Visitors to Niagara Falls can now experience the destination from an entirely new perspective after a brand- new attraction, Niagara Takes Flight, opened in late August.
Located inside Niagara Parks’ flagship site, Table Rock Centre, at the brink of the Horseshoe Falls, this immersive, sensory-rich attraction uses the latest advancements in drone technology and a massive 180-degree domed screen to take passengers on a 56-kilometre “journey” that celebrates Niagara’s geography, history and people.
Filmed over the span of six months using custom-built drones, Niagara Takes Flight allows guests to experience the sights of Niagara from a unique perspective through being suspended in gondola-style seats.
The ride, which simulates flight through state-of-the-art motion programming, sensory effects like wind, mist and even scent and a spectacular 17-metre-wide dome screen which stretches below their dangling feet, travels along the Niagara River corridor, with stops spanning all four seasons and transitioning the scenery from day to night.
After entering through the impressive entrance marquee featuring a digital waterfall, guests begin their journey through four distinct audiovisual storytelling rooms that reveal 13,000 years of Niagara’s history, dating back to its formation during the last ice age.
In the “Ancestors Room,” authentic, original Indigenous artwork produced by Turtle Clan and Mohawk Nation artist Sara General is brought to life with animations to tell the creation story of Turtle Island and the beginning of “our world”.
Celebrated filmmaker and explorer James Cameron, who was raised in Niagara Falls and whose first job ay the age of 16 was working for the Niagara Parks Commission, provides narration in the “Waterfall Room”, detailing the post-contact history of Niagara Falls, and highlighting key developments and cultural milestones.
Disney Imagineer Rick Rothschild, who was a principal creator of the world’s first flying theatre attraction, Disney’s Soarin’ Over California, served as Creative Director on the attraction.
Admission is $29 for adults and $19 for children.
