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FlyOver (ride)

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FlyOver
Canada Place
NameFlyOver Canada
StatusOperating
CostCan$16 million
Opening dateJune 29, 2013 (2013-06-29)
Mall of America
NameFlyOver America
StatusOperating
CostUS$20 million
Opening dateApril 19, 2016 (2016-04-19)
Reykjavik
NameFlyOver Iceland
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 2019 (2019-09)
Las Vegas
NameFlyOver Las Vegas
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 2021
Toronto
NameFlyOver Canada Toronto
StatusUnder construction
Opening date2022
Ride statistics
Attraction typeFlying theater simulator ride
ManufacturerBrogent Technologies
Vehicles9[1]
Participants per group61 (Vancouver), 62 (Mall of America)
Duration10 minutes
Height restriction102 cm (3 ft 4 in)
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible
Must transfer from wheelchair

FlyOver is a flying theater attraction. The first FlyOver attraction, FlyOver Canada, opened in 2013 at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. 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.[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.

History

FlyOver Canada

FlyOver was conceived by Vancouver 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 an old 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 Canada 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, the ride opened as FlyOver in Las Vegas. 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 elevate 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 Canada 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]

References

  1. ^ Palicki, Martin. "FlyOver Canada: Rick Rothschild and the next generation of immersive attractions".
  2. ^ "Forget dinner and a movie, 'immersive' high-adrenaline adventures catching on with millennials | Financial Post". June 26, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Vancouver's FlyOver Canada sold to American owners". Business in Vancouver.
  4. ^ a b "You believe you can fly? You can. These theaters let you soar over the world". Los Angeles Times. May 7, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d Lyon, Christine. "Tourism entrepreneurs soar into U.S. market". North Shore News.
  6. ^ "Meet Pursuit | Discover Remarkable Places". www.pursuitcollection.com.
  7. ^ a b c d "Canada Place to get $16 million '4D' tourist attraction". Business in Vancouver.
  8. ^ "Vancouver Travel Guide". Travel + Leisure.
  9. ^ "10 things you didn't know about FlyOver Canada | News". dailyhive.com.
  10. ^ "Flying Theaters: the next big thing to hit theme parks". Blooloop. August 5, 2019.
  11. ^ "FlyOver Canada entrepreneurs build new US$20 million facility in U.S." Business in Vancouver.
  12. ^ "FlyOver America aerial ride opens at Mall of America (Video) - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal". Archived from the original on 2016-04-20.
  13. ^ "Flyover America opens at MOA". KARE.
  14. ^ "U.S. Premiere of FlyOver Canada at Mall of America". Meet Minneapolis. June 8, 2017.
  15. ^ "FlyOver America to launch new 'Fly Hawaii' simulation at Mall of America®". Mall of America. February 10, 2020.
  16. ^ "Pursuit's FlyOver Iceland announces opening date". InPark Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
  17. ^ Davis-Friedman, Samantha (2021-08-04). "FlyOver in Las Vegas is the strip's newest immersive attraction". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
  18. ^ "FlyOver Canada opening new flight ride attraction in Iceland | Venture". dailyhive.com.
  19. ^ Kleiman, Joe. "FlyOver Iceland opens in Reykjavik".
  20. ^ "Flyover Iceland Opens I Mannvit News". Mannvit.
  21. ^ "The Rise and Fall of Iceland's Tourism Miracle". Skift. September 11, 2019.
  22. ^ Kleiman, Joe. "Pursuit announces new FlyOver attraction set to launch on Vegas Strip".
  23. ^ "FlyOver in Las Vegas is the strip's newest immersive attraction". Attractions Magazine. August 4, 2021.
  24. ^ "Viad Corp Announces Plans for Two New Pursuit Attractions". www.businesswire.com. July 25, 2019.
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