Flying theater


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.
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" 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

NameParkLocationManufacturerOpenedStatusRef
Soarin' Over CaliforniaDisney California AdventureUnited StatesDynamic StructuresFebruary 8, 2001
Soarin'EpcotUnited StatesDynamic StructuresMay 5, 2005
Taiwan FormosaE-DA Theme ParkTaiwanBrogent Technologies2010
Viaggio in ItaliaFerrari WorldUAEHUSS Park Attractions2011
FlyOver CanadaCanada PlaceCanadaBrogent TechnologiesJune 29, 2013
Fuji AirlinesFuji-Q HighlandJapanBrogent TechnologiesJuly 2014
Batman Dark FlightStudio City MacauMacauKraftwerk Living Technologies2015
FlyOver AmericaMall of AmericaUnited StatesBrogent TechnologiesApril 19, 2016
Soaring Over The HorizonShanghai Disneyland ParkChinaDynamic StructuresJune 16, 2016
Soarin' Around the WorldDisney California AdventureUnited StatesDynamic StructuresJune 17, 2016
Wings Over WashingtonPier 57 SeattleUnited StatesDynamic StructuresDecember 11, 2016
Agila: The EKsperienceEnchanted KingdomPhilippinesSimEx-IwerksDecember 11, 2016
L'Extraordinaire VoyageFuturoscopeFranceDynamic StructuresDecember 2016
FlyOver ChinaShang Shun theme parkTaiwanBrogent Technologies2016
Krrish: Hero's FlightBollywood Park DubaiUAE2016
VoletariumEuropa-ParkGermanyBrogent TechnologiesJune 3, 2017
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy FallonUniversal Studios FloridaUnited StatesDynamic Motion RidesApril 6, 2017
Flying DreamsFerrari LandSpainBrogent TechnologiesApril 2017
This is HollandThis is HollandNetherlandsVekoma & Brogent TechnologiesOctober 2017
Washington RevelationsMuseum of The Bible, Washington D.C.United StatesDynamic Motion RidesNovember 17, 2017
i-Ride KaohsiungTaiwanBrogent Technologies2017
FlyOver ChinaBeijing Shijingshan Amusement ParkChinaBrogent TechnologiesSeptember 2018
Beautiful HunanTongguan Kiln International Cultural & Tourism CenterChinaCavu DesignworksOctober 2018
i-Ride TaipeiBreeze Nanshan Shopping CenterTaiwanBrogent Technologies2018
The FlyerSan FranciscoPier 39United StatesTriotechJanuary 2019
Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate BattleSeibu-enJapanBrogent TechnologiesMay 19, 2021
SkyFly: Soar AmericaThe Island in Pigeon ForgeUnited StatesDynamic AttractionsJuly 8, 2021
Soaring: Fantastic FlightTokyo DisneySeaJapanDynamic StructuresJuly 23, 2019
Sky VoyagerDreamworldAustraliaBrogent TechnologiesAugust 23, 2019
FlyOver IcelandReykjavíkIcelandBrogent TechnologiesSeptember 2019
Flying Over IndonesiaTrans Studio Bali, DenpasarIndonesiaDynamic AttractionsDecember 12, 2019
Jiangsu in the AirWuxi Sunac LandChinaSimtec Systems2019
Masters of FlightLegoland FloridaUnited StatesBrogent Technologies2019
VolariumCinecittà, RomeItalySimtec Systems2019
Flying By Changbai MountainChangbaishan, JilinChinaBrogent Technologies2019
Chongqing in the AirChongqing Sunac LandChinaSimtec Systems2020
Flight of the Sky LionLegoland Windsor ResortEnglandBrogent TechnologiesMay 2021
FlyOver Las VegasLas VegasUnited StatesBrogent TechnologiesSeptember 2021
RiseNYTimes SquareUnited StatesBrogent TechnologiesDecember 2021
Flyover ChicagoChicagoUnited StatesBrogent Technologies2024
Global JourneyQuancheng Euro ParkChinaYuanwang
Timeless Flight Hong Kong11 SkiesHong KongBrogent Technologies2024
Odyssey MaltaMercury TowerMaltaSimtec Systems2024
WerikaJAPI Jalisco Paseo InteractivoMexicoDOF Robotics2024
Vuela México por el MundoAztlán Parque UrbanoMexicoBrogent TechnologiesMay 2025
Flying Over UzbekistanTashkent City ParkUzbekistanDOF Robotics2019
Niagara Takes FlightNiagaraCanadaBrogent TechnologiesAugust 2025-