16
Credit: Inside the Magic Not all experiences on theme park attractions end in smiles. In fact, sometimes Disney Guests won’t leave the attraction at all.
One attraction that is popular among many Disney Park enthusiasts is Soarin’. It may be known to many as simply Soarin’, but the simulator ride’s official name varies depending on what location it is situated. Take Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando, Central Florida), for example, where the beloved ride is named Soarin’ Around the World — this is true for Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, Southern California) too, outside of seasonal slots when it becomes rethemed to a California focus.
Related: Security Forced to Confiscate Guest’s Camera After They Broke the Rules at Disney
Soarin’ Over California takes Guests on an immersive journey over some of California’s most iconic locations, providing breathtaking views and an unforgettable experience. Located in Disneyland’s sister Park, Disney California Adventure Park, the ride uses an innovative mechanical system to simulate flight and provides a 180-degree view of the landscape below.
In the Soarin’ Over California iteration, Guests journey over some of the Golden State’s most iconic locations. The ride includes flyovers of locations such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite National Park, using other sensory elements like smell to enhance the experience.
One of the ride’s highlights is the view of Disneyland Park itself. As the ride ends, Guests are treated to a stunning view of the park’s iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle.
So, while that may all sound lovely, unfortunately for one batch of Guests, they would be left soarin’ for a long time after getting stuck at the end of the attraction.
In a thread that asked what attractions at Disneyland Guests have gotten stuck on, one comment from user tardisandjam revealed the disturbance that rocked their Disney vacation. The user said:
Last firework went off, screen went blue, stayed up there. The exit spiel played and nothing. We were stuck up there for almost two hours I think? They got the other two sections to come down with a reset, but our benches got stuck and they had to crank us down.
The Guest goes on to elaborate that the incident left them with emotional trauma after they suffered an anxiety attack while hanging in mid-air, leading to only now being able to ride if they aren’t sober:
I had a full blown anxiety attack and now cannot ride that ride sober because it’s my greatest park related fear.
Unfortunately, it is not the first time — and certainly won’t be the last — that the Guests have encountered attraction malfunctions. Over the years, reports from Guests being stuck on rides like Splash Mountain at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have surfaced, as have situations that are not the fault of the attraction at all but those of Guests. The cucumber, remember?
Related: Bruce Springsteen Ejected From Disneyland For Breaking the Rules
Soarin’ Over California originally opened in 2001 as part of Disney California Adventure Park’s opening day attractions. It quickly became one of the Park’s most popular rides and remained in operation until 2016, when it was replaced by the aforementioned new version called Soarin’ Around the World. However, due to popular demand, Soarin’ Over California was brought back for a limited time in 2019.
Have you ever been stuck on Soarin’? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
Disneyland Resort consists of Disneyland Park, Disneyland California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney District. Hotels include the Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.