Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort are adding a new iteration to their popular Soarin’ attraction. This new version will soar around America in celebration of the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary. Soarin’ Across America will be the third iteration of the attraction, following Soarin’ Over California and Soarin’ Around the World. In this post, we’ll share the details before adding our commentary. Let’s get to the news!

This recently announced attraction now has opening dates attached to it. Soarin’ Across America will open in Epcot around Memorial Day Weekend. Over in California Adventure, the new ride will open on July 2nd just days before the holiday. Here are more details on the ride.

Buckle up and get ready for takeoff! The fan-favorite attraction Soarin’ will be receiving an all-new airborne adventure across the U.S. That’s right— you’ll soon be Soarin’ Across America at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort!

The new bi-coastal offering will showcase the United States—from sea to shining sea—highlighting some of the country’s natural beauty and iconic cityscapes. This will be brought to life with the iconic elements that make Soarin’ unforgettable – the flight, the sights and score, even the scents! Walt Disney Imagineering is hard at work capturing more than a dozen breathtaking locations for the new flight.

Whether you’re taking off from Disney California Adventure park in California or EPCOT in Florida, you’ll be part of the journey that honors the heart and spirit of the nation as it soars into its 250^th birthday celebration.

This attraction change will be part of a larger celebration Disney is planning to hold for the 250th anniversary. Here’s more from the company:

The Walt Disney Company is joining a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of our nation’s 250^th anniversary with a new initiative called “Disney Celebrates America.” Kicking off on Veterans Day 2025 and continuing through the July 4, 2026, weekend, this celebration will bring together Disney’s beloved brands and platforms to honor America’s past, celebrate the present, and inspire its future.

Through heartfelt storytelling, experiences, and meaningful support for veterans, military families, and communities, Disney will shine a spotlight on the people, places, and moments that make our nation special—a tradition of honoring and uplifting others that’s been part of Disney’s story for more than a century. As America’s preeminent storyteller, Disney will help bring the semiquincentennial to life by celebrating the dreams, stories, and optimism that have inspired generations. From sports and entertainment to travel and tourism, Disney encourages families everywhere to explore, learn and discover the diverse lands, and vibrant communities that make up our shared story.

“At its heart, America’s story is one of imagination, ambition, and possibility – the same ideals that have guided Disney since the beginning,” said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “This celebration honors both a nation and a spirit that never stop dreaming about what’s next.”

Commentary

I’ve mentioned over the last few weeks that Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Featuring the Muppets and a few other changes would make up for a soft debut schedule in 2026. With Soarin’ Across America announced, 2026 is starting to look fairly strong in terms of new or updated offerings! That’s especially true at Walt Disney World.

The Soarin’ news is the crème de la crème of those updates. The ‘Around the World’ iteration of the attraction was far from my favorite, leaning too heavily on CGI and unnecessary transitions. Lost in between those things was the charm that the original Soarin’ Over California had. Even Disney began to realize that as the OG has made frequent appearances in the park as of late.

In theory, Soarin’ Across America should be a return to form. Filming locations aren’t nearly as difficult to get to as they were for Around the World. There should be a natural look to the third film that was in the original. While I would have been happy with a constantly remastered Soarin’ Over California, a new film on a slightly different scale is a welcome change.

Soarin’ is one of those attractions that should be redone every 5-10 years. The rapid advance of technology dictates that. I’m just as excited to see what the new film looks like as I am about the filming locations. Having to change out the movie often is likely a challenge, albeit an interesting challenge, to Imagineering. Even seeing the photos of the helicopters getting ready to film has me looking forward to the new attraction.

Two things that will transcend all of the Soarin’ iterations are the score and the preshow featuring Patrick Warburton. The latter has become one of the most quoted Disney Parks scripts. It was good to see him in this short video released by Disney. I assume he’ll be doing the preshow here for as long as he’s able! Maybe my dreams of a Kronk/Soarin’ crossover will finally come true.

As for the score, I’m curious how they’ll integrate some of the patriotic tunes into the triumphant melody. There’s no guarantee that they do that. Frankly, I’m not sure I want them to but it would make sense. In this time where everything is politicized, the line that Disney will walk on is probably thin. Thankfully, Soarin’ should speak for itself by showcasing the natural beauty across America.

Then again, I’m not saying no to Kronk and Sam Eagle hosting a glorious 3 hour finale that will be done in roughly 5 minutes. Others might not enjoy that as much.

Are you excited for the new Soarin’ film? Let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments below! Planning a Disney trip? Check out our Travel Guides to help get you there! Here’s a link to discount tickets at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney please subscribe to the blog via email or WordPress and like our social media pages. You can find all of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you very much for reading, we appreciate it!