Review: Soarin’ Across America is a Distinctly Patriotic Salute to One Nation. Here’s the Good, Bad & Ugly.

I’m always a distinctly patriotic person, but there have been two moments in 2026 that made me especially proud, and Soarin’ Across America starts out with a bang by highlighting one of them. The first of these was Team USA Hockey’s Winter Olympics Golds, which wouldn’t really work in a flyover attraction since I doubt they allow hang gliders inside arenas. (Warning: this review contains spoilers of all locations in the new film.)

The second of those is even more fitting for the EPCOT version of the USA Semiquincentennial ride, as it takes place just down the toll road at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Soarin’ Across America lifts off with an Artemis rocket launch from the Florida Space Coast, climbing into the clouds to the begin the journey across the United States of America. It’s powerful stuff, literally and figuratively.

Starting with a dawn Artemis launch is pitch-perfect, an incredibly satisfying way to start the flight. It works really well for the ride’s opening, and lifts you up to cloud nine on the ‘distinctly patriotic’ barometer. It definitely got me, especially as that iconic Soarin’ score swelled.

This is the high point of Soarin’ Across America, and it’s one that’s built to nicely by the pre-show before it. Until we arrive at that point, there’s nothing much to speak of in terms of changes to Soarin. There’s some new window-dressing in the queue, including a banner, eagle sculptures, and destination posters for the legacy versions of the attraction.

The carpet has also been replaced, which helps the introduction to the attraction feel fresher. The Soarin’ concourse has never been anything special, but over time it’s been made to feel warmer with a variety of minor changes. My personal wish list here would’ve been a deal with Orlando International Airport to use that iconic carpet, as that would’ve added even more personality and a Florida connection. That didn’t happen; the queue as it stands is fine.

The pre-flight safety instructions are once again hosted by Chief flight attendant Patrick Warburton, who has been promoted to Captain Patrick. He’s recorded a new video introduction that then segues to his original safety instructions from Soarin’ Over California, which have been used ever since.

I’ve seen some criticism online of Imagineering being “cheap” by splicing together the two videos. To each their own, but this struck me as purposeful as opposed to cost-cutting. I doubt it was any cheaper to have Puddy film 45 fewer seconds or whatever, especially since Disney has done a lot of work recently with him at Disney California Adventure and the last D23 Expo.

Keep in mind that the original Soarin’ pre-show was filmed over 25 years ago. The hand-off is a comedic moment, and one that elicited laughs every single time I’ve done Soarin’ Across America thus far. Granted, those have all been during Annual Passholder previews so not exactly a representative audience, but don’t we want Disney doing things aimed more squarely at Disney diehards? The original Soarin’ pre-show has developed “iconic” status among fans, and recording a new intro for it with an extra layer of levity was absolutely the right move.

Flying past the Artemis launch scene, we arrive at the bad and ugly of Soarin’ Across America, which is the New York Harbor scene during which you glide above the Statue of Liberty. This is the big “Oh no, they learned nothing from Soarin’ Around the World” moment of the attraction. It features the one-two punch of obvious CGI and architectural distortion, and pulled me down from the cloud nine I was on following that Artemis launch.

I get why Imagineering opted for the CGI Statue of Liberty. They presumably couldn’t get permission for up-close aerial photography above the Statue of Liberty, and for whatever creative reason, they wanted to take some, ahem, liberties with the statue’s orientation for the sake of a more visually compelling scene.

I cannot imagine the backlash if Soarin’ Across America didn’t include the Statue of Liberty and the most quintessential US city. The complaints would’ve been even louder if it were absent entirely, so it had to be included, for better or worse. It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t for better, though.

Soarin’ Across America’s next destination is the Portland Head Light in Maine, along the New England coast. This scene is excellent; well-executed and on par with the best of what Soarin’ has to showcase. There’s a mild jump-scare, but it’s a fun one. It also helps that they’re used more sparingly in Soarin’ Across America.

That scare transitions us to high above the Capitol Building, approaching the Washington Monument. This is another bad two-fer, with both distortion of the domed building and gratuitous CGI. However, it’s arguably a similar story with New York City; something that Imagineering felt compelled to include or else be accused of being distinctly unpatriotic during the USA Semiquincentennial.

From there we head to the Louisiana bayou for a dynamic scene that follows around airboats. It’s both engaging and representative of the South, a win for one of the key audiences at Walt Disney World. I personally would’ve preferred Everglades National Park, Blue Spring State Park or Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, but I actually think this was the better pick in the context of Soarin’ Across America as it exists, as this scene is more energetic than any of those could’ve been.

I’ve spent too much time trying to figure out where the next scene was filmed. I think it was the White Mountains in New Hampshire, but it seems more logical for it to be the Blue Ridge or New River Gorge just given which other regions are and are not represented elsewhere in the film. Regardless, it’s another strong scene representative of America’s diverse landscape and natural beauty.

That’s pretty much the middle of Soarin’ Across America in a nutshell. Subsequent scenes take guests up to and over Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, swooping down to the Colorado River in the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, gliding above a cattle drive in the Great Plains, approaching the snow-capped peaks of Denali, and skimming the ocean along Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii with Diamond Head in the distance.

Personally, I would’ve preferred more US National Parks and there’s a long list of places I would’ve liked to see, but there were always going to be snubs. Otherwise, Soarin’ Across America would be a glorious 3-hour attraction. (Wait a minute…I love that idea!) I cannot quibble with anything that was included; all great choices to represent the United States of America well.

This brings Soarin’ Across America to the penultimate scene(s) in Los Angeles. This is actually a two-fer, with guests first gliding over Griffith Observatory with the Los Angeles skyline in the distance that fittingly culminates in a helicopter-cut transition. The second half turns the other direction, swooping over the Hollywood sign.

On the one hand, this feels like a lot of Los Angeles in a film that (necessarily) glosses over a lot of the United States. On the other hand, what you may not realize is that over the Hollywood sign in Burbank is the Walt Disney Studios Lot. It’s hard to make out, but look for the little blue triangle towards the middle in my photo below–that’s the Sorcerer Mickey Hat above the real Animation Building.

That feels like a fitting inclusion, and will be a perfect transition to Disneyland out in California. I’d also add that, like the Statue of Liberty, the Hollywood sign is symbolic of America and is something that international visitors might also appreciate.

The conclusion is once again a nighttime flight over EPCOT. The park has been updated with CommuniCore Hall and World Celebration added, and is accurate right down to the broken in-ground lighting around the planter.

Spaceship Earth features its Fourth of July Beacons of Magic, and the scene is enhanced with pixie dust via fireworks launched from the parking lot. Here we’re treated not just to the Hidden Mickey fireworks, but also an eagle and American flag. To each their own, but this is CGI that actually works for me. (There’s undoubtedly more CGI throughout the film, but none of it pulls you out of the moment like the Statue of Liberty.)

The EPCOT ending brings the flight full circle, and is a great way to conclude our journey aboard Soarin’ Across America. It’s debatable whether a coast-to-coast flight ending at the American institution that is Disneyland might’ve been more fitting, but I’m personally glad each coast has its own unique conclusion. I’m also old enough to remember Walt Disney World fans being annoyed that the original Soarin’ ended over Disneyland.

Now that we’ve flown past the scene by scene critiques, let’s zoom out and look at the bigger picture. The great news is that the core experience that made Soarin’ a modern masterpiece remains unchanged. The free flight simulation of gliding above the land, plus that epic score enhanced by scents still make this attraction a must-do. This is true whether you’re experiencing the OG, Around the World, or Soarin’ Across America.

Those things are the heart and soul of Soarin’, and are what made the original a new classic that can still return for limited-time flights today and feel fresh. I’ve said it before, but you could swap the ride video out for “Soarin’ Over Indiana” and still be an enjoyable experience if the score, scents (fresh corn!), and simulator remained the same.

In other words, Soarin’ is a high-floor attraction. Just like Magic Kingdom fireworks, and so much else that guests love because the underlying conceit emotionally resonates or the ride system just delivers. Soarin’ has always been a mix of both, and accordingly, the baseline is an 8/10 score. Soarin’ Across America can only go up from there.

Despite being 25 years old, the original Soarin’ Over California is a modern masterpiece that stands the test of time (Yosemite National Park scene above). It’s one of the few things from circa 2001 DCA that holds up. That was evident early on, when the attraction was cloned to EPCOT in 2005. About a decade later, both coasts received the new Soarin’ Around the World thanks to the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

While Soarin’ Around the World highlights the natural world (or rather, a version of nature created by a computer), it focuses mostly on landmarks around the globe. There’s a reason distortion isn’t as pronounced in the original Soarin–because instead of architecture and linear elements, the attraction primarily features geography that can mask distortion better.

I’m not particularly averse to Soarin’ Around the World, but all of the CGI, cheesy animals, and distortion wore on me over time. Meanwhile, Soarin’ Over California shows no signs of age, aside from a shorter LA skyline. If anything, it benefits from its footage being real.

The good news is that, after the shaky start in New York and the brief scene in Washington DC, Imagineering largely learned its lesson with CGI and distorted architecture. Soarin’ Across America focuses largely on the natural world to avoid those pitfalls.

During one of my several repeat rides on Soarin’ Across America, I lucked into the literal worst seat in the entire theater: third row at the far end. Even from that vantage, there were only a few instances of “bendy” architecture. The domed format of the theater makes that unavoidable on structures with straight lines, especially as the camera draws nearer.

After fan backlash to the leaning Eiffel Tower, which Imagineering actually worked to remedy more recently, more thought was put into both the locations and the filming approach with Soarin’ Across America. Even the Statue of Liberty, Capitol Building, and Griffith Observatory all disappear from view in a way that works to minimize the distortion.

After repeated ride-throughs, this didn’t really bother me. The comparative lack of distortion is welcome, as is less egregious CGI, and both are seemingly the result of more emphasis on America’s stunning natural landscapes. (I’d also note that I shot several photos here from the worst seat, and you largely cannot tell a difference.)

The downside of this is that one solution is seemingly to keep the iconic vistas at arm’s length. Soarin’ Across America definitely feels slower paced than both of its predecessors, with certain scenes and views lingering just a little too long and not engaging quite enough. There are points where it feels almost as if you’re floating in place, instead of actively gliding through the landscape.

I assume this is partly a deliberate decision to minimize distortion, but one unintended negative consequence is that the ride isn’t as dynamic and engaging. There are some scenes where you swoop over scenery and down closer to landmarks, but just as many where the main landmarks are more off in the distance.

That makes Soarin’ Across America a flight that’s largely more scenic and serene, at least in the middle of the flight. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you enjoy a gentler ride, but I think the (mild) action is part of the appeal of Soarin.

Transitions are always a complaint when it comes to Soarin, and there’s no pleasing everyone. The original Soarin’ used sharp cuts, and that was criticized as jarring. Around the World used a lot of CGI animals and other tricks, and that was dubbed cheesy. After experiencing all three versions plus other FlyOver attractions, I’ve come to favor the original Soarin, with this occupying the middle ground.

One reason why I think the simply and sharp transitions work so well in the original Soarin’ is because they’re punctuated by the score. There’s no perfect suspension of disbelief in this attraction, as guests aren’t going to believe they’re going from one distant location to another with the perfect transition. Soarin’s score is what makes that work in the original, at least for me. But I realize other fans have strong opinions on transitions.

Soarin’ Across America features a new musical arrangement by Bruce Broughton of the beloved Jerry Goldsmith Soarin’ themes, and it’s fantastic. Having another arrangement of the iconic Soarin’ score is great; Bruce Broughton always delivers. But doesn’t reach quite the same heights as the original, and that’s most noticeable to me when it comes to the scene-to-scene flow. The score just feels slightly off when looking at this as a cohesive attraction.

To some extent, this feels nitpicky. It wasn’t even until my third or fourth flight when I started noticing these little things more acutely, and that frankly is not how the average guest who rides once will experience the attraction.

My first flight on Soarin’ Across America, I was grinning ear to ear, on cloud nine from that Artemis launch, coasting through the middle section, until the culmination in Los Angeles and then over EPCOT.

The beginning and end of this are pure magic, and most of the scenes in between are good to great when viewed on their own. Even the New York City and (to a lesser extent) Washington DC scenes, with their warts and all, are important assets to a film titled Soarin’ Across America that’s in celebration of the US Semiquincentennial.

If we zoom out even further, the “why” of Soarin’ Across America is relevant context to all of this, and a pertinent consideration when reviewing the attraction. Beyond everything else, I love Soarin’ Across America precisely because it celebrates America.

This is exactly what the United States needs, now more than ever. We like to use ‘distinctly patriotic’ here as a tongue-in-cheek catchphrase to channel the spirit of Sam Eagle, but it actually is nice to have something distinctly patriotic to remind us of what makes this great nation special and works to unite the country instead of divide us.

This whole “Disney Celebrates America” event for the 250th Anniversary of the United States is a breath of fresh air, and Soarin’ Across America is a pivotal part of that. It showcases a wide range of scenes from sea to shining sea, beginning with a powerful punch, including iconic and important locations along the way, and going out with a bang in EPCOT. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great salute to our nation. It reminds me of American Adventure in how it makes me feel, and that’s the highest of praise for Soarin’ Across America.

Overall, Soarin’ Across America retains the core elements that made its predecessors successes with guests while minimizing most of frequent fan complaints about Soarin’ Around the World. For me, the only real step backwards as compared to the second Soarin’ is pacing and less dynamism. Maybe the score to a lesser extent, or at least how it matches the action.

Otherwise and overall on balance, Soarin’ Across America is an upgrade over Soarin’ Around the World. It’s a perfect fit for Disney Celebrates America, a great tribute to the geographic diversity of the United States, and an attraction that I hope guests are able to enjoy for more than just a limited-time. This deserves at least a year-long run, followed by future summer reprisals during Diet EPCOT.

Soarin’ Across America is firmly the second-best Soarin’ for me (and second-best film in EPCOT for those keeping score at home). It’s closer to Soarin’ Over California in terms of my overall enjoyment than it is to Soarin’ Around the World. I suspect that’s going to be the clear consensus among Walt Disney World and especially Disneyland fans, and not a controversial opinion. Sometimes the original incarnation of an attraction is so good that it’s almost impossible to top, and that’s still true with Soarin.’

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Your Thoughts

Have you experienced Soarin’ Across America? Where does it rank for you among the three versions? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? What did you think of Soarin’ Over California or Around the World? 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!