Henry Mystic
Author of "A Manor of Fact"
I honestly think the move would be to put a new Autopia attraction around Test Track to expand that pavilion in a very natural way.
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News Disneyland to Electrify Autopia: Are Tomorrowland Speedway's gas cars next?
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Totally agree 100%.
Long overdue, and once again Disneyland takes the lead.
Very glad to hear this is finally happening after many rumors and plans that seemed to be on again, then off again.
Looking forward to what the new vehicles will end up looking and feeling like !
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Stitchon
Well-Known Member
It's about time. I was surprised they never found a way to port Hong Kong's Autopia vehicles to one of the other resorts given how short-lived the attraction was - and how Honda's sponsorship in Hong Kong was ported over to California as well.
Hong Kong Disneyland's Autopia was removed to make way for their Avengers Campus. I believe the elevated guideway for the cars that meanders around Tomorrowland is still there, no idea if they plan on reusing it for pedestrians or not.
Hong Kong Disneyland's Autopia was removed to make way for their Avengers Campus. I believe the elevated guideway for the cars that meanders around Tomorrowland is still there, no idea if they plan on reusing it for pedestrians or not.
freedogshampoo
Member
I wish they'd take Autopia a step further. Don't just electrify the vehicles, but remove the tracks and retrofit the cars with AI, LIDAR, or some other software so kids can safely maneuver the vehicles like a real car. The software can also prevent the cars from bumping into one another, thus saving on maintenance.
EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
What’s ironic is that gas powered cars will still dominate the future, barring some massive improvements in battery technology. There simply isn’t enough global lithium and copper production. Not even mentioning the inconvenient fact that the US grid can’t handle a massive increase in EVs.
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
Also, EVs are heavier (because of the batteries required), which will cause accelerated road damage. Most road surfaces are still produced using petroleum products. The tires for EVs are produced using petroleum products. The plastics in EVs are produced using petroleum products. Roughly 95% of electrical power in the USA is generated by petroleum products. The base material for even synthetic oil is almost always distilled crude oil. All friction parts on an EV are going to need a lubricant that involves a petroleum product. Even the friction parts on a hydroelectric turbine will need to be lubricated by something involving petroleum, etc., etc., etc.
And, the other thing with EVs…how to constantly be disposing of those giant, poisonous used batteries…?!
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
I’m still amazed Disney has a “go cart” ride in general
Mark Dunne
Well-Known Member
Cant believe its taken this long to be honest , this should of happened in m.k whilst Tron was being constructed, would of been more of a flowing experience in Tomorrowland , o well I'm sure once this gets completed , solar cars will be the new norm.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
Why bother dealing with recharging? I don't think it would be that difficult to design a system to connect to a power rail on the ground that allows for the slight lateral movement of the cars. A DC system with the "hot" connection inside some kind of a slot so it can't be easily touched shouldn't be all that difficult to implement.
It would be more expensive but they could probably figure out some kind of induction system as well.
It would be more expensive but they could probably figure out some kind of induction system as well.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
The other thing about the weight issue is I wonder how it effects the loading on bridges and parking structures. Were they designed with enough margin to handle the same number of vehicles but 50%+ more average weight?Also, EVs are heavier (because of the batteries required), which will cause accelerated road damage. Most road surfaces are still produced using petroleum products. The tires for EVs are produced using petroleum products. The plastics in EVs are produced using petroleum products. Roughly 95% of electrical power in the USA is generated by petroleum products. The base material for even synthetic oil is almost always distilled crude oil. All friction parts on an EV are going to need a lubricant that involves a petroleum product. Even the friction parts on a hydroelectric turbine will need to be lubricated by something involving petroleum, etc., etc., etc.
And, the other thing with EVs…how to constantly be disposing of those giant, poisonous used batteries…?!
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
Shhhh…that just means we’ll get our third “infrastructure” bill in a ten year span
zombiebbq
Well-Known Member
Fair enough. I'm referring to the WDW version. Didn't even like it as a kid.
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
For comparison sake, a Tesla Model 3 weighs about 270 lbs. more than a Toyota Camry. Although not insignificant, it’s nowhere near 50% heavier.
An example of a much more significant weight difference is that the Ford F-150 Lightning weighs about 2,000-3,000 lbs. more than the same combustion engine model.
Also, it currently takes about 5-7 gallons of crude oil to produce one average car tire.
The tires for the aforementioned pickups are about twice as heavy/large as the car tire, overall.
The F-150 EV would lead to quicker road and tire deterioration, and more tire “dust” left on road surfaces.
And then there’s all the discarded old tires to be factored in.
About 280 million tires are discarded every year in the US. Granted, about 30 million are retreaded or reused, many are used in the production of road surfaces, etc., but it is also estimated that about 45% of discarded tires go to landfills, stockpiles and illegal dumps.
Even if all tires in the future were produced using something like BioIsoprene, there’s still the issue of dealing with all the discarded tires.
And all that is just the tire factor, alone.
My point has been that EVs aren’t, currently, the panacea that some think. We, of course, would be stupid not to pursue cleaner, greener technologies (that I’m sure will continue to improve as the years pass), but it isn’t going to happen overnight. IMO anyway, the transitions all need to happen in a common sense, balanced manner, and not in an emotional, knee jerk manner.
When we were at MK last October, I sat out while the rest of the family rode the Speedway, simply because getting my old, fat beeeeehind in and out of one of those cars would have been a real chore, and I wasn’t willing to provide any bystanders with that much comedy…!!!!!
But, as I sat there on a bench between the Speedway and Cosmic Ray’s, I too again pondered why those cars hadn’t already been modified to EVs.
I wonder how much more the new EV cars may weigh than the current model…?!
I also saw in another post that it was suggested they electrify the rail. If that can be made as safe as my old slot car track, I’m all for it…!!!
On a side note…
My first job when I was in HS was at a local go-kart track. As I sat there outside the Speedway, the memories came flooding back…the smell, the sound of the acceleration with the centrifugal clutches and all, etc.
Good times…!!!!!
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I wasn’t very clear in my post. As a kid I loved the WDW speedway. As an adult I still like the autopia at Disneyland but find no need to ride the speedway.
cookiee_munster
Well-Known Member
I'll die on this hill, but the Walt Disney World version really needs to be replaced with Aquatopia.
Saying that though, electric vehicles is a step up.
Saying that though, electric vehicles is a step up.
SourcererMark79
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
But not before a soil remediation. That footprint is a Superfund site
doctornick
Well-Known Member
I really feel like Aquatopia would have been a nice addition to the Epcot hub area. Adding some kinetics to the area and a new ride. Could have even been incorporated into the new hall and gone around part of it.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
its stupid, just don't do it.