Boy, do we have some exciting news to share with you, Walt Disney World fans! After a very long seven years, Disney officials have announced that one of its most beloved attractions will be returning to EPCOT very soon! That attraction is Soarin’ Over California! That’s right! Disney’s original Soarin’ attraction is set to return to the Land Pavilion — now called Future World — in just a couple of weeks!
Disney shared the news at Destination D23 — an event currently being held at the Walt Disney World Resort.
According to Disney, Soarin’ Over California will return on September 22 as part of the Disney1oo celebration!
🍊 JUST ANNOUNCED 🍊 Starting Sept. 22, Soarin’ Over California will return to EPCOT for a limited time in honor of #Disney100. Let’s see – anything else? Oh yeah, have a nice flight! #DestinationD23 pic.twitter.com/ORYYXXY28y
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) September 9, 2023
Soarin’ Over California first opened in EPCOT’s Land Pavilion in 2005, and it was an immediate hit. Guests would wait more than an hour for the attraction, which made guests feel like they were gliding over some of California’s most beautiful and popular locations. This included the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Los Angeles, and, of course, Disneyland Park.
The original attraction closed in 2016 and reopened as Soarin’ Around the World. While still popular, guests don’t have the same affection for Soarin’ Around the World as they do for Soarin’ Over California.
More on Disney100
It’s hard to believe, but The Walt Disney Company has been changing the entertainment and theme park industry for 100 years! As a way to celebrate all that Disney has accomplished, Disney launched the Disney100 celebration at Walt’s original theme park — Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California — in January 2023. Guests were able to enjoy two new nighttime shows — Wondrous Journeys in Disneyland Park and World of Color – ONE in Disney California Adventure Park.
Disneyland is also celebrating the Disney100 with Mickey, Minnie, and their friends in special outfits and specialty food and drinks available for purchase around the Resort.
But Disneyland isn’t the only Resort getting in on the Disney100 action. Walt Disney World Resort will also be having special events as a part of the celebration.
Disney has said that the focus of Walt Disney World Resort’s Disney100 celebration will be at EPCOT. There, in front of the iconic attraction Spaceship Earth, guests will be able to take a picture with a platinum Disney100 Mickey Mouse sculpture. In addition to that, Spaceship Earth will light up at night with a new, limited-time show, much like the one that happened during Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration.
EPCOT is the theme park known for its festivals — the International Food & Wine Festival, the International Festival of the Arts, the Flower & Garden Festival, and the International Festival of the Holidays. So, of course, the Food & Wine Festival, which runs through mid-November, will have booths that feature special Disney100 options. Be sure to give them a try!
At this time, only Disneyland Resort has really celebrated the Disney100, but Disney officials have said that the celebration will eventually make its way to all of Disney Parks.
