Five Things to Know About Soarin’ Around the World

Have you ever dreamt or wished you could fly? Soarin’ is the closest thing you can get to hang gliding, short of actually hang gliding, which may explain why it’s been one of EPCOT’s most popular attractions since the day it opened. To make your flight more enjoyable, here are a few things that can help you appreciate what Soarin’ has to offer. But if you’re in a hurry and want to glide over to the nuts and bolts, like where to find it and what the height limit is, here’s your shortcut.

1. You can start with a queue quiz.

The Soarin’ queue is a long pathway designed to feel like a modern, minimalist airport terminal. While you wait and walk (then wait and walk some more), large screens mounted overhead encourage you to take “The Soarin’ Challenge” using your mobile device. Our group of 7 divided into two teams to play this travel-themed trivia game. (The grandsons won, of course.)

At the end of the main queue, you’re sent to another, albeit shorter, queue for one of three different theatres. Once you reach the front, you’ll watch a pre-boarding presentation hosted by Patrick Warburton (Puddy from Seinfeld, for those of you old enough to remember). This is one of my favorite parts of the whole thing, to be honest, and makes all the waiting in line worthwhile.

2. You’ll feel like you’re on cloud nine – or in it.

Soarin’ is a simulated hang-gliding experience; you’ll take an aerial tour of some of the world’s most iconic landmarks and natural wonders. You strap into your seat, and as you “take off”, it’s tilted slightly as you move forward into the 180-degree, 80-foot IMAX-digital projection screen.

As the rows of seats swing forward, up, and out towards the huge bowl-shaped screen, you’ll feel as if the ground has dropped away. You’re suspended 30-50 feet in the air with your legs dangling. (This is why riders who wear flip-flops or other footwear without a back are instructed to leave them on the floor.) The movie begins, and you’re off around the world! From an amazing point of view, you’ll see the Matterhorn, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, and more from above.

As you fly over the earth, you’ll feel the breeze and even smell some of the scents of the lands you visit. The movements of your seat are synchronized with the film’s images. The effect is entirely realistic – you’ll feel like you’re flying. You can even expect a little turbulence once in a while! After the five-minute flight, you fly over EPCOT and you’re gently brought back to good ol’ Mother Earth.

It’s worth noting that the visual can be distorted when viewed from the seats to the far left or right. For this reason, some Soarin’ aficionados like to politely ask to wait for an extra cycle for seats in row B1 or B2.

3. You used to only go Soarin’ Over California.

Soarin’ made its debut on February 8, 2001, at Disney California Adventure. Titled “Soarin’ Over California,” your aerial view took you over California landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Napa Valley, Malibu, and Los Angeles. Fans of this original version especially loved the smells of the pine tree forest and the orange grove. Its popularity was instantaneous, prompting a twin to open on May 5, 2005, at EPCOT.

Both films were replaced with a new version, Soarin’ Around the World, in 2016. Ahead of its premiere and to accommodate more guests, Disney closed the attraction at EPCOT in January of that same year to build a third theatre. Soarin’ reopened with the new film in June 2016. This version also debuted at Shanghai Disneyland in June 2016, where it was titled Soaring Over the Horizon. A fourth iteration opened at Tokyo DisneySea in July 2019, called Soaring: Fantastic Flight. The final scene at other parks reflects the home park or a local landmark.

The mechanics behind the attraction deserve some discussion. Soarin’ was the first of a new class of simulator ride known as a flying theater. Figuring out how to get this ride to function took a bit of brainwork. The Imagineers had to figure out how to lift every seat in the theater into the air. Consider what has to be involved to raise the weight of the seats and the guests! Imagineer Mark Sumner, senior technical director and project/ride engineer, figured it out.

If you look around after strapping in and think that the whole thing kind of looks like something you could build with an Erector Set, there’s a reason for that.  He designed an entirely unique ride vehicle one weekend when he dug his old Erector set out of the attic and started tinkering. Soon, he’d built a small, string-operated prototype that solved the problem. And it worked! When it was built to scale for Soarin’, the entire ride mechanism comprised one million pounds of steel and is capable of lifting 37 tons.

The original Soarin’ Around the World has seen a few updates. In late 2024, Disney “corrected” the distorted shape of the Eiffel Tower in the EPCOT film by showing it from a bit farther away and from a more downward angle. This was implemented in the DCA version in mid-2025. Lastly, the EPCOT flyover in the 2016 version was shot before the transformation of Future World into World Celebration. In November 2024, the EPCOT flyover scene was updated to show a view of the World Celebration section of the park (which looks awesome).

There is also a devoted fan base for the original version of the film. Many decry the increased use of CGI in the newer version, while others have sentimental reasons. (The California version did use a few bits of CGI, most notably the shot of Michael Eisner hitting a golf ball with a hidden Mickey on it.) Responding to this outpouring of affection, Disney California Adventure has brought back Soarin’ Over California a few times; it’s become an annual tradition to bring it back for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival. It also made a brief return to EPCOT from September 2023 to February 2024, as part of Disney’s 100th celebration.

4. Spilling some Soarin’ secrets.

⭐ For filming, a camera was suspended from a plane, and filming required more than a year to get the right location shots. But Disney also used a lot of CGI in the film. The transitions between scenes, the animals, and even the Taj Mahal were digitally created or enhanced.

⭐ The flight number that all ride guests take on Soarin’ is 5505. This stands for May 5, 2005, the date Soarin’ debuted at EPCOT.

⭐ Your flight takes you over Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, which inspired the look of Cinderella Castle.

⭐ Watch for the hidden Mickeys in the hot air balloon and fireworks scenes.

⭐ The amazing musical score was adapted by composer Bruce Broughton from the original score written by Academy Award-winner Jerry Goldsmith. Mr. Goldsmith also scored Mulan, among other films.

5. The Nuts and Bolts.

Soarin’ Around the World is located inside The Land pavilion at Epcot in the World Nature neighborhood. Once inside, go down to the first floor where you’ll see the Soarin’ marquee. Because it’s an indoor ride, the weather doesn’t affect its operation.

The Soarin’ ride vehicle is a row of attached seats with storage pouches beneath. If your stuff won’t fit, ask a Cast Member – they’ll direct you where to leave it on the floor. There are 3 rows, each with 7-11 seats per row, allowing 87 guests per flight in each of the three theatres.

Guests must transfer from a wheelchair or ECV to ride. Disney warns that those who have a fear of heights or are prone to motion sickness should not ride. The motion of the ride vehicles themselves is very gentle, but the screen effects can still cause nausea for some riders. See A Ride Wimp’s Review of Soarin’ for more details.

Service animals are not permitted, and guests must be 40 inches or taller to ride. As with all rides that have a height requirement, Soarin’ offers Rider Switch. Video captioning is available.

Soarin’ remains one of the most popular rides in EPCOT, so it’s open for Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Theme Park hours. It’s best to visit early in the day or nearer to park closing time. Alternatively, you can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Premier Pass to access the Lightning Lane.

The Bottom Line.

We rate Soarin’ Around the World as not to be missed. I’m prone to motion sickness and don’t like heights. But my wife and I ride Soarin’ every visit. The ride itself lasts about five minutes, so we just close our eyes or look at the dangling feet above us when things get a little beyond our comfort zone. And when the ride ends, I feel like Tony Stark after trying out his first Iron Man suit, saying, “Yeah. I can fly.” And you can, too!

Do you love Soarin’ Around the World, or do you skip it? Let us know in the comments.

(Originally published June 9, 2023. Last updated/republished September 25, 2025.)