Disney just announced that Annual Passholders will get exclusive early access to the newly updated Soarin’ Across America at EPCOT before the attraction opens to the general public. The registration window for those preview slots opens soon, and capacity is expected to fill quickly. If you are an Annual Passholder and EPCOT is on your calendar in the next few weeks, this is the news you need to act on immediately.
The Disney Preview Dates
Soarin’ Across America Annual Passholder previews are scheduled for May 19 and 20 at EPCOT. The attraction opens to all guests on May 26, giving passholders a two-day head start on one of EPCOT’s most significant attraction updates in years. Time slots are required, and registration details will arrive via email shortly. Based on how previous EPCOT Passholder preview events have operated, capacity is expected to be reached quickly once registration opens. Waiting is not a strategy that typically works well for these events.
What Is Actually New at Disney
The Around the World version of Soarin’, which has been running since 2016, is being replaced entirely by an all-new film focused on the United States. The new production was shot using custom-built 12K aerial cameras delivering a level of visual clarity on the IMAX projection screen that represents a genuine technical upgrade over the existing experience. The film is presented in 4K.
Confirmed locations in the new flight path include a sunrise over the Grand Canyon, a glide through the Chicago skyline, and a trip to the Florida orange groves that longtime Disney fans will recognize as a nod to the original California-themed Soarin’ experience. The complete flight list is being kept as a surprise for opening day, preserving the discovery element for both preview guests and opening day visitors.
The scent component has been fully updated with new profiles developed specifically for American locations. Fresh pine from the Pacific Northwest and Atlantic sea salt breezes are among the confirmed additions, giving each aerial sequence a sensory dimension that matches the specific landscape being shown. The musical score has also been replaced with a new orchestral arrangement of the original Bruce Broughton composition, recorded specifically to sync with the Across America flight path.
Why This Update Matters
Soarin’ Across America is the first major update to the Land Pavilion’s headliner attraction since 2016, making it one of the more significant individual attraction changes EPCOT has seen heading into the summer season. The return to American landscapes connects the ride back to its California origins while giving it a patriotic energy that fits both the summer programming calendar and the broader America 250 anniversary context, shaping Disney’s 2026 content.
For Annual Passholders who have been experiencing the Around the World version for the past decade, the preview opportunity represents genuine value beyond just being first in line. The combination of a less crowded environment, a completely new film, updated scents, a new score, and confirmed locations that include classic landmarks gives the May 19 and 20 previews a distinct character from what the standard operating-day version of this event will offer once the general public arrives on May 26.
What Disney Passholders Need to Do
Watch for the registration email. Move quickly when it arrives. Capacity fills up fast at these events, and the two-day preview window before the May 26 general opening is a genuine, limited opportunity to experience one of EPCOT’s most beloved attractions in its newest form before the crowds that typically accompany a major attraction update arrive.
The May 26 general opening is less than three weeks away. The preview slots are even closer. If Soarin’ has been part of your EPCOT routine for any stretch of the past decade, this is the update worth prioritizing.
