Disney+ has introduced a new immersive environment for Apple Vision Pro users, allowing them to experience the stunning landscapes of Thingvellir National Park in Iceland.
Developed in partnership with National Geographic, Disney+ offers subscribers an immersive virtual experience of Thingvellir National Park. Explore the park’s snowy landscape, complete with interactive features and realistic sounds. Captured using advanced photogrammetry and high-resolution imagery, this virtual world showcases the park’s stunning rocky terrain under a mesmerizing nighttime aurora.
From Disney+:
The new National Geographic environment will transport Disney+ subscribers on Apple Vision Pro to the unique rocky terrain of Thingvellir National Park on a snowy winter day, allowing them to explore their surroundings via interactive elements and sounds that make the space come to life. This UNESCO world heritage site, captured by a team of National Geographic photographers, serves as the backdrop for viewers watching Disney+ content beneath a spectacular nighttime aurora.
National Geographic’s Executive Vice President, David Miller, emphasized the organization’s history of pioneering photography and immersive storytelling, noting that this project continues its legacy of enabling audiences to connect deeply with the natural world. The collaboration with Disney Studio Technology resulted in high-resolution 3D models that faithfully recreate the park’s unique geological features, including lava fields and tectonic rift valleys.
This new Icelandic environment is part of Disney+’s broader strategy to improve viewing experiences on the Vision Pro. At launch, Disney+ offered a variety of immersive environments, including scenes from Star Wars, the Marvel Avengers Tower, and Pixar films. The addition of Thingvellir National Park marks the fifth immersive environment available, joining the Disney+ Theater, Avengers Tower, Scare Floor from Pixar’s Monsters Inc., and Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder on Tatooine.
Moreover, Disney+ is expanding its 3D movie offerings for Vision Pro. New titles include Marvel’s Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. These additions complement the existing library, which already features popular films such as The Little Mermaid, Frozen II, Coco, and The Lion King.
Renowned for its pioneering work in immersive storytelling, National Geographic has previously captivated audiences with virtual reality experiences, 360-degree films, and innovative projects like the ‘Space Projection Helmets’ for ‘One Strange Rock.’ The partnership with Disney+ on the Thingvellir National Park experience is a prime example of their ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling, offering Disney+ subscribers an unparalleled opportunity to explore Iceland’s iconic landscape.
