FlyOver Iceland is one in every of Reykjavik’s newer points of interest, having opened within the Autumn of 2019 within the Grandi Harbor District, a few 20-minute stroll from the town centre. This indoor attraction consists of two pre-shows, however the spotlight of any go to is a motion-seated flight simulation over Iceland‘s many pure wonders, made attainable with an unlimited 20-metre wraparound spherical display screen.
FlyOver Iceland is the results of years of collaboration spearheaded by Artistic Director Rick Rothschild who was a inventive govt at Disney for greater than 30 years. His work mixed with that of expert helicopter pilot Jón Björnsson, who shot some scenes in Sport of Thrones amongst others, eminent composer Kjartan Holm and illustrator Mind Pilkington, comes collectively for the extremely immersive attraction you could go to at this time.
We had been invited to reach roughly half-hour earlier than our trip was as a consequence of start in order that we may get booked in and use the Kaffi Grandi espresso home previous to our flight. They serve mild snacks and all the standard stuff you may anticipate. As a result of we travelled to the venue by electrical scooter, we made good time and arrived even earlier so our reserving was helpfully and effectively moved to the an earlier flight to avoid wasting on extreme ready.
About 10 minutes earlier than the trip, everybody was referred to as upstairs the place there’s a inexperienced display screen and we may have {a photograph} of our group taken – one {photograph} of us simply standing usually, and one other of us with our arms outstretched, pretending to fly. These are optionally accessible for buy, in opposition to quite a lot of Iceland backdrops, on the finish of the expertise. No pictures is allowed contained in the expertise, so that you’ll must make do with inventory imagery and my description from hereon in.
Within the first of the pre-shows, we entered a darkened room which seems to be an historical Viking longhouse the place an Icelandic storyteller tells one in every of his fireplace tales as shadows come to life on the wall behind him.
Within the second pre-show, generally known as Effectively of Time, we delve additional into Iceland’s historical past, guided by an area troll named Sú Vitra, who led us by way of three completely different acts. First, you’ll really feel the facility of the land because the sturdy and infrequently violent forces of nature take form. Subsequent is the arrival of man and the introduction of Þetta Reddast (a commonly-used Iceland phrase which suggests “it should all work out okay”). Lastly, uncover how Icelandic individuals have made a life on this island. Life continues, it doesn’t matter what.
With the pre-shows full, it’s time for the primary occasion – the immersive flight expertise! We had been led by way of to a line of seats the place we may sit down and buckle up. Sure, you put on seat belts for this half!
We may depart any belongings beneath our seat however, as soon as the simulation will get underneath manner, our seats rose just a little from the bottom and the barrier we noticed earlier than us fell away to present the total flying expertise.
With our ft dangling beneath us, we had that actual sense of flight. And the views and video footage that we skilled are second to none.
We visited FlyOver Iceland in direction of the tip of our time in Iceland, which I believe was the correct manner round, because it meant we may relate extra intimately to lots of the scenes that we noticed, such because the scenes of Reynisfjara seashore and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
And what’s necessary to attempt to get throughout (however you’ll want to go to your self for the total expertise) is that FlyOver Iceland isn’t just about sitting in an elevated chair and gazing a big display screen. It’s a lot extra immersive than that. Our seats twisted and turned as we had been cooled by the coolness of the Arctic wind, took within the scents of lupins while flying over a flower-filled meadow, and our faces felt the cool mist from a close-by waterfall.
The truth is, the expertise is so bodily lifelike, utilizing state-of-the-art expertise that had us swooping throughout magical landscapes, that some individuals do really feel nauseous from it – fortunately, that didn’t occur to any of us (or to anybody else that I may visibly discover) however it’s one thing to keep in mind if you’re susceptible to movement illness.
The trip itself is exhilarating and enjoyable, even at one level passing underneath a pure arch, and the surroundings all through is nothing wanting breathtaking. And after our flight, we may see a map of the places that had been coated throughout the expertise. These embrace the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, the mountains of Hörgársveit, the Island of Elliðaey, the Aldeyjarfoss waterfalls, the town of Reykjavík and extra. There may be additionally a present store.
FlyOver Iceland opens at 10am and the trip operates each quarter-hour till 6.45pm. The expertise prices 4,990 ISK for ages 13 and over, or 2,495 ISK for youngsters aged 12 and underneath. (Youngsters have to be accompanied by an grownup or guardian (14 years or older) and be at the least 100cm (40 inches) tall.)
Some may suppose that is fairly expensive for an expertise that takes 35 minutes (simply 8.5 minutes of which is the flying trip). Nevertheless, nothing is affordable in Iceland and, in contrast with a helicopter flight expertise, which might price you upwards of ten instances this quantity, then it’s actually not so unhealthy. And naturally you cowl a lot greater than may presumably hope to expertise from a single helicopter flight.
For extra of an thought of what to anticipate, see the trailer under:
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Planning a visit to Iceland your self? You may watch a video from our journey to Iceland right here:
Disclosure: This publish is sponsored by FlyOver Iceland. Our journey to Iceland was additionally sponsored by Helly Hansen.