Come with Us To Ride the NEW Soarin' Across America at EPCOT

Back on May 13th, it was the final day to ride our beloved Soarin’ Around The World in Disney World before the attraction closed to be turned into a new attraction to celebrate a very prominent milestone.

On May 26th, the attraction will reopen as Soarin’ Across America to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary this year! However, we got a chance to ride the attraction early in Cast Member previews, and now that we’ve seen how the ride has changed, we have SO much to tell you about!

Disney had previously said that this version of the ride would bring “seasons and regions” to life all around the United States, such as the rugged New England coastline, the New York harbor, see the beauty of the Grand Canyon West, and admire Mount Rushmore, among many others.

Previously, Tom Fitzgerald, Creative Director and Chief Storytelling Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, had said, “Each scene helps to create a portrait of what we believe makes America so special. It’s a tapestry of urban wonders, natural beauty, and iconic locations that celebrate the spirit of the nation and the 250th anniversary of the United States.” And that started all the way when we walked in the queue!

If you’re a big fan of playing the trivia game while you’re in line, you’ll notice that the questions are now all different to be themed to just the United States, instead of all around the world.

As for the actual ride itself, we found that the opening was the most surprising and breathtaking (no spoilers here, but it was beautiful — talk about full body chills!). The rest of the ride is more lowkey than previous versions, and we felt that while the scenes were longer, there wasn’t as much movement as before. You’re still moving, that’s for sure, but it doesn’t feel as dramatic.

There aren’t as many scents in this one either, as we only noticed three — grass in the prairie, the swamp in Louisiana, and a hibiscus/floral scent in Hawaii. We didn’t notice any hidden Mickeys in this version, so there won’t be much of a hunt if that’s what you’re on the lookout for.

Walt Disney World Annual Passholders will have a chance to ride the attraction early on May 19th and 20th, but on those dates, you don’t need to worry about getting any special access to the ride via a Virtual Queue — you just need to show up to the attraction and be able to prove your Annual Passholder status!

Looking for more recent EPCOT news? Check out our posts below!

More Recent EPCOT News!

Planning a trip soon and are feeling a bit overwhelmed? Check out our FREE AllEars Planning Series! It’s on your phone, so you can use it to prepare before your trip, as well as refer to it inside the parks whenever you need.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney World news, so stay tuned to AllEars!