FlyOver (ride)

FlyOver was created 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 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]

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 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]

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]

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]