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Any Updates on Test Track Redo?
- Thread starter go3epcot
- Start date
i just cant understand what is going to take so long. most of the set pieces should/could have been made ahead of time. They are not changing the track. They have no plans it seems to change much on the outside. I just dont see what takes almost 7.5 months. Just a bit excessive. unless they were making changes to the track.
TheDisneyMagic
Well-Known Member
Remember any software updates for the ride system will require vigorous test and debugging.
aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
Right and they are basically starting over from scratch aside from the track staying in place, everything is being rebuilt, redesigned, etc and its a huge building in there.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
The original Test Track took 2+ more years to open than originally planned. I think maybe the 7.5 month turnaround is being cautious.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Speaking of which, any interesting updates to the ride system that we haven't heard about yet?
but original TT had to build a track and completely gut and redo a building. On top of designing a ride that was to complicated for the hardware/software to maintain its stability. originally it was supposed to be done in 18 months i believe. This time around i think our technology is such that they have fewer constraints. my main computer at my house prolly has the power of the entire bank of computers associated with test track back in 1997. This time they have only to make set pieces and interactive elements. Now i might be stretching the mere fabric of time and travel by thinking that they could have been designing pieces prior to even closing test track but my guess with current management is a no. I still question what will take 7.5 months. @marni1971 what do you think? Any good info on why it is going to take so long.
p.s. I just thought of something else.... they really dont need to contend with the weather like they do with FLE because a majority of the show pieces and set are inside.
i do understand that, however programming has made huge milestones in 15 years. Also they can prolly steal alot of stuff from the cars land. I am not saying it will be easy but it should not be what it was so many years ago. Anyone have any word on when the cars come back i heard they went out to get redesigned or reworked or refurbished i cant remember
danlb_2000
Premium Member
I have been a programmer for over 15 years and sadly things have not changed as much as you would think. We deal with a lot of the same software developemnt problems today as we did 15 years ago. If Test Track had been built today, I don't think any of the
advancements in software engineering would have necessarily prevented the software problems it had when it first opened.
As for "stealing" stuff from Carsland, RSR is having it's own share of down time so that might not help either.
mickeysbrother
Well-Known Member
And we all know how that worked when test track first opened... then didn't then did then didn't then finally did.
jt04
Well-Known Member
Maybe they're printing some giant graphics on canvas to install on the front of the scaffolding. It DOES provide a nice shade structure, should the queue actually stretch outside again.
I guess I'm not as offended by the truss system as others.
It is perfect for a temporary stage at a music festival or the like. Problem is it is located in something called "Future World" . It sits in the shadow of Spaceship Earth. And that makes it a theming crime and an offense against the art of Imagineering. No amount of pixie dust could fix that mess.
Make it go TDO.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
Eye candy is good. I am looking forward to seeing the final product. As long as it's open in late December or early January, I'll be happy.
NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
Everyone has an unrealistic view of how long construction actually takes. I call it TLC Syndrome. People see them redo a house or a restaurant on TV in 24 hours and think that is how it gets done.
There is only so fast construction can move because we have divided work in the industry among trades. Here is a real example; the drywall cant go on until all the conduit is run in the walls and inspected. The electrician can't run conduit for power until the drywall company puts up the metal studs and has them inspected. The metal studs can't go up until the structural floor work is done. The structural floor work has to be tested and approved by a testing agency and the building inspector. Each of these people are actually part of a different company and they all have their own regulations, their own inspections, their own insurance, and that insurance won't let them work directly over top some other company's workers.
All these trades and approvals stretches out the process.
To completely renovate a 75,000 square foot building (just guessing) with not only hard construction, but moving elements, electronics, and ride vehicles... Seven months goes real quick.
There is only so fast construction can move because we have divided work in the industry among trades. Here is a real example; the drywall cant go on until all the conduit is run in the walls and inspected. The electrician can't run conduit for power until the drywall company puts up the metal studs and has them inspected. The metal studs can't go up until the structural floor work is done. The structural floor work has to be tested and approved by a testing agency and the building inspector. Each of these people are actually part of a different company and they all have their own regulations, their own inspections, their own insurance, and that insurance won't let them work directly over top some other company's workers.
All these trades and approvals stretches out the process.
To completely renovate a 75,000 square foot building (just guessing) with not only hard construction, but moving elements, electronics, and ride vehicles... Seven months goes real quick.
I thought the rumor was the hardware was not up to snuff when they originally built it not that the software was bad. I heard they would run it and it would crash because they didn't have the computing power. I would say a fair amount has changed 15 years ago it would take forever for things to co pile for me those things nowadays take less time I don't program anymore really but when I do small things my down time is a lot less
I can see that I just look at btmr and wonder what took so long a few more elements work and they have a new cue but nothing really says wow I took 6 months to do
danlb_2000
Premium Member
According to Martin's Test Track video the software ended up having to be re-written from scratch, so it wasn't simply a matter of the computers being under powered. A lot of the tools and technologies have changed, but we still have pretty much the same challenges when it comes to developing quality software on in and within budget.
t3techcom18
Well-Known Member
hahaha....If you only knew how complex the system that controls the entire attraction is. There's a reason why the attraction is still prone to many downtimes, even if it's 14 years old. There's also a reason as to how any Attractions CM's know it's the hardest ride to learn/operate on the entire property (a few come close but not as much as TT).
There's a bit of trivia when it comes to TT. The fun fact is that there are 3 systems that control the entire attraction experience and they are dedicated to the cars: one onboard the cars, one monitoring ALL cars and their movements, the second is a backup. One car alone/the entire system combined has more processing power than the Space Shuttle at launch. Now put 20-something of those cars on a single track. NOW you can see why they're so complex.
Rigorous testing will be required, especially if new programming is coming from RSR.
All the cars are getting completely reconstructed as they always do every several months when they reach a certain mileage limit. If I heard correctly from a friend, they're sending to Central Shops about 3 at a time since April and it takes a LONG while to reconstruct those things. Maintenance is working on some aspects of them while CS is doing the heavy duty stuff.