Soarin' Around the World

[Mad Dog]

... As long as nothing sinks in the meantime.

Or crashes.

 

[Nick]

According to Disney's website, Soarin's refurb lasts through May 31. So on June 1, it would reopen with the old film if that's truly the case as Disney can't show the new film before the 17th.

Walt Disney World Resort

 

[belloq87]

Take this with a grain of salt, but I've seen a couple comments on separate boards (one theme park related, one film score related) reporting that Bruce Broughton will be scoring (or has already scored) the new ride film, utilizing Jerry Goldsmith's thematic material. Broughton's no stranger to great theme park music, and - if true - having him re-adapt Goldsmith's stuff sounds like the best possible outcome (short of just reusing the original cue).

 

[JungleSkip]

Take this with a grain of salt, but I've seen a couple comments on separate boards (one theme park related, one film score related) reporting that Bruce Broughton will be scoring (or has already scored) the new ride film, utilizing Jerry Goldsmith's thematic material. Broughton's no stranger to great theme park music, and - if true - having him re-adapt Goldsmith's stuff sounds like the best possible outcome (short of just reusing the original cue).

Yea, I saw somewhere that the new score is based off the original, which is good.

 

[belloq87]

Absolutely. I think even Disney had to recognize that the original score was pretty much an iconic piece of theme park music, so keeping that flavor was important.

 

[Nick]

I saw the same comments/rumor - Broughton scored it and it's also based on the original score, which should be a win if done right.

 

[Cole]

Great news!!!! All this is going to do is fit the new ride film better. I'm all for it

 

[epcyclopedia]

So many folks don't remember what Soarin' was like at Epcot, or heck, The Land pavilion in general, after that refurb/addition.

I'm a bit nostalgic for it and hope this new version puts the queue back closer to its original design. I understand why the changes that were made, were made.

Raising the height of the wall, blocking the hang glider light fixtures, removing some of decorative glass.. all made the "Great Hall" suddenly seem much smaller. The worst change was adding that terrible low-resolution interactive game with giant screens. The original biome images with the little trivia displays beneath them were admittedly boring as all hell after 30 mins waiting... but they were classy as hell compared to the terrible "game" that replaced them.

So my hope is they fix the scale of the Great Hall by at least going back to the right image size (if they use screens making them the appropriate size, not just big for big's sake.) And with the new theater, maybe they don't need the giant wall to keep people from getting angry about FP getting on quicker.

And in the pipe dream category.. maybe with the emphasis on 'the world' maybe the carpets from the Seasons dining area pods will return. Yes, it was downright almost laughably stupid to put handmade carpets with elaborate designs in light and easily stained colors as the floor of a foodcourt.. but seeing them from the second floor really did give the impression of viewing a landscape from above.

 

[Nick]

There was rumors that the queue was going to receive more theming during the refurb. Permits were filed for new bathrooms to be added in the old KK/FR theatre as well.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Maybe they'll also get a real store in that large exit space that no longer needs to house FP kiosks.

 

[Nick]

Maybe they'll also get a real store in that large exit space that no longer needs to house FP kiosks.

That space is rather poorly used at the moment. With how focused Disney is on making money, you'd think that would be a priority, however walls aren't up in that area. It's still just sort of there.

 

[epcyclopedia]

For reference..

The original pod carpets:

And the original "Great Hall" - pre game and pre-wall:

 

[WAJAS]

For reference..

The original pod carpets:

And the original "Great Hall" - pre game and pre-wall:

Dang, I got to agree that the Hall looks way better here.

 

[IzzyB]

Maybe they'll also get a real store in that large exit space that no longer needs to house FP kiosks.

Last time I was there that section was not walled off.

 

[*Q*]

For reference..

The original pod carpets:

And the original "Great Hall" - pre game and pre-wall:

That seems like a lifetime ago.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

For reference..

The original pod carpets:

And the original "Great Hall" - pre game and pre-wall:

I forget how claustrophobic the queue became after all the years. While not the best it's still a damn good queue.

 

[captainmoch]

Spoiler

Footage of Shanghai's version...

Looks like the music is staying the same, or very similar.

 

[Teebin]

^ Good!

 

[UNIrd]

Just saw the original Soarin' in digital/HD in DCA. Wow, what a difference. Those film scratches really take you out of the experience sometimes.

 

[Skubersky]

Just saw the original Soarin' in digital/HD in DCA. Wow, what a difference. Those film scratches really take you out of the experience sometimes.

I like how much cleaner the digital projectors in California are, but something is off about the color. It's over saturated some parts and washed out in others.