FlyOver Canada at Christmas

Christmas at FlyOver Canada is a special winter holiday-themed multi-dimensional flying theatre experience at Canada Place in Vancouver around December.

Dates for the Soar With Santa Christmas-themed film in 2023 to 2024 are from November 16th until January 2nd.

For tickets and the attraction’s official website, click FlyOver Canada.

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Soar With Santa at FlyOver Canada in Vancouver

FlyOver Canada is a movie theatre where you buckle your seat belt and fly over amazing Canadian scenery including Toronto, the Prairies, the Okanagan and Vancouver. The attraction operates year-round but has special seasonal themes at different times of the year including Halloween and Christmas.

FlyOver Canada gets decked out during the winter holiday season with Christmas trees and other festive decorations. Santa makes an appearance on the giant movie screen and there’s a short pre-main show film featuring a couple of elves. It’s a fun, indoors and wonderful family-friendly Christmas experience.

FlyOver Canada Location

FlyOver Canada is on the western side of Canada Place which is the giant convention centre building in downtown Vancouver. It’s the structure with the white sails on top and the Pan Pacific Hotel at the front.

The attraction’s address is 999 Canada Place. The venue is a couple of blocks and around the corner from Waterfront Station, which is the city’s main transit hub with SeaBus, SkyTrain and West Coast Express services.

Canada Place is at the northern end of Howe and Burrard Streets. From in front of the Pan Pacific Hotel, walk around to the left (or west side) of the promenade deck of Canada Place. About halfway down you’ll find the entrance to FlyOver Canada.

For the attraction’s official website click FlyOver Canada.

FlyOver Canada Entrance at Christmas — FlyOver Canada at Canada Place

Dates and Show Times

In 2023, the Christmas-themed film shows from November 16th until January 2nd of 2024. Hours and additional details are to be confirmed.

In 2021 the Soar With Santa film ran from December 6th until January 3rd of 2022. FlyOver Canada was open that year between 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm from December 6th to 10th. However, the theatre extended its hours for the remainder of the season (so from December 11th to January 3rd) from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm daily.

See the FlyOver Canada website for showtimes and tickets.

FlyOver Canada Admission Rates

Admission rates to FlyOver Canada over the Christmas season in 2022 varied depending on the date and when you made your purchase. Admission usually costs less on days when the attraction predicts lower numbers of visitors and higher on days when they expect it to be busier. Weekdays tend to cost less, and both weekends and days close to Christmas and New Year’s Eve cost more.

Tickets Purchased Online

Tickets purchased in advance online usually cost at least 10% less compared to tickets at the gate. As of late September in 2022, online tickets for the Christmas show in December cost the following:

Adults: between $25 and $27
Children (ages 16 and under): between $15 and $17

Ticket prices can increase up to about $10 each if you book less than a week before you plan to go. Be sure to reserve your tickets well in advance for the best rates.

Ticket prices for FlyOver Canada over the Christmas season in 2023/2024 are to be confirmed.

Note: Ticket prices are subject to change. Also, to experience the Ultimate Flying Ride children must be at least 40 inches or 102 centimetres tall and accompanied by an adult.

What to Expect at the Show

The FlyOver Canada film presentations run about once every 15 to 20 minutes and last for around 25 minutes. Each presentation normally includes the pre-show and eight-minute experience on the Ultimate Flying Ride.

Below is a description of what you can expect at the show during the Christmas season, based on our experience from attending in 2021. 2023 details will likely be similar, although exact details are to be confirmed.

At the Start

When you enter the FlyOver Canada venue you buy or show your already pre-purchased ticket and then get in the queue to go in. You can also get your photo taken at the entrance if you want.

The Pre-Show

Once inside the FlyOver Canada venue, you find yourself in a small room with screens all around. During the Christmas season, there you’ll see a short introductory Winter Wonderland-themed pre-show narrated by a couple of elves. Their names are Chestnut and Pinecone. You are directed after that to go through the doors at the side, down a hall and then into a lineup by the entrance to the main theatre.

Preparing for the Main Show

Prior to entering the main FlyOver Canada theatre there is a short, but humorous safety video. It’s made to resemble the kind of safety film people watch before an airplane takes off.

After the video, guests are instructed to follow the tour guide into the theatre. Everyone then buckles themselves in, puts their purses and small bags under their seats and gets ready for the ride.

At the start of the FlyOver Canada theatre ride the lights dim, the seats move up and out, and then the film begins.

The FlyOver Canada Film

The eight-minute Ultimate Flying Ride experience is short but amazing. During the film you feel like you and the seats you are in are really flying!

FlyOver Canada Santa Scene The main feature film at Christmas is almost identical to what’s shown at other times of the year, except for flying cameo appearances of Santa’s elves (Chestnut and Pinecone). Santa Claus also makes an appearance in his sleigh of course.

Another thing that’s different about the Christmas show compared to other times of the year is that there’s an extended final scene where you get to fly over Santa’s magical North Pole. It’s pretty cool!

Year-round, the FlyOver Canada film takes you over scenes throughout Canada. You fly from the Maritimes on the eastern side of the country, past Toronto, over Niagara Falls, across the Prairies, through the Rocky Mountains and to British Columbia. In BC you fly past vineyards in the Okanagan, the province’s coastline and over Vancouver and Canada Place (which is home to the FlyOver Canada theatre).

The film experience at FlyOver Canada is four-dimensional. In addition to your row of seats moving with every turn in the film, there are smells and touch sensations too. While flying you sense the wind over Niagara Falls, through clouds you feel the mist, and in forest scenes you smell the trees.

See the FlyOver Canada website for tickets.

FlyOver Canada at Christmas Preview Video

Below is a promotional video showcasing the FlyOver Canada at Christmas film. As you’ll see, it includes scenes from the original FlyOver Canada film about Canada. It has extra magical scenes too though with a wonderful Christmas-y theme.