After months of patiently waiting, Soarin’ Across America has finally begun previews in EPCOT!

The newest version of the popular flying ride officially opens on May 26th, in honor of America’s 250th birthday. Ahead of the official opening, Disney is hosting Cast Member and Annual Passholder previews, where we got a chance to check out the changes.

We have officially soared across America! During Cast Member previews began on May 15th, and we were among some of the first to check out the attraction. Ahead of its opening, Disney teased new locations from “from sea to shining sea,” and they weren’t kidding! Be warned — there are spoilers ahead! 

To start off, they updated the signage outside and bits of the queue. They added new signage as well as posters for new locations around the world.

There’s even a NEW trivia game added to the queue. The Soarin’ Challenge Across America was made in collaboration with National Geographic and will have you and your crew answering trivia questions about the 50 states.

The pre-show started off with some fun new updates that really got the crowd laughing.

Once we were seated and the ride began, it started off with a band — literally! The beginning opens with a big surprise with a rocket on the screen as you’re being raised into the skies, getting ready to take flight.

The transitions between each scene didn’t feel as dramatic as other iterations of the ride. Soarin’ Across America features scenes from New York Harbor, the New England coastline, and Grand Canyon West. 

Plus, you even spot some gorgeous views of Mount Rushmore, because what’s more American than that? We even flew over the Hollywood sign!

It’s also not a Soarin’ attraction without some signature scents! During our rides through, we noticed a grass scent in the prairie scene, a strong water smell in Louisiana, and a tropical flower for the Hawaii section. We think it might be hibiscus.

One thing we noticed was that the use of animals remained prevalent in many of the scenes. We spotted animals like eagles, moose, horses, and birds.

The ride did feature some less dramatic movements compared to previous versions, meaning we feel like the seats don’t dip or rise as frequently. This is probably because the scenes aren’t as dramatic, even though they are gorgeous. There were still some big dips, though!

The ride still ends in EPCOT, but this time, Spaceship Earth has an American flag projected onto it. And yes, they use fireworks to make a little “hidden” Mickey!

Disney previously shared that, “The experience features so many quintessentially American settings… the autumn colors of the heartland; the beauty of our bayous; the great plains of the west; the northern wilderness; and sunlit island shores.” Each scene was selected because of its classic American beauty, which all contribute to “create a portrait of what we believe makes America so special.”

We think this is a beautiful new addition of the ride! Previews will continue with  Annual Passholder previews, which are on May 19th and 20th. Annual Passholders can join the regular standby queue for the ride during normal operating hours to experience the preview. No reservation or virtual queue needed here.

The ride opens on May 26th at EPCOT and then on July 2nd at Disney California Adventure. Disney hasn’t announced how long the attraction will be around for, so don’t hesitate if you want to see some great American beauty. This is just one of the MANY attractions and changes that kick off on May 26th, so be sure to stick around with DisneyFoodBlog for more Disney news, updates, recommendations, and more.

This is the Only Plan You Need for May 26th at Disney World

 

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