Disney Imagineering built a 1,000+ track sound system for Soarin’ ride: why the soundtrack stands out

When Walt Disney Imagineering updated its flight-simulator attraction this summer, the final audio mix was not finished on scaffolding or in a control room — it was completed from inside the ride itself. Using a custom speaker setup and augmented-reality tools, engineers shaped the soundtrack for Soarin’ Across America while the attraction stayed open to guests.

Behind that approach is Studio C, Imagineering’s Glendale audio lab, a deceptively plain room packed with speaker arrays that can reproduce the sonic map of any Disney theatre. The facility has long been used to preview and refine attraction soundtracks, but the team pushed it further while preparing the new Soarin’ film.

In early sessions, Studio C recreated the spatial audio of other rides so engineers could hear mixes move precisely around an audience. For Soarin’, the challenge was bigger: the attraction uses a complex, vertically layered audio system that delivers sound from above, at mid-height, below and through a dedicated floor array — an architecture far more intricate than a standard cinema.

That structure is why the final mix matters. Riders sit in three stacked rows under a curved screen, and the soundtrack must pan and float in three dimensions to match aerial visuals that sweep across the country. Any mismatch between image and audio would weaken the sense of flight; getting the mix right requires listening from the same vantage point guests will occupy.

Historically, engineers solved that by building scaffolding inside the theatre to reach the appropriate listening height for the final mix — a disruptive, time-consuming process that typically required closing the attraction. For the Soarin’ update, Imagineering set a different constraint: the ride had to remain open throughout production. That eliminated scaffolding as an option and forced a new workflow.

Greg Lhotka, senior manager of Audio Media Design at Walt Disney Imagineering, describes the solution as a blend of prototype testing and off-the-shelf AR capabilities. The audio team partnered with Skywalker Sound to develop a custom speaker configuration in Studio C that mimicked the Soarin’ theatre. Once they validated playback and panning behavior there, they moved to an augmented-reality mixing method that let engineers sit in the ride vehicle while controlling the production rig remotely.

Rather than carrying physical consoles into the theatre, engineers wore AR headsets and used remote-screen-sharing to access the mixing environment in real time. The headsets’ external cameras allowed them to see the low-lit projection clearly while virtual monitors and faders floated in their field of view. That workflow removed the need to interrupt park operations and let the final decisions be made from the guest perspective.

• Studio C: served as the test lab, where speaker arrays and panning behaviors were prototyped and tuned before theatre work began.
• Four-tiered speaker architecture: upper, mid-level, lower, and floor arrays create a vertical soundfield that demands precise, seat-level mixing.
• AR-assisted mixing: head-mounted displays were used for real-time control of the production system while inside the ride vehicle, enabling virtual consoles in low-light conditions.
• Operational continuity: the theatre stayed open to guests throughout production, avoiding downtime and preserving guest experience.

The technical scale of the project was significant. Lhotka said the team handled more than a thousand audio tracks and an elaborate panning matrix — work that needed to be judged from within the attraction to ensure natural-sounding movement and spatial cues. Studio C’s simulation narrowed the gap, but the final polish had to come from the exact seat where visitors would sit.

There are practical implications beyond Soarin’. Mixing in-venue using AR hints at a broader shift in how immersive experiences are completed: instead of approximating guest perception from separate control rooms, creators can now finish content in situ without interrupting operations. For theme parks, that reduces downtime and may speed upgrades; for visitors, it promises more seamless and precisely tuned experiences.

Disney’s behind-the-scenes video documentation noted the use of the Apple Vision Pro during production, and Imagineering’s tests in Studio C showed the headsets could operate effectively in the theatre’s dim conditions while giving engineers full control of the mixing console. Once the configuration worked in the lab, the workflow moved into production and became the method by which the soundtrack was finalized.

From a storytelling perspective, the choice to mix from the rider’s viewpoint is meaningful. The result is a soundtrack that appears to glide with the visuals — rising above the viewer during mountain passes, settling beneath you over valleys, and shifting laterally as simulated aircraft bank and turn. That tactile alignment of image and sound strengthens the sensation of flight.

At its core, the project is a short-term operational fix and a long-term proof of concept. By combining studio prototyping, a bespoke speaker array and AR-driven control, Imagineering preserved guest access, accelerated their workflow, and demonstrated how mixed-reality tools can be folded into large-scale entertainment production.

For visitors to EPCOT and Disney California Adventure, the difference is audible: the new Soarin’ film lands with a clarity and spatial precision that comes from being mixed where it will be heard most — inside the theatre, from the seat. That hands-on finishing touch may become the new normal for attractions that rely on immersive, three-dimensional sound.

Jessica Morrison

Jessica Morrison is a seasoned entertainment writer with over a decade of experience covering television, film, and pop culture. After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.