
Portland Head Light, Maine — the rugged New England coastline
Washington D.C. — aerial view over the National Mall toward the Washington Monument
The Louisiana bayous — an airboat cutting through cypress swamp, likely the Atchafalaya Basin
Appalachian railroad trestle — autumn foliage in the heartland, likely West Virginia
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota — approached from above and behind, a completely different perspective on a familiar landmark
Grand Canyon West, Arizona — deep inside the canyon with the Colorado River below
Cattle drive on the great plains — a cowboy herding black cattle across open rangeland, likely Montana or Wyoming
Denali, Alaska — snow-capped peaks, boreal forest, and a moose in the foreground wetlands
Waikiki Beach, Hawaii — sailboats and swimmers with Diamond Head in the background
Los Angeles, California — a vast nighttime aerial of the city grid with downtown lit up on the horizon
EPCOT, Florida — a nighttime flight over the park with Spaceship Earth glowing, the monorail passing below, and guests on the plaza (closing scene)
That's more than a dozen scenes covering all corners of the country, from Alaska and Hawaii to the East Coast — a genuinely broad sweep of America that lives up to the "sea to shining sea" description.
The film closes with a nighttime flight over EPCOT itself — Spaceship Earth glowing against the night sky, the monorail passing below, and the park lit up with the familiar firework blasts - this time celebrating America in red, white and blue.
What's Improved
A couple of things stand out as genuine upgrades over Soarin' Around the World.
The reliance on real aerial cinematography over CGI is noticeable and welcome. There are CGI enhancements throughout, but they're well-integrated into the real footage rather than feeling like a separate layer. The overall look is more grounded than the previous film.
The leaning structures issue — one of the most common criticisms of Soarin' Around the World, most notably the tilted Eiffel Tower — has been addressed. The wide IMAX dome format makes some degree of distortion unavoidable with tall vertical structures, but the location choices here appear to have been made with that in mind. You'll see far fewer scenes where a landmark tips at an awkward angle.
Scene transitions are smoother too. There are fewer moments where objects come rushing toward you, which gives the whole flight a more composed, cinematic feel.
What Else To Know
- Runtime: 4 minutes 50 seconds from takeoff to touchdown
- Thrill level: gentle throughout — the ride motion is smooth and the physical profile is unchanged from previous versions. The main consideration for nervous riders is the height off the ground, not the movement itself
- Scents: the scent system returns as before, matched to locations throughout the flight
- Music: Bruce Broughton's new arrangement of Jerry Goldsmith's original score is immediately recognizable as the Soarin' theme — updated but familiar from the first note
The Verdict
Soarin' Across America is a worthwhile update. It's not a new ride — the same show room, the same screens, the same lift system — but the new film gives the attraction a fresh reason to visit. The improved cinematography, more considered location choices, and smoother transitions make it a better film than Soarin' Around the World in several respects.
If you haven't ridden Soarin' in a few years, this is a good reason to get back in the queue. If you're a regular rider, the new film gives you something genuinely different to experience. Either way, it holds up.
Soarin' Across America opens to all guests on May 26. Annual Passholders can ride on May 19 and 20 during preview days.
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