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 Reykjavík, Iceland, and in Las Vegas with plans to open a ride in Toronto.
| Flyover | |
|---|---|
| Canada Place | |
| Name | Flyover in Vancouver |
| Status | Operating |
| Cost | Can$16 million |
| Opening date | June 29, 2013 |
| Mall of America | |
| Name | FlyOver America |
| Status | Operating |
| Cost | US$20 million |
| Opening date | April 19, 2016 |
| Reykjavík | |
| Name | FlyOver Iceland |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | September 2019 |
| Las Vegas | |
| Name | Flyover in Las Vegas |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | September 2021 |
| Toronto | |
| Name | Flyover in Toronto |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 2024 |
| Ride statistics | |
| Attraction type | Flying theater simulator ride |
| Manufacturer | Brogent Technologies |
| Vehicles | 9[1] |
| Participants per group | 61 (Vancouver), 62 (Mall of America) |
| Duration | 10 minutes |
| Height restriction | 102 cm (3 ft 4 in) |
 Wheelchair accessible | |
 Must transfer from wheelchair | |
History
editFlyover in Vancouver
editFlyover 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
editSoaring 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
editFlyOver Iceland was opened on September 1, 2019 in Reykjavík'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
editOn 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
editIn 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 Reykjavík, 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
editStrang and Geddes were previous winners of the Business in Vancouver Forty under 40 award.[3]
References
edit- ^ Palicki, Martin. "Flyover in Vancouver: Rick Rothschild and the next generation of immersive attractions".
- ^ "Forget dinner and a movie, 'immersive' high-adrenaline adventures catching on with millennials | Financial Post". June 26, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Vancouver's Flyover sold to American owners". Business in Vancouver.
- ^ a b "You believe you can fly? You can. These theaters let you soar over the world". Los Angeles Times. May 7, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Lyon, Christine. "Tourism entrepreneurs soar into U.S. market". North Shore News.
- ^ "Meet Pursuit | Discover Remarkable Places". www.pursuitcollection.com.
- ^ a b c d "Canada Place to get $16 million '4D' tourist attraction". Business in Vancouver.
- ^ "Vancouver Travel Guide". Travel + Leisure.
- ^ "10 things you didn't know about Flyover | News". dailyhive.com.
- ^ "Flying Theaters: the next big thing to hit theme parks". Blooloop. August 5, 2019.
- ^ "FlyOver Canada entrepreneurs build new US$20 million facility in U.S." Business in Vancouver.
- ^ "FlyOver America aerial ride opens at Mall of America (Video) - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal". Archived from the original on 2016-04-20.
- ^ "Flyover America opens at MOA". KARE.
- ^ "U.S. Premiere of FlyOver Canada at Mall of America". Meet Minneapolis. June 8, 2017.
- ^ "FlyOver America to launch new 'Fly Hawaii' simulation at Mall of America®". Mall of America. February 10, 2020.
- ^ "Pursuit's FlyOver Iceland announces opening date". InPark Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ Davis-Friedman, Samantha (2021-08-04). "FlyOver in Las Vegas is the strip's newest immersive attraction". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ "FlyOver Canada opening new flight ride attraction in Iceland | Venture". dailyhive.com.
- ^ Kleiman, Joe. "FlyOver Iceland opens in Reykjavik".
- ^ "Flyover Iceland Opens I Mannvit News". Mannvit.
- ^ "The Rise and Fall of Iceland's Tourism Miracle". Skift. September 11, 2019.
- ^ Kleiman, Joe. "Pursuit announces new Flyover attraction set to launch on Vegas Strip".
- ^ "FlyOver in Las Vegas is the strip's newest immersive attraction". Attractions Magazine. August 4, 2021.
- ^ "Viad Corp Announces Plans for Two New Pursuit Attractions". www.businesswire.com. July 25, 2019.