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Disney's 'Planes' debuts to thousands at AirVenture

Disney offered an advanced screening of the movie Planes at EAA AirVenture. While there were no airplanes lined up for the viewing, thousands of aviation enthusiasts filled the field. Image courtesy Disney

A starry night, cool breeze, and free popcorn set the perfect backdrop for a special preview of Disney’s Planes at EAA AirVenture’s outdoor Fly-In Theater presented by Ford Motor Co. in Oshkosh, Wis., Aug. 2.

Thousands of children and adults lined up in advance of the free 8:30 p.m. showing, some arriving as early as 2 p.m. Space in the best viewing area filled up before the movie began, forcing EAA AirVenture volunteers to turn away viewers or re-direct them to another field beside the inflatable screen.

In the animated film, Dusty Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cook) dreams of competing in an around-the-world air race but faces many obstacles, including discouragement from his peers, a fear of heights, and the structural limitations of a cropduster. Viewers quickly become attached to Dusty as he trains with his mentor Skipper, an F4U Corsair, and remains true to his values during difficult circumstances—lessons parents will want their children to emulate.

The film also showcases how the aviation community rallies to help a fellow aviator, or in this case an airplane, and is filled with jokes to entertain all ages, pilots and nonpilots alike. For any A&Ps in the audience, there are even some technical jokes that you may catch onto before others in the theater. The movie opens in theaters Aug. 9.

Alyssa J. Miller

Alyssa J. Miller

AOPA Director of eMedia and Online Managing Editor
AOPA Director of eMedia and Online Managing Editor Alyssa J. Miller has worked at AOPA since 2004 and is an active flight instructor.
Topics: EAA AirVenture, Events, Experimental Aircraft Association

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