in association with
Park Hoppin’
Come fly with me T
he Mall of America is the largest shopping mall in the United States. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, it is just across the highway from the Minneapolis – St Paul International Airport. Opened in 1992, the Mall
receives over 40 million visits annually, making it one the busiest in the world. It features over 520 stores, 50 restaurants and the large Nickelodeon Universe indoor theme park. There is also Sea Life aquarium, Theatres at Mall of America, Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, Crayola Experience and a new attraction that brought me back recently, FlyOver America. That is, I flew here to fly.
I can admit it now. In the back of my mind was the question: How would
FlyOver America compare to Disney's Soarin' Over California? It's a flying theatre, similar to those used by Disney, but could it be as good? I'll tell you right now, it is very Disney-like. It is eye-popping, treating audiences to a luxurious film with a lush musical score. It's Disney quality, and because it's a little longer, more is better. Prior to watching the film
there is a photo opportunity. That's where they persuaded me to spread my wings as shown here. Yes, I know. Goofy. The film flies us over 26 spectacular North American sights, starting with a lighthouse on the rugged coast of Maine. During the flight I smelled the fall colours near Lake Placid, got spritzed over Niagara Falls, soared over the Florida Keys, followed a barnstorming airplane over Iowa, watched a Texas cattle round-up, gasped as mountain bikers negotiated a treacherous course in Utah, gazed in wonder at snow- covered peaks near Alaska's Glacier Bay, saw skiers in Alaska and surfers in Hawaii at play, observed both the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and Statue of Liberty, and then flew into space as the screen went black. As I said, a luxurious film. The FlyOver concept was created by the Canadian company Soaring
Attractions, enlisting an I-Ride system from Brogent Technologies and Vekoma. Just as they initially customised a film for FlyOver Canada in Vancouver, they plan to do so for further attractions in Amsterdam, Germany, Spain, China, and who knows where else in the world. They might even do a FlyOver England, but it undoubtedly would be a short film. You know: White Cliffs of Dover, Stonehenge and out. Since Soarin' Over California launched at Disney's California Adventure
in 2001, flying theatres have become a hot commodity within the industry. Disney recently upgraded the Soarin' experience with a new Soarin' Around The World ride film, now available to guests at its parks in California, Florida (EPCOT) and Shanghai, where it appears as Soaring Over The Horizon. Dynamic Attractions, which supplied the ride system for all three, is now bringing its Dynamic Flying Theatre to other venues, and several more suppliers are in the market too. SimEx-Iwerks' SkyRide, for example, will open soon at Enchanted Kingdom in the Philippines. Others flying theatres, in addition to Brogent and Vekoma's I-Ride, include Huss Park Attractions' Movie Base, the 360° Flying Theatre from Simworx and Mondial, Suspended Theatre by Falcon’s Creative and Oceaneering, Free Flight from CAVU Designwerks, Hexaflite by Simtec, plus systems from DyMoRides and Intamin. Potential buyers have choices.
On second thoughts, FlyOver England could be longer. White Cliffs of Dover, Stonehenge, Diagon Alley, then out.
AUGUST 2016
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