On May 26th at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT and then on July 2nd at Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort, Soarin’ Across America will take guests on a sweeping flight across some of the most iconic sights found in the United States of America. This third iteration of the attraction comes as Disney joins in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the USA. Ahead of the arrival of Soarin’ Across America, Daps Magic was invited to speak with Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald.
Tom Fitzgerald is the Chief Storytelling Executive/Senior Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. Since 1979, he has helped bring favorite Disney attractions and experiences to life. Now, he is integral to bringing Soarin’ Across America to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. In the following interview, Mr. Daps chatted with him about what went into creating this four and a half minute film. As seen in the interview, this attraction came together in a year. It utilized new technology. It took hundreds of takes. The team also traveled over 28,000 miles (yes, as far as going around the globe) to create this portrait of America. Check out this interview with Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald below!
Highlights of This Soarin’ Across America Interview
Inspiration & Concept
- The Perfect Window: Imagineers first began brainstorming a follow-up attraction right after finishing Soarin’ Around the World a decade ago. The upcoming 250th Celebration of America provided the perfect opportunity to bring the concept to life.
- The Narrative Flow: The 4.5-minute film utilizes an East-to-West logic, moving across landscapes from morning to night.
- A Unique Start: Breaking away from traditional openings, the attraction begins with a spectacular Artemis 2 rocket shot that lifts the audience up into the clouds.
Featured Locations
- The “Baker’s Dozen”: The attraction features 13 distinct scenes, balancing instantly recognizable patriotic landmarks with regional “flavors” to capture the breadth of the country.
- Identifiable Landmarks: Features include the Statue of Liberty, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Mount Rushmore, New York City, the Hollywood sign, and Waikiki in Hawaii.
- Atmospheric Scenes: To represent the diverse American landscape, the film also highlights fall foliage, a rugged Atlantic coastline, the West, and a Southern bayou.
Production & “By the Numbers”
- Incredible Speed: The entire project was completed in just one year, which Fitzgerald noted was incredibly fast for an Imagineering attraction of this scale.
- Virtual Scouting: Because of the tight timeline, Imagineers utilized virtual scouting for the first time, allowing them to map out shots precisely before traveling.
- Massive Scale: The production team completed nearly 900 helicopter passes to capture the necessary footage and traveled 28,000 miles, equivalent to the circumference of the globe, to shoot the film.
The Big Fan Reveal
- Patrick Warburton Returns: In a special nod to the fan-favorite pre-show, Patrick Warburton returns in a new introductory role. In the new iteration, his character has officially graduated to a pilot!
Soarin’ Across America opens at EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort on May 26th and at Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort on July 2nd. What do you think of this new version of Soarin’? Are you looking forward to experiencing it? What did you think of this interview? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
