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EPCOT Test Track to be reimagined

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
It's a realistic warning of the perils of hard braking! How authentic!
Warning to those who have their auto insurance company apps on their phones -- you'd be well served by either disabling it or leaving your phone with a non-rider. The Test Track tale told by your phone's accelerometers won't do your car insurance discount any favors!
 

Biff215

Well-Known Member
I heard from an Imagineer that the doors will be working soon.

They're going to relocate the Yeti to pull the doors open for each car.
I was going to take the lazy route and suggest throwing a strobe light in there, so thanks for doing it better. 😂
 

andre85

Well-Known Member
The doors opening were most effective in 1.0 because

1. - it was a “barrier test” so there was a clear set up of running into a wall. So there was a story element.

2. - the works lights intentionally blinded you so you didn’t really see the doors open.

Man that was such an awesome part of 1.0, especially when it had the working animatronic car before it that actually slammed into the barrier and broke in real-time before. Amazing setup and payoff.
 

HMF

Well-Known Member
Rode this the other day. It was good, not amazing. I thought it’d be a little better based on the videos. Everyone we heard talk about it was complaining about no more car design or things to do in the post ride area.
To be fair, the fact that people knew about the car design aspect is actually surprising. It didn't really explain itself well as far as the ride is concerned.
 

wedenterprises

Well-Known Member
Rode this the other day. It was good, not amazing. I thought it’d be a little better based on the videos. Everyone we heard talk about it was complaining about no more car design or things to do in the post ride area.
They talk about being able to customize your car IN the ride so why not show this off and explain it* in the post show with the car design game? Email yourself a pic/video with GM branding all over it….this is low hanging fruit type stuff.

*but seriously, what do they mean you’ll be able to customize your car? That part of the ride is so removed from reality.
 

DreamfinderGuy

Well-Known Member
*but seriously, what do they mean you’ll be able to customize your car? That part of the ride is so removed from reality.
I think this is the largest flaw with the ride itself. Everyone says this is a return to form for Future World, and I do believe it is, but EPCOT was always grounded in a realistic and achievable future. “You’re going to be able to change the shape and color of your car on a whim” is not achievable, at least not in the way it’s presented on the ride.
 

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
I finally got to ride it last night. Walked away mixed. I think execution wise, it's great. There are some really cool modern effects. Story-wise, it's not the best. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it actually leans into the future aspect too much. Classic Epcot to me always showed a fair bit of the past and how we got to where we are. Then a glimpse at the future. Most of your classics were majority past. Even Horizons was about 50-50. I realize Test Track doesn't lend itself to that very easily, given how short it was. But, I think that's where a really cool queue could have helped. Right now, there is just no point other than showing some cool tricks. It's a lot of flash without substance.

I also think the music was a huge miss. I think an upbeat, modern Fun to be Free starting in the forest would have been a great story. Right now, there is no point for the outside loop. Having a narrative about how, "no matter how advanced we get, there's nothing like the thrill of the drive - It's kinda fun to feel free..."

With that, I do love the return to something that very much fits the original themes of EPCOT more and feels founded in our real world and being inspirational. People seem to be enjoying it, and wait times showed that. I also think it shows, right now, people just want fun distractions. So, it will work quite nicely there.

EDIT: One thing I didn't mention - I loved the easter egg from the WoM finale in the old hot/cold rooms. I thought that was a very fun touch. It would lend itself very well to holiday or seasonal overlays. And, it could easily be updated over time. And the new, much fuller forest scene with practical sets afterwards really re-grounds you in the experience after the screens. Job well done there.
 
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