Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings: Disney just revealed a new ‘Up’ ride, and it’s not what you might expect

Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings: the basics

While the tilting flying chair carousel name drops the “Wilderness Explorers”—the scouting-style club Russell belongs to in the Pixar movie—and invites riders to earn the Wilderness Explorers’ Aviation Badge, that’s where the ride’s connection to the “Up” story line stops. Although there will be background music from the movie, there leaves much to be desired about Disney’s first-ever attractions based on “Up.”

Thankfully, it does seem that the queue experience will feature Carl’s aviator helmet and Ellie’s adventure book.

‘Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings’ will accommodate 64 riders on 48 chairs, including several double chairs for guests to ride in pairs. While flying is certainly part of the “Up” story, the attraction’s design is noticeably missing the movie’s iconic house lifted into the air by a bouquet of colorful helium balloons.

Instead, the ride offers Art Nouveau architecture to fit into the aesthetic of Adventure Way with only a subtle nod to the movie, namely a golden spike on its roof representing Carl and Ellie’s house, which matches the representation of Rapunzel’s chameleon sidekick on the roof of ’Raiponce Tangled Spin,’ which is Adventure Way’s other family ride themed to “Tangled.”

Adventure Way is near the center of Disney Adventure World park, and the addition of ‘Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings’ marks the completion of the lineup for rides in this area, once it opens.

A Better Ride System for an Up-Themed Attraction

A flying chair carousel is certainly nothing new. Concept art for Disneyland Paris’ Up-themed attraction shows the same ride system as the Silly Symphony Swings at Disney California Adventure, and the new swings ride in DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar at Universal Kids Resort in Texas.

But the ride system that could have created a more highly-themed (but still family-friendly) Up-themed experience seems obvious.

Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind in Anaheim, which was reimagined from Bug Land’s Flik’s Flyers, consists of “buckets” that can hold multiple riders (better for families with young kids than swings) suspended under large memory orbs. The buckets could easily have been designed to look like Carl and Ellie’s house, and the orbs would be replaced by (what else?) bunches of colorful balloons.

Knott’s Berry Farm has a similar balloon-style ride in it’s family -friendly Camp Snoopy area.

Since Adventure Way is a classic promenade with manicured gardens, it’s possible Imagineers felt such “on the nose” theming of the attractions might detract from the area’s overall design, but we think “Up” fans would have loved the chance to fly in Carl and Ellie’s balloon-powered house.

Disney Adventure World celebrated its grand opening on March 29, 2026, but Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings is not expected to open until 2027.