Watch Soarin’ Across America Before It Opens (VIDEO)

Soarin’ Across America doesn’t officially open to the public until May 26, 2026, but the first guests have already taken flight. Before the general public gets anywhere near the hang gliders, Disney invited Cast Members and Annual Passholders to preview the brand-new overlay. Drew the Disney Dude was there to capture it all on video, and you can watch the full ride in the player above.

Here’s the full breakdown of what’s happening with this new overlay, who has already ridden it, and what to expect when it officially opens.

Cast Members Rode First, Then Annual Passholders

Disney ran a multi-phase preview schedule before the official May 26 opening. Cast Member previews began on May 15, 2026. Annual Passholders then got their chance on May 19 and 20, joining the standard standby queue during normal park hours. No virtual queue, no Lightning Lane.

Disney Vacation Club Members received priority access on May 21, 2026. That tight preview schedule left the door open for potential soft openings before the official launch, a pattern Disney has followed with recent EPCOT attractions like Test Track 3.0.

Because the ride uses a standby-only model for previews, capacity was limited and not everyone who showed up got on. However, enough guests experienced the new film that a clear picture of the full overlay is now emerging.

What the New Film Actually Shows

Disney has confirmed the full flight path for Soarin’ Across America, and it’s a genuinely ambitious cross-country journey. The film takes guests from the rugged New England coastline and New York Harbor, with a welcome from the Statue of Liberty, all the way west to Grand Canyon West and Hawaii.

In between, the film covers the autumn heartland, the bayous, the great plains, Mount Rushmore, the northern wilderness, and sun-drenched island shores. Disney specifically set out to show the America most people actually live in, not just the postcard version.

The classic Soarin’ sensory elements are all intact: updated wind effects, the signature scents matching each location, and updated ride programming. The score is a new arrangement by composer Bruce Broughton, building on the beloved original Jerry Goldsmith themes.

The New EPCOT Queue Is Worth Arriving Early For

EPCOT guests also get something DCA won’t have: a brand-new interactive queue experience. The Soarin’ Challenge Across America, developed in partnership with National Geographic, is a trivia challenge that draws on photography from the National Geographic archives.

The challenge matches states to fun superlatives, with categories like “Most Likely to Reach for the Stars” or “Most Likely to Strike Gold.” It turns what has always been a passive wait into something worth arriving early for, especially for families.

When Does Soarin’ Across America Open and How Long Will It Run?

The official public opening at EPCOT is May 26, 2026, as part of the Cool Kids’ Summer launch. At Disney California Adventure, the overlay opens July 2, 2026, with no downtime at all. DCA will run Soarin’ Over California through July 1 and flip to the new film overnight.

Disney has billed this as a limited-time overlay tied to the America 250th anniversary campaign, which runs through July 4, 2026. However, Disney has not announced an end date. Given the long lead time between the fall 2025 announcement and the May 2026 opening, theme park analysts widely expect the overlay to run well into 2027. Treat any specific end date as speculation until Disney confirms otherwise.

Watch the Ride Before You Go

Thanks to Drew the Disney Dude for capturing an early look at the full experience. Whether you’re heading to EPCOT before the end of May or planning a summer trip, the video above is your best preview of Soarin’ Across America before the lines inevitably get long.

Drop a comment below: are you team Soarin’ Across America, or do you want Soarin’ Around the World back?