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Circle-Vision 360° is a film format developed by The Walt Disney Company that uses projection screens which encircle the audience.

Circle-Vision 360° developed from the Circarama format, which uses eleven 16 mm projectors. The first Circarama film was A Tour of the West (1955). For the film Italia '61, the number of cameras was reduced to nine, and the 16 mm film was shown using 35 mm projectors. In 1965, Circle-Vision 360° made its official debut, in a nine-camera, 35 mm format. At least one reason for the renaming from Circarama was objections by the owners of Cinerama to the similarity between the two names.

In both the Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° formats, the screens are arranged in a circle around the audience, with small gaps between the screens. The number of screens (eleven or nine) being odd results in a gap being opposite of each screen in the circle. The projectors are placed in these gaps, above the heads of the viewers. Railings are sometimes provided to steady the audience members while viewing the film. The cameras and projection systems for both Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° were designed by longtime Disney animator and visual effects pioneer Ub Iwerks. Circle-Vision 360° cameras have been mounted on top of automobiles for travelog scenes. For The Timekeeper (1992), static cameras and CGI effects were used.

At one time, every one of the Disney Resorts then open had at least one Circle-Vision 360° theater. The Epcot theme park has the only two still operating as of 2022. Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° films have also been featured at various world's fairs.

Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° films

A Tour of the West and the original 1958 version of America the Beautiful were shot in Circarama. Italia '61 was filmed in 16 mm and billed as a Circarama film, but was shown using nine 35 mm projectors. All other films in the table were shot in Circle-Vision 360°.

1. Year of release is sometimes given as 1965.

Sources:

Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° theaters

The theaters at Expo 58 and Disneyland were built as Circarama theaters. The latter would be upgraded to the Circle-Vision 360° system. Although the theater at Expo 61 predated the use of the Circle-Vision 360° name, it used nine 35 mm projectors. All other theaters in the tables were built as Circle-Vision 360° theaters.

Disney theme parks

Years in parentheses after a film title indicate the versions of the movie shown at the theater.

1. From 1997 to 2000, the theater was part of the Rocket Rods attraction.
2. Upcoming.

Expos

1. ^ America the Beautiful was shown at the extant theater in 1970.

See also

• List of film formats
• Cinéorama
• Bell Canada Pavilion (Expo 67)

Note

1. A third theater at Epcot shows Impressions de France (1982), which was shot using five cameras, and is projected on screens comprising 200° of a circle.

References

1. Gennawey, Sam (2014). The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney's Dream. Keen Communications. pp. 108–109. ISBN 978-1-62809-012-3.
2. ^ Sherlock, Daniel J. "Wide Screen Movies Corrections" (PDF). pp. 19–20. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
3. ^ Strodder, Chris (2017). The Disneyland Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). Santa Monica Press. pp. 120–122. ISBN 978-1595800909.
4. ^ "Circle-Vision/Circarama". D23. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
5. ^ "Circle-Vision 360°". Skyway to Wonderland. August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
6. ^ Iwerks, Don (December 10, 2019). Walt Disney's ultimate inventor: the genius of Ub Iwerks (First hardcover ed.). Los Angeles. ISBN 978-1-4847-4337-9. OCLC 1133108493.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
7. "America the Beautiful – 1958 Brussels World's Fair". Designing Disney. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
8. Official Expo 67 guide book, page 178. Toronto: Maclean-Hunter Publishing Co. Ltd., 1967.
9. BLYTH, JEFF. (2020). POLISHING THE DRAGONS: making epcot's wonders of china. : BAMBOO FOREST PUBLISHING. ISBN 978-0-9910079-9-8. OCLC 1198720924.
10. "Reflections of China". Walt Disney World Resort. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
11. "Netcot.com - O' Canada! film update in the works". Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
12. Murray, Emily (June 27, 2022). "Canada Far And Wide In Circle-Vision 360 Overview". DVC Shop. Retrieved August 21, 2022.

v t e Epcot
Attractions
World Celebration	Spaceship Earth Club Cool Imagination! ImageWorks: The What-If Labs Journey into Imagination with Figment
World Discovery	Mission: Space Space 220 Restaurant Test Track Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
World Nature	The Land Living with the Land Soarin' Around the World The Seas The Seas with Nemo & Friends Coral Reef Restaurant Turtle Talk with Crush Journey of Water
World Showcase	The American Adventure Canada Canada Far and Wide China France Impressions de France Remy's Ratatouille Adventure Germany Italy Japan Luminous: The Symphony of Us Mexico Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Morocco Norway Frozen Ever After United Kingdom
Annual events	International Flower & Garden Festival International Food & Wine Festival Disney's Candlelight Processional
Future attractions	Play! Animation Academy
Other	Utilidor System Walt Disney World Monorail System Disney Skyliner
Related	EPCOT (concept) EPCOT Magazine Figment Epcot Center Ultralight Flightpark

• Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions
• Epcot
• Motion picture film formats
• Special-venue films
• Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)
• Multi-screen film
• Panoramic cameras