Disney Files a New Patent to Change Soarin'

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Disney recently filed a patent that may improve the beloved Soarin’ attraction. However, guests may have mixed reactions about changing this classic ride. See the details and let us know what you think.

Soarin’ Attraction

End Date Now Set for Soarin' Over California — Credit: Disney

You can experience the thrill of hang gliding over beautiful world wonders at Disney World, Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland. This classic ride opened as Soarin’ over California’, but is now Soarin’ Around the World with an updated film.

As you soar through the air, you’ll be transported from one stunning scene to the next. Soarin’ also uses pleasant scents and graceful motion to create a unique experience.

Disney kept the fan-favorite pre-show narrator, Patrick, to the delight of guests. Then, throughout the ride, you’ll see spectacular aerial footage on an 80-foot IMAX digital projection dome.

Patent Details

soarin patent diagram 1 — Credit: uspto.gov

Soarin’ is such a classic ride. Should it be changed? Disney thinks so. In a recently filed patent, Disney shares plans for a Soarin’ 2.0 flying vehicle.

With this patent, Disney will give guests a ride with more lightweight material and a greater range of motion.

According to the patent, improvements to Soarin’ include more aggressive sensations, including turbulence, moving forward and backward, pitch and roll. Disney Imagineer Mark Sumner designed the current Soarin’ mechanism. The new mechanism references his original patent, wanting to improve the design.

soarin-patent-diagram-2 — Credit: uspto.gov

Figure 2 shows that guests board the attraction in the same with 3 rows. However, during the ride, guests will move in the path of the lines shown above.

What Does This Mean to You?

Soarin patent 4b diagram — Credit: uspto.gov

With these changes, the Soarin’ 2 ride will also move seats up and down and roll the vehicle.

Disney states that this new vehicle will make the movement less like gliding and have more agressive moves.

I (Susan) feel sad because I love the gentle feeling of flying through each location while enjoying Soarin’. It seems it will include more intense movements that could make people who get motion sickness feel worse.

Are you looking forward to these changes in the Soarin’ patent? Or would you prefer it to stay the same? Let us know in the comments and share this post with a Soarin-loving friend.

Source: https://ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20240082744

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Tom I

Monday 1st of April 2024

We go twice a week to Epcot and Soaring is our rope drop first ride. It is fabulous and always busy. Don't change it! If IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT!

Deb

No ,I wouldn't like it to change,it's a great ride just as it is

Dan D

This is not a Disney patent. The patent was made by Medici XD LLC and references Disney in explaining how it is different.

Tuesday 2nd of April 2024

@Susan Phillips, It references that patent, and two other flying theater patents that are not Disney, then improves upon the designs. This new patent was not filed by Disney, or it would say Disney, and not Medici XD LLC, a ride manufacturer.

Susan Phillips

If you look at the original patent here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6354954B1/en, you can see that it was filed by Disney. This patent is a continuation of that one.

Tom

And this patent is 20 years old.

Corrected the link. A patent continuation was published in March 2024.

Nothing says they'll use this in Soarin'. Could be an entirely new ride.