New immersive experience will make you feel like you’re flying high over NYC

If you love the vertigo-inducing excitement of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, Midtown’s high-in-the-sky observation deck, you can look forward to RiseNY‘s pairing of aerial adventure and cultural museum exhibit, powered by the city’s first flight simulation ride. Opening December 17 at 160 West 45th Street, the new immersive attraction combines the ultimate feeling of flight with the inspiration of the city’s most famous sites and moments.

The main attraction of RiseNY is the 46-seat soaring ride–”flying theater,” according to the press release–that will lift visitors 30 feet in the air for a bird’s-eye view tour of the city. Guests (presumably non-height-phobic) will “hang suspended, their feet dangling as they glide over NYC’s iconic skyline and landmarks while inside a 180-degree, 40-foot projection dome featuring 8K aerial footage that creates the sensation of flight.”

Count the motion-averse out as well, as “motion seats dip, turn and soar, while wind, mist and scents enhance the experience” to a soundtrack anchored by Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” and Frank Sinatra’s “Theme From New York.” An immersive film by award-winning documentarian Ric Burns and narrated by actor Jeff Goldblum offers a better refuge for guests who’d rather keep their feet on solid ground.

The film highlights the city’s history, including the global impact of Times Square and a re-creation of the city’s first subway station circa 1904. The film ends with a virtual ride on a modern-day subway car that whisks riders off to RiseNY’s museum galleries.

Each of seven themed galleries focuses on an aspect of the city’s culture and global fame: finance, skyline, TV/radio, fashion, music, Broadway, and film, complete with historic artifacts, memorabilia (including Madonna’s custom Keith Haring jacket and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run,” guitar.

James Sanna, President and CEO of Running Subway, the New York-based entertainment production company that created RiseNY, was inspired by the Disneyland attraction “Soarin’ Over California,” and the persistent fantasy of flying over and around NYC.

RiseNY will donate a portion of ticket proceeds to each of several partner institutions, which include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Museum of American Finance, Museum of Broadcast Communications & Radio Hall of Fame, Museum at FIT, Skyscraper Museum, Tribeca Festival, and David Bushman, former head curator at The Paley Center.

You can find out about opening times, ticket prices, and more here.

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Images courtesy of RiseNY