A flying theater is a themed entertainment technology and adjacent show style. It is a type of simulator ride which consists of one or several motion systems and a large screen. This type of attraction is also known as a panoramic flying theater. The illusion of flight is created through motion that is synchronized with a film. Sound and special effects are combined with the film to create realistic flying experiences.
There are two different forms: the suspended flying theater, in which rigging similar to a fly system lifts seats into the projection of a film to create the illusion of flight. The other version uses a motion system-based platform with a dome-projection or a large curved screen.InPark Magazine - "Ride Systems of Flying Theaters"blooloop - "Flying theaters: a soaring demand (and it's not just theme parks)"Kraftwerk Living Technologies: Flying Theater
Platform-based flying theaters allow 2 different forms of experience: either a traditional seated version and a version where guests are standing on the platform, leaning forward into body supports to create a feeling of flying.
History
The concept of panoramic flying theaters as it is understood today was introduced by The Walt Disney Company in 2001 in their Disney's California Adventure theme park as Soarin' Over California. The success of Soarin' Over California initiated a worldwide trend which led to more than 50 panoramic flying theaters built since 2013.
While the steel construction of suspended flying theaters, which is necessary to lift the seats with guests into the projection has to be quite large and massive, platform-based flying theaters can be operated in a more compact space, thus making both the seated as well as the standing version suitable not only for large installations like "Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon" (Universal Studios Florida) but also for smaller venues like museums (e.g.: Washington Revelations (Museum of The Bible, Washington D.C.)), shopping malls and family entertainment centers.
List of flying theater attractions
Name Park Location Manufacturer Opened Status Ref Soarin' Over California Disney California Adventure United States Dynamic Structures February 8, 2001 Soarin' Epcot United States Dynamic Structures May 5, 2005 Taiwan Formosa E-DA Theme Park Taiwan Brogent Technologies 2010 Viaggio in Italia Ferrari World UAE HUSS Park Attractions 2011 FlyOver Canada Canada Place Canada Brogent Technologies June 29, 2013 Fuji Airlines Fuji-Q Highland Japan Brogent Technologies July 2014 Batman Dark Flight Studio City Macau Macau Kraftwerk Living Technologies 2015 FlyOver America Mall of America United States Brogent Technologies April 19, 2016 Soaring Over The Horizon Shanghai Disneyland Park China Dynamic Structures June 16, 2016 Soarin' Around the World Disney California Adventure United States Dynamic Structures June 17, 2016 Wings Over Washington Pier 57 Seattle United States Dynamic Structures December 11, 2016 Wings Over Washington official website Agila: The EKsperience Enchanted Kingdom Philippines SimEx-Iwerks December 11, 2016 Enchanted Kingdom official website - Agila the EKsperience L'Extraordinaire Voyage Futuroscope France Dynamic Structures December 2016 FlyOver China Shang Shun theme park Taiwan Brogent Technologies 2016 Krrish: Hero's Flight Bollywood Park Dubai UAE 2016 Voletarium Europa-Park Germany Brogent Technologies June 3, 2017 Race Through New York Starring Jimmy FallonUniversal Studios FloridaUnited StatesDynamic Motion RidesApril 6, 2017Flying DreamsFerrari LandSpainBrogent TechnologiesApril 2017 This is Holland This is Holland Netherlands Vekoma & Brogent Technologies October 2017 Washington RevelationsMuseum of The Bible, Washington D.C.United StatesDynamic Motion RidesNovember 17, 2017i-Ride KaohsiungTaiwanBrogent Technologies2017FlyOver ChinaBeijing Shijingshan Amusement ParkChinaBrogent TechnologiesSeptember 2018Beautiful HunanTongguan Kiln International Cultural & Tourism CenterChinaCavu DesignworksOctober 2018i-Ride TaipeiBreeze Nanshan Shopping CenterTaiwanBrogent Technologies2018 The FlyerSan Francisco Pier 39 United States Triotech January 2019 Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle Seibu-en Japan Brogent Technologies May 19, 2021 SkyFly: Soar America The Island in Pigeon Forge United States Dynamic Attractions July 8, 2021 Soaring: Fantastic Flight Tokyo DisneySea Japan Dynamic Structures July 23, 2019 Sky Voyager Dreamworld Australia Brogent Technologies August 23, 2019 FlyOver Iceland Reykjavík Iceland Brogent Technologies September 2019 Flying Over IndonesiaTrans Studio Bali, DenpasarIndonesiaDynamic AttractionsDecember 12, 2019Jiangsu in the AirWuxi Sunac LandChinaSimtec Systems2019Masters of FlightLegoland FloridaUnited StatesBrogent Technologies2019VolariumCinecittà, RomeItalySimtec Systems2019Flying By Changbai MountainChangbaishan, JilinChinaBrogent Technologies2019Chongqing in the AirChongqing Sunac LandChinaSimtec Systems2020Flight of the Sky Lion Legoland Windsor Resort England Brogent Technologies May 2021 FlyOver Las VegasLas VegasUnited StatesBrogent TechnologiesSeptember 2021RiseNYTimes SquareUnited StatesBrogent TechnologiesDecember 2021Flyover ChicagoChicagoUnited StatesBrogent Technologies2024Global JourneyQuancheng Euro ParkChinaYuanwangTimeless Flight Hong Kong11 SkiesHong KongBrogent Technologies2024Odyssey MaltaMercury TowerMaltaSimtec Systems2024WerikaJAPI Jalisco Paseo InteractivoMexicoDOF Robotics2024Vuela México por el MundoAztlán Parque UrbanoMexicoBrogent TechnologiesMay 2025Flying Over Uzbekistan Tashkent City ParkUzbekistanDOF Robotics2019Niagara Takes FlightNiagaraCanadaBrogent TechnologiesAugust 2025Flyover MexicoPlaza CarsoMexicoUnknown2026AstoryaSamsunTurkeyDOF Robotics2026
References
External links DOF Robotics Simtec Systems