Never realized how much fun the tomorrowland speedway is

[SirGoofy]

I guess they could do it with speakers, but I don't think it bothers most people. I'm all for conservation, but a place like Disney burns so much fossil fuel I just don't think turning one attraction electric would make that much difference. It's not like the electric just comes from nowhere, they have to burn coal to get it.

I realize electricity doesn't come from thin air. But that's a heck of a lot better than having to fuel up all the cars everyday, not to mention they're constantly running.

And the sound isn't the problem I'm talking about(although I doubt cars in the future would sound like that).

 

[stlbobby]

I realize electricity doesn't come from thin air. But that's a heck of a lot better than having to fuel up all the cars everyday, not to mention they're constantly running.

And the sound isn't the problem I'm talking about(although I doubt cars in the future would sound like that).

I hear what your saying, but it just doesn't bother me, and I ride a bike to work most days.

 

[Bairstow]

I think going to electric-powered engines would be good for another reason- if you take the lawnmower engine out of the car and have a silent electric one, you could outfit the interior of the car with speakers to make "fake" engine noise, so bystanders outside the attraction wouldn't hear anything but for those actually on the ride it would sound like the little car had a thundering American V-8, the scream of a turbocharged racing engine, or an old-fashioned put-put-put classic car sound, depending on each car's theming. A subwoofer bolted to the seat would enhance the illusion of a working motor. A small computer in the ride vehicle could modulate the engine noise depending on the vehicle's speed and input from the pedals, like any good racing video game.

That way you cut down on maintenance, noise/fume pollution, AND enhance the ride experience.

 

[stlbobby]

I think going to electric-powered engines would be good for another reason- if you take the lawnmower engine out of the car and have a silent electric one, you could outfit the interior of the car with speakers to make "fake" engine noise, so bystanders outside the attraction wouldn't hear anything but for those actually on the ride it would sound like the little car had a thundering American V-8, the scream of a turbocharged racing engine, or an old-fashioned put-put-put classic car sound, depending on the car's theming. A small computer in the ride vehicle could modulate the engine noise depending on the vehicle's speed and input from the peddle, like any good racing video game.

That way you cut down on maintenance, noise/fume pollution, AND enhance the ride experience.

That's not a bad idea, but I think they want the noise to rumble through the park. It is supposed to be like going to a NASCAR race.

On a completely different note, I'm surprised it hasn't been re-themed with characters from "Cars". It seems it would be pretty simple and relatively cheap to put new bodies on the vehicles and repaint the queue.

 

[Bairstow]

That's not a bad idea, but I think they want the noise to rumble through the park. It is supposed to be like going to a NASCAR race.

Then why does it sound like a go-kart track?

 

[SirGoofy]

That's not a bad idea, but I think they want the noise to rumble through the park. It is supposed to be like going to a NASCAR race.

It's actually supposed to be Tomorrowland's highway.

On a completely different note, I'm surprised it hasn't been re-themed with characters from "Cars". It seems it would be pretty simple and relatively cheap to put new bodies on the vehicles and repaint the queue.

Because it's in Tomorrowland. Cars certainly does not fit in Tomorrowland.

Then why does it sound like a go-kart track?

Exactly why the speakers would be great.

 

[Olijimcha]

I've always been a proponent of destroying the speedway and putting something else there in its place. It takes up a ton of space, it doesn't really fit thematically in either Tomorrowland or Fantasyland, its boring, etc...

I was wrong. I took my son (who is 2 1/2) to the Magic Kingdom this weekend. As soon as he saw the speedway the only thing he could talk about was driving a racecar. So I reluctantly took him on the ride. I've never seen his face beam like that as he "drove" that race car. We wound up riding it again, and if we'd have let him, we'd have ridden it a third time.

I've never seen a ride bring that much joy to a kid before. Its two days away and he's still telling everyone about how he got to drive a race car. The picture my wife took of us is my desktop right now, and his smile brings one to my face everytime I look at it.

So while this may not be a ride that I can enjoy by myself, I definitely see why its there now and I don't think it should ever go away. Get a retheme to something futuristic? certainly, but that needs to be there for the kids.

Great story & thanks for sharing, it reminds me of our last visit when I took video of my son driving us round the track. His laughter as we bounced from left to right most of the way round is a great memory of that holiday and as you say it's a reminder that some rides are there primarily for the kids and are greatly enjoyed by them.

 

[Bairstow]

On a completely different note, I'm surprised it hasn't been re-themed with characters from "Cars". It seems it would be pretty simple and relatively cheap to put new bodies on the vehicles and repaint the queue.

I had a different property in mind.

They could even sell plush.

 

[Laura]

Because it's in Tomorrowland. Cars certainly does not fit in Tomorrowland.

Neither does the Indy 500. Neither do Monsters. Neither do 1970's rocket ships. :lookaroun

 

[stlbobby]

It's actually supposed to be Tomorrowland's highway.



Because it's in Tomorrowland. Cars certainly does not fit in Tomorrowland.



Exactly why the speakers would be great.

Why do people get so hung up on everything fitting a theme exactly. Being on the edge of TL the Cars characters would fit just as much as the ride as it is. I also never said I wanted this. I said I'm surprised it hasn't happened.

The sound isn't an exact duplication, but it creates the illusion.

 

[SirGoofy]

Neither does the Indy 500. Neither do Monsters. Neither do 1970's rocket ships. :lookaroun

Monsters loosely fits the Sci-fi vibe of Tomorrowland, same with the rockets(although it would have been nice to get some better rockets this past refurb).

Why do people get so hung up on everything fitting a theme exactly.

Because that's the point of a theme...:lol:

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Cars would be a hell of a lot cooler than what they have there now. And just as appropriately themed. :shrug:

 

[Master Yoda]

I hate to throw a monkey wrench into the electric car with speakers plan but the Speedway is notorious for flooding quite badly. Last time I checked electricity, computers and speakers do not mix all that well with water. Even if they were to fix the flooding issue WDW gets an average of 4 feet of rain per year which I am sure would not be good on a couple dozen electric cars that are never under cover.

 

[stlbobby]

Because that's the point of a theme...:lol:

But a theme shouldn't be taken so seriously. Especially in this case. The ride is on the edge of TL in kind of a transitional zone between lands.

 

[SirGoofy]

But a theme shouldn't be taken so seriously. Especially in this case. The ride is on the edge of TL in kind of a transitional zone between lands.

It really doesn't matter. Cars fits in neither Tomorrowland nor Fantasyland.:shrug:

 

[Bairstow]

I hate to throw a monkey wrench into the electric car with speakers plan but the Speedway is notorious for flooding quite badly. Last time I checked electricity, computers and speakers do not mix all that well with water. Even if they were to fix the flooding issue WDW gets an average of 4 feet of rain per year which I am sure would not be good on a couple dozen electric cars that are never under cover.

That's a good point, but I don't think it would be the speakers that would be the problem. You could just source them from marine audio companies that make soundsystems for boats and probably be just fine. Besides, I'm not sure how many outdoor speakers Walt Disney World already has but I'm sure it's in the thousands. If anyone knows how to waterproof a subwoofer it's these people.

The track, on the other hand, is another story. I would assume that these things would need to be powered by a power source in the track, which could not be fully insulated or even particularly shielded (as in the monorail's track). I'm having trouble thinking of a powered track system at an amusement park ride that isn't covered or shielded in some significant way (like the WEDWay people mover, which is completely covered.)

Putting batteries in the ride vehicles themselves is probably not a solution. There's no way you could design these things to run all day from a nightly charge without making them prohibitively expensive and monstrously heavy. Efficiency would be out the window as well.

Could there be some sort of compromise solution perhaps? Have the vehicles run off of very small internal batteries during the ride itself then reconnect to an in-track charging rail during the 2 minutes or so they spend at the loading station?

 

[maggiegrace1]

It still never ceases to amaze me how cool even the most mundane things can be when you see them through your kids eyes. Kids may make the body grow old but they sure can keep the mind and heart young.

So very true!...

This is the story everyone needs to remember when they say something should be ripped out. The attraction just may not be aimed at them. Someone, a great many someones in fact, may be getting a great deal of enjoyment from it.

Exactly...just because someone does not like something..does not mean everyone feels the same...

Alladins magic carpets..make Maggie beam....and in return so do her father and I...same with the ride at AK and with Dumbo...

She rides them several times in a row and as many times as she can..and we gladly do so..

Many people hate them..but she and many others love them!

 

[Raven66]

I don't want it to be ripped out but I just do not enjoy this ride. I did when I was younger. We tried to keep our daughter away so she wouldn't want to ride. Well, we ran out of luck 2 trips ago. We stood in the HOT sun for over an hour with some highly obnoxious teens around us. They were swearing and just being really rowdy. Yes, I know that has nothing to do with the ride I just find the cars really hard to control. The fumes actually triggered a migraine. BUT, the kid loved "driving" the car and that is all that matters. Luckily, she is 13 now and if she wants to ride them, she can go alone or con her dad into standing in line with her. I will do what I always do when I don't ride something with them, people watch!!

 

[fractal]

The ride is a waste of space. Kids would love go-carts or bumper cars even more.

 

[_Scar]

I secretly love this attraction and after reluctantly trying it out I must say there is a unique and fun atmosphere driving by Space, seeing Contemporary all lit up, and seeing the Orbiter tower above everything.

It's really something everyone should try before they completely trash the ride and deem it a waste of space.

If anything, it should be "plussed".