If the boat ride that they're building in Avatar Land is anything like this version of Pirates, I'll be excited. That looks so freaking cool.
It'll use the same elements, but not as much in the thrilling aspects shown here. Much more tamed down.
What I find interesting is the riders reacting to the two wraparound screen portions where they transition under or above the sea. They sound like they are reacting to movement as well, but from what it looks like there is no actual boat movement. Is this just out of the (impressive) optical illusion or is the water actually lowering/rising beneath them?
The ending of the ride is anticlimactic when you consider the pure grandeur of the rest (seriously the cinematic nature of that first lowering into the sea portion is awe-inspiring), but I do like that it ends with a backwards drop. That's neat. The first couple min with the original ride callbacks is adorable as well. But yeah: this ride is the new gold standard in themed entertainment.
Anyways: watched a video of new Soarin which is just as spectacular as one would guess. Even though the states are getting a slightly different version (one with NYC and a specialized ending), there are a few interesting things to note. First is the solution of creating transitions which is very cute but also a tad annoying at points. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for sure and I don't blame Disney for going for it. Still, it is jarring a bit to be somewhere for 10 seconds and then be swiped by one idea for a transition after another, especially since they call attention to themselves quite a bit. Secondly, some are going to be really annoyed with how much digital additions/alterations have been made to the flyover as opposed to the cleaner, more realistic original film. There are many more CGI'd-in whimsical touches that, while not cartoonish, do again call attention much more than it needs to. The biggest unintentional laugh probably was the super obvious touch-up of any smog around the Taj Mahal. Third is the music, and there are zero surprises here. The original theme re-arranged and they add orchestral flairs to match the location we are flying over. It sounds beautiful, but is sort of missing Goldsmith's unique touch. This is really something that never could be avoiding so I disgress. When we get it next month, it's going to be a HUGE hit. Especially in California. I think everybody has been wanting this and Soarin will skyrocket back to its premium status.
I saw Peter Pan which is a cute expansion of the original ride, not sure why they chose a suspended coaster model since there is literally only one very brief coaster section but whatever. Their Pooh is literally an exact clone of the WDW one and looks extremely out of place in this park full of richly ornate attractions. But hey, it's way overbudget so eh.
The jet packs are awesome (COME TO DLR PLZ) and so is Tron. Buzz Lightyear also looks like an awesome improvement. Roaring Rapids and Seven Dwarves may not be ready yet. Have not seen footage from either. Strange since they both don't sound like they would need extra work.
Overall, this may cause a bunch of problems in other areas but Imagineering should be proud. A-plus effort.