FlyOver (ride)

Last updated
Flyover
Canada Place
NameFlyover in Vancouver
StatusOperating
Cost Can$16 million
Opening dateJune 29, 2013 (2013-06-29)
Mall of America
NameFlyOver America
StatusOperating
Cost US$20 million
Opening dateApril 19, 2016 (2016-04-19)
Reykjavik
NameFlyOver Iceland
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 2019 (2019-09)
Las Vegas
NameFlyover in Las Vegas
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 2021
Toronto
NameFlyover in Toronto
StatusOperating
Opening date2024
Ride statistics
Attraction type Flying theater simulator ride
Manufacturer Brogent Technologies
Vehicles9 [1]
Participants per group61 (Vancouver), 62 (Mall of America)
Duration10 minutes
Height restriction102 cm (3 ft 4 in)
Wheelchair symbol.svg Wheelchair accessible
Attraction transfer icon.svg Must transfer from wheelchair

Flyover is a flying theater attraction. The first Flyover attraction opened in 2013 at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. The ride takes guests on a virtual flight across Canada, utilizing ride equipment for up to 61 people at a time into a 19m (62 foot) diameter spherical screen and employs wind, mist, and scents to enhance the experience. [2] [3] [4] It has since opened at the Mall of America in the US, and downtown Reykjavik, Iceland, and in Las Vegas with plans to open a ride in Toronto.

Contents

History

Flyover in Vancouver

Flyover was created by entrepreneurs Stephen Geddes and Andrew Strang, who wanted to bring a new tourist attraction to downtown Vancouver. They were inspired by the Soarin' Over California ride located at Disneyland and Epcot. They wanted to create a ride that would attract a wide demographic and showcase the diversity of Canada. [5]

In 2013, they, along with financier Aquilini Developments, formed a partnership called Soaring Attractions. The ride is located in a former Imax theatre at Canada Place. [6] [7] [8] [5] Soaring Attractions invested $16 million to develop the ride [7]

On June 29, 2013, the ride opened as FlyOver Canada. [9] The ride takes guests on a virtual flight across Canada, utilizing ride equipment that launches up to 61 people at a time into a 19m (62 foot) diameter spherical screen and employs wind, mist, and scents to enhance the experience. [7] [10] It became the largest new tourist attraction to open in the region at the time. [7]

FlyOver America

Soaring Attractions then went on to open a similar ride in Bloomington, Minnesota’s Mall of America with the title FlyOver America in 2016. The estimated cost for the second ride was $20 million US. [11] [5] The ride opened on April 19, and includes footage of Minneapolis, Lake Calhoun, Red Wing, Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine. [12] [13] Beginning in June 8, 2017, the FlyOver Canada film was featured as an alternating attraction at FlyOver America. [14] Currently, as of February 10, 2020, a FlyOver Hawaii film has occupied the alternating attraction slot. [15]

FlyOver Iceland

FlyOver Iceland was opened on September 1, 2019 in Reykjavik’s Grandi Harbour District. FlyOver Iceland was Pursuit’s first FlyOver attraction located outside of North America. FlyOver Iceland provides a similar experience to Flyover in Vancouver and Las Vegas with multi-sensory special effects and a 20-metre spherical screen. FlyOver Iceland showcases the film Legends of Iceland, along with a series of films available at the other locations. [16]

Flyover in Las Vegas

On September 1, 2021, Flyover in Las Vegas opened. The ride’s film, The Real Wild West, uses a moving platform with six degrees of motion as well as wind, mist, and location-specific scents to enhance the experience as the seats are suspended above landmarks across the United States. [17]

Acquisition by Pursuit and Expansion

In December 2016, Soaring Attractions sold Flyover to the Phoenix based travel and events company, Pursuit, a subsidiary of Viad Corp. [3] [5] [4]

In 2017, Pursuit announced it would be developing a Flyover ride in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland in cooperation with Esja Attractions. [18] FlyOver Iceland opened in September 2019. [19] [20] [21]

In February 2019, Viad announced plans to develop a Flyover ride in Las Vegas, [22] which opened on September 1, 2021 with a Flyover The Real Wild West ride film with the Iceland film being an alternating attraction. [23] In July 2019, Viad announced plans to develop a FlyOver ride in Toronto. [24]

Awards

Strang and Geddes were previous winners of the Business in Vancouver Forty under 40 award. [3]

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References

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