Disney Reveals New Destinations, Score & More for Soarin’ Across America
Soarin’ Across America is almost ready for takeoff at EPCOT, which starts previews in a few days at Walt Disney World and will debut later in Summer 2026 at Disneyland. With this, Imagineering has offered a sneak peek at flyover locations, the updated score, new poster art, queue mini-games and more that’ll be featured in the limited-time journey!
Let’s start with basics. Soarin’ Across America is an all-new airborne adventure created for the America250 celebration. The new bi-coastal attraction will showcase the United States—from sea to shining sea—highlighting some of the country’s natural beauty, like Grand Canyon National Park, and iconic cityscapes.
Soarin’ Across America will be brought to life with the iconic elements that make Soarin’ unforgettable – the flight, the sights and scents, along with the score–it’ll feature a new orchestration of the classic Soarin’ musical theme. Walt Disney Imagineering has captured more than a dozen breathtaking locations for the new flight.
Soarin’ Across America officially opens on May 26, 2026 at EPCOT. Prior to that, Cast Member previews begin May 15, 2026.
Annual Passholders can preview Soarin’ Across America May 19-20, 2026. The attraction will use a standard standby line during normal park hours with no virtual queue or Lightning Lane offered.
Disney Vacation Club Members will receive “Priority Access” to Soarin’ Across America on May 21, 2026.
As we’ve previously discussed, this clears the runway for soft openings of Soarin’ Across America on that same day, or May 22, 2026 at the latest. We strongly suspect soft openings of Soarin’ Across America ahead of Memorial Day–ditto most attractions officially opening on May 26, 2026. But that’s another topic for another post.
Meanwhile, Soarin’ Across America doesn’t take flight at Disney California Adventure until July 2, 2026. That was announced a while ago with no updates since, but our expectation nevertheless is lengthy previews at Disneyland.
What Disney has not announced is when Soarin’ Across America will end, and we’ve been getting questions about that from readers who are worried they only have this summer to experience the US Semiquincentennial Soarin’. As explained in Why the Limited-Time Soarin’ Across America Will Have a Delayed Departure from EPCOT, that is highly unlikely. The short version of that article is that you likely have at least a full year, if not 18 months or longer, to experience the inaugural flights of the redone ride.
The latest development is that Disney Parks has shared a first look at some of the locales featured in Soarin’ Across America. From sea to shining sea, Soarin’ Across America brings breathtaking ‘seasons and regions’ to life…
Along your journey, you will glide above iconic urban and natural wonders, from the rugged New England coastline and the radiant welcome of New York Harbor to the vast expanse of Grand Canyon West.
The experience features so many quintessentially American settings… the autumn colors of the heartland; the beauty of our bayous; the great plains of the west; the northern wilderness; and sunlit island shores.
“Each scene helps to create a portrait of what we believe makes America so special,” said Tom Fitzgerald, creative director and chief storytelling executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. “It’s a tapestry of urban wonders, natural beauty, and iconic locations that celebrate the spirit of the nation and the 250th anniversary of the United States.”
A new musical arrangement by Bruce Broughton of the beloved Jerry Goldsmith Soarin’ themes underscores the adventure. Ride programming, wind, and more add to create a truly immersive experience.
All of this sounds fantastic to me thus far. Having another arrangement of the iconic Soarin’ score should be great, and Bruce Broughton always delivers. He’s responsible for such gems as CineMagique, Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Spaceship Earth, Golden Dreams, Season of the Vine, and more.
The destinations are also promising thus far. Although I was hoping for the Bass Harbor Head Light in Acadia National Park as opposed to the Portland Head Light (also in Maine, not Oregon), it’s not a massive difference. This taller lighthouse might present better in flyover form, or it could’ve been easier to secure permits for it. Either way, it’d be nice to see lots of representation for the US National Parks, which are America’s Best Idea.
While you await boarding at Walt Disney World, put your knowledge of the United States to the test with an all-new trivia challenge. The Soarin’ Challenge Across America, created in collaboration with National Geographic, invites guests to discover which state is “Most Likely to Reach for the Stars,” “Most Likely to Lend an Ear,” and “Most Likely to Strike Gold.”
Featuring fun facts from beloved National Geographic titles including 50 States, 5,000 Ideas and stunning photography from the National Geographic archives, the challenge transforms the queue at EPCOT into a celebration of American wonder.
These games are a fun way to pass the time if you’re stuck in standby for Soarin’ at a time when its line is slow-moving, but my personal hope is to never play them. With a bit of savvy strategy, it should be possible to incorporate Soarin’ Across America into the second half of an Early Entry and rope drop run for EPCOT. Likewise, doing it in the late afternoon, evening, or during Extended Evening Hours without a lengthy wait should be possible.
Disney Parks has also released a new poster for Soarin’ Across America featuring some of the new flyover locations:
My sincere hope is that Soarin’ Across America is superlative. That it ditches most of the cheesy CGI and bent architecture of Soarin’ Around the World that garners complaints, and features stunning footage from around the United States.
That it’s so popular we get future updates, Star Tours style, to Soarin’ Across America with new scenes from around the country. I don’t think this is an unrealistic expectation. Both existing versions of Soarin’ are fan-favorite attractions, and the ride concept is a crowd-pleaser. With great new scenery that fixes past mistakes, Soarin’ Across America could pretty easily be a 10/10 attraction.
I’m really excited for Soarin’ Across America and hope it does a great job showcasing the diverse natural scenery of America the Beautiful. Longtime readers know that one of my great passions outside of theme parks is the U.S. National Parks. There was a time when I was visiting Yosemite National Park multiple times per month, and I already have a ton of stamps in my U.S. National Parks passport (see My Top 10 U.S. National Parks So Far.)
The whole reason we started TravelCaffeine.com, our non-Disney sister site to this one, was to document international travel and trips to U.S. National Parks. If you’re curious about the destinations we’re hoping are featured in Soarin’ Across America, check out our list of the Top 18 U.S. Flyover Places for Soarin’ Across America.
This new version of Soarin’ is debuting as part of America250. The Walt Disney Company is commemorating the milestone of the United States Semiquincentennial with “Disney Celebrates America,” a company-wide initiative spanning programming, storytelling, and experiences across its iconic brands and businesses.
“Disney Celebrates America” will culminate over the weekend of July 4, 2026 with a 24-hour, multi-platform broadcast that highlights the United States Semiquincentennial events nationwide across Disney’s linear networks and streaming platforms, ending with a special evening fireworks broadcast from Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
Speaking of the pyro, as part of the United States Semiquincentennial celebration, the fireworks show “Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky,” will play across all three nights of the holiday weekend, July 3-5, 2026, at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom.
Okay, let’s review: version of Soarin’ with new flyover locations across America and an updated score, officially opening on May 26, 2026 at EPCOT but with previews and soft openings before, likely departure date from EPCOT sometime in 2027 or beyond, hopefully receiving strong satisfaction scores as a result of lessons learned (and applied) by Imagineering…anything else? Oh yeah, have a nice flight!
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Your Thoughts
When do you think Soarin’ Across America will end at EPCOT? Expect it to last through at least mid-2027, if not longer? Do you hope this version is so good that it sticks around indefinitely? Would you prefer to see Soarin’ Over California or Soarin’ Around the World…or all three versions in rotation? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Do you think there is any shot they will open up the line to non pass holders? We will be in Epcot from halfway across the country on May 19 and are so bummed it was going to be closed as we don’t get to Disney often.
Unfortunately, I would not expect soft openings for the general public until after AP previews end.
But if I were you, I’d still check it out later in the day (maybe after 5 pm) during your visit to see. If the line isn’t long in the evening, they might open it to all guests. Low odds of that so don’t get your hopes up, but worth checking.
Bruce Broughton returning to do the musical score for the new attraction is wonderful news! He just *gets* what makes a Disney attraction feel like a Disney attraction.
He really does. I’m certainly not upset about soon having three versions of the Soarin’ score in my music collection!
Tom, do you have any idea why WDW gets both AP and DVC previews and DLR doesn’t get either?
Also kind of surprised they may be opening Soarin’ 3.0 and MFSR 2.0 the same weekend? I expect DLR to be packed.
I assume there will be AP previews at DCA, and they just haven’t been announced yet.
Are we really talking this up like its a new ride? Its ridiculous that soarin doesnt have twenty different versions played on rotate every day . Its not difficult to make this.
Well with the images shared it appears that they may have learned the important lesson to focus on great landscapes so that the distortion on the sides are less dramatic!!! Would be a huge improvement.
Well actually I’m from NY and know all about it AND the huge lawsuit vs it and that J Lo and A Rod are selling their apartment there. I also know the view is incredible when it isn’t swaying due to the poor construction. Yes it’s called Billionaire Tower BUT I stand by my reply. Don’t be jealous of people with the kind of money to even consider living there. And don’t assume they are all greedy selfless cheats. There are way more evil folks then there are millionaires and billionaires. Not you, me or any of the DTB readers of course. But this guy Tom….have you seen all the ads on this site? Sheesh!
I have no WDW trip planned this year (I just got back from a Disneyland trip which was too early to see the new Soarin there) but I do have a Disney Cruise planned at the end of September, departing Port Canaveral. My travel plans are to go straight to Canaveral but I’m strongly considering adding a one-day stopover in Orlando just to drop in on Epcot and see it. (And anyway, what’s gonna be wrong with an extra day in Epcot?)
We here in Maine are lucky to have an abundance of beautiful lighthouses dotting our coastline, and yes, while Bass Harbor Light would have been a worthy addition, Portland Head Light is considered to be the most photographed lighthouse in the WORLD, so it’s inclusion is kind of a no brainer. Without knowing any of the destinations beforehand, I would have put money on PHL being on the list of flyovers. As an Innkeeper here in Maine, just 6 miles (as the seagull flies) away from the light, almost every guest I host asks for directions to Portland Head and Fort Williams State Park, it’s that popular. It’s also a huge excursion destination for the multitude of cruise ships that stop in Portland (from what I read it’s as popular as the trek to the LLBean flagship store in Freeport). Either way, I’m proud that the State of Maine has been included in this update to Soarin’. I’m really looking forward to seeing it.
Thanks for sharing–all of that makes sense!
I was personally much less impressed with Portland Head Light, but I have to stress that’s in relative terms. It’s still awesome and a deserving destination, just not as cool or unique as Bass Harbor. Of course, it was also busier and more touristy, which could influence both my perception and Disney’s decision to include it.
Interesting…in terms of my initial guesses I thought it might cover the four corners of the US but did not expect both Alaska (Denali) and Hawaii (and that Honolulu would be featured?).
I’m a little disappointed to hear “Grand Canyon West” which is not the iconic area of the Grand Canyon but rather the area where most touristy activities (flights, the “Skywalk”, etc.) are based, due to that area being overseen by the Hualapai vs. the National Park Service. That may not bode well for anyone hoping Disney got special permission to do flyover filming in other National Parks, where regulations have been tightened over the years (Denali NP doesn’t have those restrictions).
https://nypost.com/2025/10/20/us-news/432-park-ave-could-rain-chunks-of-concrete-if-nyc-supertalls-cracks-not-fixed/
Y’all obviously know nothing about that building. Everything from cracking concrete, toilet leaks onto the floors below, 80+ story sonic boom garbage chutes, elevators stalling out, $350 million dollars in current lawsuits. A poorly constructed blight on the NYC skyline.
More info here. From the POST of all places. https://nypost.com/2025/10/20/us-news/432-park-ave-could-rain-chunks-of-concrete-if-nyc-supertalls-cracks-not-fixed/
“Y’all obviously know nothing about that building.”
This is going to describe 99% of guests experiencing Soarin’ Across America, though. People know it as one of many tall skyscrapers that constitute the NYC skyline, but none of the specifics. When you posted your first comment, I had to Google the address.
And how many of the other 1% will care about it being on a poster?
Well actually I’m from NY and know all about it AND the huge lawsuit vs it and that J Lo and A Rod are selling their apartment there. I also know the view is incredible when it isn’t swaying due to the poor construction. Yes it’s called Billionaire Tower BUT I stand by my reply. Don’t be jealous of people with the kind of money to even consider living there. And don’t assume they are all greedy selfless cheats. There are way more evil folks then there are millionaires and billionaires. Not you, me or any of the DTB readers of course. But this guy Tom….have you seen all the ads on this site? Sheesh!
I think the projectors should be upgraded. Anyone else find the resolution to be meh?
I don’t know if it needs a projection upgrade (although I wouldn’t be averse to it), but it definitely needs a recalibration or something. My hope is that it gets that during the closure, but given how brief it is, a complete upgrade seems unlikely.
I do know they’ve been doing work after hours on Soarin’ recently, though, so that’s somewhat promising!
“Do you hope this version is so good that it sticks around indefinitely? ”
Why would I hope for anything less? And yes it would be nice if they rotated all three. There are three Soarin theaters : Concourse A, B and C so wouldn’t it be cool if they did all three at once? I suppose that could present a problem with a longer line for the most popular one.
I would think the new film will be used till 2027 especially so Disney can get a better bang for their buck (couldn’t have been cheap to make the Soarin Across America) BUT I loved that drone show and thought they’d be using that the following year at AK. Silent (compared to fireworks) and beautiful. A perfect fit and zilch. Maybe you have some inside scoop on that show? I can see them working to improve it and now with all the work on the new lands it can’t possibly happen till after they are finished.
The point is, if Disney was willing to go to all the effort and expense to create that drone show and only use it for a few short weeks, maybe they don’t use this new Soarin’ into late 2027.
They’re featuring 432 Park Ave on the new poster? Really? I guess you could say it sums up American greed…
Or American success and the ability to achieve.
I think the 9 dollar mickey pretzel already has that covered….
Hey Bil I mean no disrespect to you but you can’t leave out the Statue of liberty and the NY Skyline so let’s think of 432 Park Ave as summing up American success.
And try not to jump out of your seat when they come to the Washington DC segment.
Besides, we’re all human and shouldn’t be throwing stones.