Hang gliding isn't for everyone and helicopter tours can cost hundreds, but for about $20 you can buckle up and take a simulated flight over the entire country from the safety of a theatre.
FlyOver Canada is an immersive ride that opened at Canada Place in June 2013 and expects its one millionth rider this summer. Buoyed by the popularity of the local attraction, founders Stephen Geddes, a North Vancouver resident, and Andrew Strang, who grew up in West Vancouver, along with their partner, the Aquilini Investment Group, are expanding their high-flying business into the U.S.
FlyOver America is set to open in spring of 2016 at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. The massive retail and entertainment complex sees 40 million visitors every year - 16 million of them classified as tourists.
The $20-million FlyOver America facility will resemble the Vancouver location with a 20-metre half-spherical dome screen and a capacity of more than 60 guests. Visitors sit suspended in ride carriers that move in time with the film while special effects, such as scent, mist and wind, add to the virtual reality of the experience.
Expanding into the U.S. is something Geddes and Strang have been considering for a while, keeping their eyes peeled for sites with heavy foot traffic, a mix of locals and tourists, and enough space to accommodate their theatre. "Mall of America was one of the locations we identified quite early on as fitting that criteria," says Geddes.
A crew has already visited Alaska, Utah and Louisiana to begin gathering aerial footage for the FlyOver America film. They plan to hit up all regions of the U.S. and capture iconic sights such as the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bride, the Hawaiian Islands and the Grand Canyon.
Geddes and Strang first met as law students at UBC. In 1996, the friends and business partners launched a financial service to help tourists get tax refunds.
"During the course of running that tourism business we thought that Vancouver could use another destination attraction in the downtown core," Geddes says.
They were inspired by Disney's simulator attraction, Soarin' Over California, which has proven popular with a range of ages, "which is kind of a tough thing to do, especially for a ride," Geddes says. "First and foremost, we hoped when we opened (FlyOver Canada) that it would be entertaining to a wide demographic."
Another goal was to make tourists curious about parts of Canada they may never have thought to visit. And for Canadian riders, the two founders hoped to showcase the natural beauty of the country and instill a sense of national pride.
"That's been a really nice reaction that people have had," Geddes says.
Those same goals hold true for the future Mall of America location.
Looking ahead, Geddes and Strang are entertaining the idea of further expanding their business.
"We're definitely looking at lots of different possible locations," Geddes says.
