Soarin' to FINALLY Get Much Needed Update!

In 2001, Disneyland Resort opened a second theme park—Disney California Adventure Park—and with it, a brand-new attraction that is still one of the most popular attractions in the theme park. Soarin’ Over California took guests on a simulated hang-glider tour over some of the state’s most iconic locations, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the USS Midway in San Diego, the orange groves, and, of course, Disneyland Park.

Soarin’ Over California was so popular that the attraction was brought to EPCOT in Walt Disney World, Shanghai Disneyland, and Tokyo DisneySea, where it is just as loved, and each one is just a little different.

Related: Disney Files New “Aggressive” Patent That Completely Changes Soarin’

In 2016, Disney made the decision to change Soarin’ Over California to Soarin’ Around the World. The new attraction would take guests out of California and to places they might never see, like the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the pyramids in Egypt, Sydney Harbor in Australia, and more.

Unfortunately, the new attraction has not been as well-received as the original ride, and there are a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, a lot of people had issues with the amount of CGI used in the new footage. The original video was styled for natural transitions to the different landmarks, but the new video uses many CGI animals to shift from one scene to the next.

The second, and perhaps the biggest issue, is the way the video used on Soarin’ Around the World fits on the screen. The video used in Soarin’ Over California was designed to fit the curved screen, but it doesn’t appear that the second video was, so some of the landmarks—like the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal—have large bends in them.

Related: This Trick Will Get You the Best View on Soarin’ at EPCOT

Despite the constant complaints since the new version of the ride opened, Disney never addressed the issue until recently. Last November, guests at EPCOT were thrilled to see that a new Eiffel Tower segment had been put in, and the monument no longer had a massive curve.

And now, that change is finally coming to Soarin’s original location!

According to theme park insider Scott Gustin, Soarin’ at DCA will close for refurbishment on April 28 and reopen on May 2. When it reopens, the original Eiffel Tower scene will be there, but Disney will be adding the improved scene in the coming weeks.

Soarin’ Around the World at DCA will close for a short refurb next week (April 28-May 1). When it reopens on May 2, it won’t feature the updated Eiffel Tower scene recently added to EPCOT’s version. However, Disneyland WILL be updating that scene in the coming weeks.

Soarin’ Around the World at DCA will close for a short refurb next week (April 28-May 1). When it reopens on May 2, it won’t feature the updated Eiffel Tower scene recently added to EPCOT’s version. However, Disneyland WILL be updating that scene in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/Yt5EnLilmF

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) April 25, 2025

Soarin’ had been operating as Soarin’ Over California for the annual DCA Food & Wine festival, but the festival ended on April 21, so Soarin’ Around the World is being brought back. Disney has been doing that for the past few years, and guests always flock to the ride when it goes back to the original version, with wait times frequently exceeding one hour.

In this armchair Imagineer’s opinion, Soarin’ Over California should remain in DCA and Soarin’ Around the World should be kept at EPCOT, as each version works best at those respective parks. Maybe one day Disney will grant that wish!

Do you enjoy riding Soarin’ when you visit Disney? Which version do you prefer, Soarin’ Over California or Soarin’ Around the World? Do you think each theme park should have a different version of the ride? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!