Login
SatBench Logo

Exploring Weather, Waves, and Weird Projects

Flying theater

Last updated: 2025-07-22 17:53:44

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.[1][2][3]

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" (Universal Studios Florida) 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, 2001Closed
Soarin'EpcotUnited StatesDynamic StructuresMay 5, 2005Operating
Taiwan Formosa E-DA Theme Park Taiwan Brogent Technologies [zh] 2010Operating
Viaggio in ItaliaFerrari WorldUAEHUSS Park Attractions2011Operating
FlyOver CanadaCanada PlaceCanadaBrogent TechnologiesJune 29, 2013Operating
Fuji AirlinesFuji-Q HighlandJapanBrogent TechnologiesJuly 2014Operating
Batman Dark Flight Studio City Macau Macau Kraftwerk Living Technologies GmbH 2015Closed
FlyOver AmericaMall of AmericaUnited StatesBrogent TechnologiesApril 19, 2016Operating
Soaring Over The HorizonShanghai Disneyland ParkChinaDynamic StructuresJune 16, 2016Operating
Soarin' Around the WorldDisney California AdventureUnited StatesDynamic StructuresJune 17, 2016Operating
Wings Over WashingtonPier 57 SeattleUnited StatesDynamic StructuresDecember 11, 2016Operating[4]
Agila: The EKsperienceEnchanted KingdomPhilippinesSimEx-IwerksDecember 11, 2016Operating[5]
L'Extraordinaire Voyage Futuroscope France Dynamic Structures December 2016 Operating
Fly Over China Shang Shun theme park Taiwan Brogent Technologies 2016Operating
Krrish: Hero's FlightBollywood Park DubaiUAEUnknown2016Operating
VoletariumEuropa-ParkGermanyBrogent TechnologiesJune 3, 2017Operating
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon Universal Studios Florida United States Dynamic Motion Rides Apr 6, 2017Operating
Flying Dreams Ferrari Land Spain Brogent Technologies April 2017 Operating [6]
This is HollandThis is HollandNetherlandsVekoma & Brogent TechnologiesOctober 2017Operating
Washington Revelations Museum of The Bible, Washington D.C. United States Dynamic Motion Rides Nov 17, 2017Operating
i-Ride Kaohsiung Kaohsiung Software Technology Park [zh] Taiwan Brogent Technologies 2017Operating
Fly Over China Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park China Brogent Technologies Sep 2018Operating
Beautiful Hunan Tongguan Kiln International Cultural & Tourism Center China Cavu Designworks Oct 2018Operating
i-Ride Taipei Breeze Nanshan Shopping Center Taiwan Brogent Technologies 2018Operating
The Flyer - San FranciscoPier 39United StatesTriotechJan 2019Operating
Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate BattleSeibu-enJapanBrogent TechnologiesMay 19, 2021Operating
SkyFly: Soar AmericaThe Island in Pigeon ForgeUnited StatesDynamic AttractionsJuly 8, 2021Operating[7]
Soaring: Fantastic FlightTokyo DisneySeaJapanDynamic StructuresJuly 23, 2019Operating
Sky VoyagerDreamworldAustraliaBrogent TechnologiesAugust 23, 2019Operating[8]
FlyOver IcelandReykjavíkIcelandBrogent TechnologiesSeptember 2019Operating
Flying Over Indonesia Trans Studio Bali, Denpasar Indonesia Dynamic Attractions Dec 12, 2019Operating
Jiangsu in the Air Wuxi Sunac Land China Simtec Systems 2019Operating
Masters of Flight Legoland Florida United States Brogent Technologies 2019Operating
Volarium Cinecittà, Rome Italy Simtec Systems 2019Operating
Chongqing in the Air Chongqing Sunac Land China Simtec Systems 2020Operating
Flight of the Sky LionLegoland Windsor ResortEnglandBrogent TechnologiesMay 2021Operating
FlyOver Las Vegas Las Vegas United States Brogent Technologies September 2021Operating
RiseNY Times Square United States Brogent Technologies December 2021Operating
Flyover Chicago Chicago United States Brogent Technologies 2024Operating
Global Journey Quancheng Euro Park China Yuanwang Unknown Operating [9]
Timeless Flight Hong Kong 11 Skies Hong Kong Brogent Technologies 2024Under Construction
Odyssey Malta Mercury Tower Malta Simtec Systems 2024Operating [10]
Flying Over Uzbekistan Tashkent City Park Uzbekistan DOF Robotic 2019 Operating

References

  1. ↑ InPark Magazine - "Ride Systems of Flying Theaters"
  2. ↑ blooloop - "Flying theaters: a soaring demand (and it's not just theme parks)"
  3. ↑ Kraftwerk Living Technologies: Flying Theater
  4. ↑ Wings Over Washington official website
  5. ↑ Enchanted Kingdom official website - Agila the EKsperience
  6. ↑ "Flying Dreams- Atracciones Ferrari Land" (in Spanish). PortAventura. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "SkyFly opens as main attraction at The Island in Pigeon Forge". Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "Sky Voyager". Dreamworld. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "天空之城" (in Chinese). Quancheng Euro Park. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. ↑ Coates, Charlotte (2025-01-08). "Odyssey Malta at Mercury Towers: teamwork delivers immersive ride". Blooloop. Retrieved 2025-04-23.

View original on Wikipedia