Prepare for departure

We all have heard so many good things about this attraction, so we are all excited – all the more so because we didn’t have to wait. (Or, more precisely, we were able to spend our wait doing other stuff.) A cast member directs us to a holding area where we line up in three rows, each of us standing on a wing symbol painted on the floor, indicating the separate seats on each row. We are in the second loading area, and I’m pointed to the middle of the three lines. If I’m guessing correctly, that means we’ll be in the middle section of the middle row of “gliders” – the center of the ride. Awesome.

A monitor above us shows blue skies above and cloud tops below, as names of California cities whoosh by. When we’re done being sorted into rows, we’re greeted on the screen by our “chief flight attendant, Patrick” – Patrick Warburton. I love his deadpan, dry line delivery. The boys are excited to see him – not just because he is the voice of Kronk and does voice work in many cartoons, but also because I’ve gotten them into watching my DVD collection of Newsradio, where he plays evil executive Johnny Johnson.

I’d heard the audio of this preshow before, but the video adds a lot, especially when Patrick is talking about stowing loose items, including “these little beauties,” referring to a set of Mouse ears. The video shows that they are worn by a bald man who is a little embarrassed to remove them.

Our excitement builds as the door opens and we are allowed into the attraction, following the people in the row to our right. The room we enter is cavernous, but we are focused straight ahead at the sections of seats hanging from above. I take a glance up at the large arms that both hold the seats and swing them up to the screen. They are monstrous, much bigger than any video of the ride that I’ve seen suggests – certainly a lot more substantial than the famous erector set model that led to their design!

I get to the last seat of the center section and park myself in it. Brandon and Benjamin are to my immediate left, with Becky, Linda and Bob past them. We buckle in. Bob lays his cane on the floor as he was told. It’ll be right there when we return!

We’re fastened into Soarin’! My heart is pounding. If this lives up to half of the hype, it’s going to be awesome!