(Review) SeaWorld Orlando’s Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice may be a better attraction than Soarin’
SeaWorld Orlando’s new Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice combines sweeping real-world footage, mild motion thrills, environmental effects and storytelling to create an attraction that feels more immersive than a traditional simulator experience.
As we waited for the media preview of ‘Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice’ to begin, I worked on calming my nerves. Would this reinvented experience be more than I could handle? Then the opening comments began, and my nervousness increased. Park President Jon “JP” Peterson said the team took an attraction that was already “good” and quickly transformed it into something “out of this world” through new immersive details, audio, effects, and storytelling moments.
After experiencing the attraction myself alongside my son and husband — as well as Attractions Magazine publisher Matt Roseboom and his family — we agreed the experience felt very much improved. And in some ways, it surpasses Disney’s new Soarin’ Across America just a few miles down the road.
SeaWorld Orlando’s Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice: What’s changed
‘SeaWorld Orlando’s Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice’ is more than a simple film update. The attraction now features an entirely reworked storyline, new onboard audio, enhanced environmental effects, updated queue elements, and a much stronger emotional flow from beginning to end. Rather than feeling like guests are simply watching a movie while moving through scenes, the experience now feels like a real attraction.
Smoother transitions, enhanced sound design and storytelling elements make this attraction finally feel like it belongs in a theme park, not a small regional park.
Photo by Dani Meyering
One of the biggest changes is the attraction’s new “fire and ice” identity, inspired largely by footage filmed in Iceland featuring volcanic landscapes, glaciers, waterfalls and wildlife. SeaWorld executives said the team intentionally focused on creating a sense of wonder and emotional connection, while subtle additions like transitions, synchronized music cues, scents, water effects and Easter eggs throughout the queue help make the attraction feel more repeatable than its previous version.
SeaWorld wants guests to feel wonder, not just thrills
Senior Vice President of Project Delivery Justin Newton said the goal was never just to update a ride — it was to create a sense of wonder. Newton said the attraction was designed to inspire guests to explore the natural world and experience places they may never have seen before.
“People should go out of here saying, ‘Where was that? I want to go there.’”
Newton explained that United Parks is moving toward emotional, story-driven attractions with stronger thematic immersion. “They shouldn’t be rides, they should be experiences.”
Photo by Dani Meyering
Expedition Odyssey storytelling
The team designed the experience to begin the moment guests enter the building. Decorations, props and storytelling elements now adorn every part of the queue. Starting with the exterior locker area. Large bags, including backpacks, are not permitted inside the ride’s queue. This has been an annoyance of mine since day one of this attraction, and sadly, it is a problem that has not been fixed with this new update.
Photo by Dani Meyering
You must use the nearby lockers for any large items that cannot fit inside the ride load area cubbies. The cubbies must be used to secure any loose items such as hats, and unsecured footwear (like flip-flops) before boarding.
Photo by Dani Meyering
Beginning at the exterior part of the queue, we are introduced to AERIS, which stands for Arctic Environmental Research & Integrated Sciences. In each room of the queue and pre-show area, there is equipment and props with AERIS labels. There are also tributes to ‘Wild Arctic,’ the very first iteration of this venue, and the animal habitat at the ride’s exit is renamed ‘Wild Arctic Exploration Trail.’
Photo by Dani Meyering
WATCH: Hear from SeaWorld Orlando leaders and representatives in our video below to learn about the forces behind this new version of the attraction.
The best part of the queue is the large room, which used to have simple photos of arctic animals, now transformed to represent an AERIS work station with computer desks and chairs. On the computer monitors is a screen saver of the new “ride vehicle.” Although the attraction is still a moving-theater simulator, a ride vehicle is now incorporated into the storyline.
Riders are made to feel as though they are boarding a helicopter-style drone. My son remarked that they should sell a toy version of the vehicle; that’s how much he got into the story of it all.
Photo by Dani Meyering
WATCH: Want to see the entire experience? Watch our POV video below so you know exactly what to expect.
The blackout launch moment became a key storytelling transition
Once inside the theater and buckled into your seat, the experience begins with a blackout moment. Newton described how the pre-launch blackout and power-diversion concept helped make the attraction feel like one continuous journey instead of disconnected scenes.
“When I’m on board, I can’t just rotate into a screen and not have it feel like I’m on a ride,” he explained.
Photo by Dani Meyering
Iceland footage and on-board effects
Newton said much of the footage was filmed in Iceland, with the “fire and ice” concept emerging from the contrast between volcanic landscapes and glaciers. My husband remarked that the “fire” portion went by much faster than he expected. Although fire is in the name, it seems it is more meant to represent the contrasting elements of the beautiful landscape. The footage has multiple landscapes and elements rather than a large palette of white snow and ice.
The onboard audio and music are a big component of the experience as well. Coupled with a variety of sweeping moments, a variety of footage styles often transition into fast-paced close-in shots.
Newton said the creative team went through countless revisions of the score, film edits and story structure to tighten the emotional pacing.
“There were moments for me and the team when you almost wanted to cry.”
Balancing accessibility with excitement
The attraction remains approachable for guests who don’t typically enjoy intense thrill rides while still delivering enough speed, motion and energy to stay exciting. When the changes to Expedition Odyssey were announced just two months ago, I felt nervous. This is one of the few SeaWorld Orlando rides that both my son and I enjoy. We are not thrill ride people.
Thankfully, ‘Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice’ does indeed amp up the thrill level, but it is still manageable. It’s just enough fast movement and dynamic motion to feel like I have accomplished something by riding it, without making me feel uncomfortable. And those who are thrill seekers seem to have enough movement to keep them entertained.
Photo by Tim Meyering
How does it compare to Disney’s Soarin’?
Naturally, it is easy to compare Expedition Odyssey to Soarin’. Previously, it was no contest that Disney’s ‘Soarin’ Across the World’ attraction had much more to it than ‘Expedition Odyssey.’
Now with ‘Soarin’ Across America‘ opening at Epcot and ‘Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice’ debuting at SeaWorld Orlando, it’s as if the two attractions have swapped places.
While ‘Soarin’ Across America’ is more tranquil and scenic, and has better real-life footage than ‘Soarin’ Around the World,’ it leans on quite a few CGI transitions. Meanwhile, ‘Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice’ balances tranquil footage with fast-paced moments, and the transitions feel thoughtful and structured, not random. There is one CGI animal, but you wouldn’t be able to tell if you didn’t know.
Photo by Tim Meyering
Best of all, United Parks & Resorts selected Flyover to create the attraction’s footage and motion profile. Flyover is a company founded by former Walt Disney Imagineer Rick Rothschild, who was one of the main Imagineers who helped launch the original “Soarin’ Over California”, and Flyover has opened successful attractions in Las Vegas, Chicago, and other major cities.
Read more: Flyover attraction is better than Soarin’, and new Chicago ride is a first
SeaWorld sees this as part of a larger creative direction
Newton stated the new Expedition Odyssey is only the beginning of a broader push toward more immersive, highly thematic attractions across the parks.
“This is just the appetizer. The next five years are going to be big. You’ll bare recognize the place.”
I asked Newton about the new SeaQuest attraction which is meant to open later this year. He indicated that not only will there be a great storytelling component, but a new lovable character is on the way, too. ‘SeaQuest: Legends of the Deep‘ is a new suspended dark ride at SeaWorld Orlando later this year.
Opening date
‘Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice‘ officially opens the afternoon of Monday, May 25, 2026 at SeaWorld Orlando. The minimum height requirement for Expedition Odyssey is 39 inches.
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