Soarin’ Across America opening at Epcot, Disney California Adventure in 2026
“Soarin’ Across America” will debut at Epcot and Disney California Adventure Park in 2026 in honor of the 250th anniversary of the U.S.
Disney announced the news on Oct. 20, 2025, along with a slate of other programming for America’s 250th birthday (see below).
Soarin’ Across America will be a limited-time presentation for both Epcot (in Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla.) and Disney California Adventure (in Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.). The attraction’s counterparts in Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland will not change to “Across America.”
Disney did not announce an exact opening date for Soarin’ Across America other than “summer 2026,” nor did it specify how long the limited-time attraction will operate in its new iteration.
As part of the announcement, Disney shared a new video starring actor Patrick Warburton reprising his role as chief flight attendant from the original Soarin’ pre-show:
“Our goal was to offer guests a sampling of the diversity of America’s beauty and urban wonders with the hope it would paint an emotional portrait for the nation’s Semi-quincentennial celebration,” said Tom Fitzgerald, portfolio executive creative director and chief storytelling executive at Walt Disney Imagineering.
The filming of Soarin’ Across America involved helicopters and drones, and was led by Bernice Howes, executive creative media producer for Imagineering, and Scott Sohan, principal visual effects designer for Imagineering.
Soarin’ first opened in California in 2001 and in Florida in 2005. Both venues currently host Soarin’ Around the World (which debuted in 2016), and previously screened (/occasionally seasonally bring back) the original Soarin’ Over California. All are different versions of a simulator ride mimicking a hang-gliding experience over various locales.
Soarin’ isn’t the only Epcot attraction getting an update. In November 2025, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will convert all of its 3D media to 2D, no longer requiring 3D glasses. Come 2026, Frozen Ever After will update its animatronics with new technology. Last summer, the park introduced a new version of the Test Track thrill ride.
New ‘Disney Celebrates America’ campaign
“Disney Celebrates America,” a new company-wide campaign, will take place Nov. 11, 2025 – July 4, 2026, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. It will culminate with a 24-hour broadcast on the Fourth of July, featuring fireworks from Disney World and Disneyland. The broadcast will be hosted by David Muir of ABC News’ “World News Tonight with David Muir.”
The fireworks presented on-air will be “Disney’s Celebrate America! – A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky,” which guests can watch in person at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida or Disneyland Park in California nightly July 3-5, 2026.
Disney will also donate $2.5 million to Blue Star Families, an organization supporting military families.
Will you be making a visit to Epcot or California Adventure to ride Soarin’ Across America when it opens in summer 2026?
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