YouTube channel offers virtual rides on major Disney, Universal Studios attractions

Author: LI COHEN, CBS News
Published:
(Getty images via CBS)

Coronavirus may have shuttered theme parks, but technology has stepped in to make sure that quarantined Americans still have a way to experience their favorite rides. A YouTube channel is bringing Disney World, Disney Land and Universal Studios rides to people’s homes with virtual reality — for free.

The YouTube page “Virtual Disney World,” which is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company, has compiled a free video playlist of virtual, interactive 360° rides. The list includes some of the newest attractions, such as Slinky Dog Dash and Frozen Ever After in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and even rides that are no longer available, such as Ellen’s Energy Adventure, which used to be at EPCOT in Orlando.

Every video has a remote in the corner of the screen that allows the viewer to navigate their view of the attraction.

Disney closed its parks in Florida, California and Paris earlier this month because of the coronavirus pandemic. Both Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood have closed all operations until April 19, according to the company’s website.

Here’s some of the attractions available from the channel’s virtual theme parks.

Universal Orlando

  • Transformers
  • E.T. Adventure
  • Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
  • Hogwarts Express

Disney World Orlando’s Magic Kingdom

  • Splash Mountain
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • It’s a Small World
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Disney World Orlando’s EPCOT

  • Frozen Ever After
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • Mission: Space
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Test Track
  • Living with the Land
  • Reflections of China

Disney Hollywood Studios Orlando

  • Twilight Tower of Terror
  • Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • The Great Movie Ride
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers’ Run
  • Rise of the Resistance
  • Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Disney World Orlando’s Animal Kingdom

  • Expedition Everest
  • Dinosaur
  • Avatar Flight of Passage
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • Primeval Whirl

Disneyland California

  • Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
  • The Incredicoaster
  • Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
  • Indiana Jones Adventure
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!

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