New Test Track open for 6 months and still not working anywhere near 100%

[JWG]

Agree 100%. The "design" process needs some logistical improvements, and I believe they're aware of it. The first time I rode the redesigned Test Track, the CMs sent us right through the design room. They said it was due to "technical difficulties" but my strong hunch is that they just wanted to get us through the line since the park was closing and they didn't want to deal with the hassle.

The design studio time changes based on the length of the line queue. We rode a handful of times in December when it first opened. The first time we got about 15 minutes to design our car, it took forever. But when we got out, the line came right down to the design studio. Another time, we got about 4 minutes to design our car. Upon exiting we nearly walked on the ride.

There were definitely issues. Sad to see they still have them. Hopefully they're corrected.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I have to agree on this point and I honestly think that it could be drastically improved with just a script change. There is no dialog referencing what test you are doing in many of the scenes. The addition of simple things like "Vertical hill simulation engaged", "Anti-lock brake computer failure test initiated" would go a long way to making the ride make sense.

This is where I'm at as well. Fix the syncing issues and improve the narration and the ride is substantially better.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

enclosing that portion would be an engineering nightmare.. Does it make you feel better or worse that they considered eliminating the loop altogether?

I wish they would've eliminated the outdoor loop altogether. A ride needs consistency of its universe, unity of theme. The outdoor loop is a theme breaker now, pulls you out of the ride's world. The loop has turned from TT1.0's climax to TT2.0's anti-climatic thematic intrusion.

FW is not so cohesive anymore that an outdoor loop benefits a ride. In fact, many WDW lands have become so compromised that outdoor portions would ruin the theme of both the ride and of the land, instead of strengthening it. (The Swiss Treehouse used to look out over a South Seas environment, now at a massive mechanical cartoon spinner. An outdoor portion of a futuristic ride in EPCOT would now look out at Nemo and Ellen and vendor clutter)

Also, imagine how good the WoM building would look (and sound!) with all the outside clutter removed, both the temporary stage and the outdoor loop structure. The whole of FW would improve!

 

[ChrisFL]

I wish they would've eliminated the outdoor loop altogether. A ride needs consistency of its universe, unity of theme. The outdoor loop is a theme breaker now, pulls you out of the ride's world. The loop has turned from TT1.0's climax to TT2.0's anti-climatic thematic intrusion.

FW is not so cohesive anymore that an outdoor loop benefits a ride. In fact, many WDW lands have become so compromised that outdoor portions would ruin the theme of both the ride and of the land, instead of strengthening it. (The Swiss Treehouse used to look out over a South Seas environment, now at a massive mechanical cartoon spinner. An outdoor portion of a futuristic ride in EPCOT would now look out at Nemo and Ellen and vendor clutter)

Also, imagine how good the WoM building would look (and sound!) with all the outside clutter removed, both the temporary stage and the outdoor loop structure. The whole of FW would improve!

Agreed as well, if you'd never been on Test Track before and you heard about TDO's being cheap, it would seem totally obvious where the budget ran out...as soon as you exit. Putting THAT perspective on it, makes the whole thing feel a lot worse IMO

 

[Tom Morrow]

While I do agree that the outdoor loop thematically doesn't make sense, and definitely should have added at least some cosmetic additions and music added to it, I can't imagine Test Track without it. Remember that the average person doesn't look at the attractions the way we do. The high speed loop is the main reason they even want to ride it.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I wish they would've eliminated the outdoor loop altogether. A ride needs consistency of its universe, unity of theme. The outdoor loop is a theme breaker now, pulls you out of the ride's world. The loop has turned from TT1.0's climax to TT2.0's anti-climatic thematic intrusion.

I could see them reworking the set-up to it with some sort of "Rendering outdoor simulation" handwave and have some projection effect around the door have an outside view of the pavillion appear in little squares of data or something.

Or you know, actually spend the money to enclose the thing.

 

[Sped2424]

I agree the outside loop feels like it should have been redone and enclosed to match the rest of the attraction. I mean if they weren't going to enclose it they should have redone the path so it at least in some way matched the inside tronish theme.

 

[Clever Name]

I have an idea that would improve the attraction. Take all the animatronic birds out of the Tiki Room and install a Tiki bird in each Test Track car! The birds can entertain you in an up close and personal way and we get rid of the Tiki Room too. It's a win, win!

 

[Sped2424]

I have an idea that would improve the attraction. Take all the animatronic birds out of the Tiki Room and install a Tiki bird in each Test Track car! The birds can entertain you in an up close and personal way and we get rid of the Tiki Room too. It's a win, win!

wow you really hate those birds..lol

 

[marni1971]

Just out of curiosity...how would one go about hearing any music on the outdoor section?

By the already installed speakers in front of each rider.

Not difficult. The original version had dialogue and simulated engine noise in the same place.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

By the already installed speakers in front of each rider.

Not difficult. The original version had dialogue and simulated engine noise in the same place.

Oh and there you go destroying the magic. A lot of people didn't know those engine noises were simulated!
When the sound actually cut out on the ride...that was just the electric motors kicking in to save fuel

 

[TDF]

Are you people serious? If they where to get rid of the loop on the outside you would be screaming claiming they should of never done it, they ruined the ride, blah blah. The whole ride doesn’t make sense anymore… it’s to complicated and honestly boring. Where is the fun in being a test track dummy. I miss the cold and hot rooms, the barrier test surprise, etc…

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

I still say this was the worst remake of an attraction. The ride makes no sense anymore, the whole thing is blue and the Tron theme is lame. Making your own car is pointless as it has no bearing on the ride itself. You could just as easily get a rating on your vehicle as your making it like in any racing video game, yet they give you a rating after the ride as if it somehow alters your cars rating.

The old version was much more cohesive and was easily understandable. You knew exactly what you were doing and why.

To me this was definitely a step down and hurts a park with so few attractions as it is.

Have to agree 100%. While I get the "idea", it just realistically cannot be pulled of in today's society. The large majority of guests just want to "get on" the ride. Having a pre-show is great sometimes (i.e. ToT, HM, etc...) This does nothing to enhance the attraction or the experience.

 

[Goofyernmost]

By the already installed speakers in front of each rider.

Not difficult. The original version had dialogue and simulated engine noise in the same place.

It just amazes me what people can zone in on while riding an attraction. They could be playing the William Tell Overture for all I know...my hearing is good, but I don't hear it or I hear it as background noise only without identifying what it is specifically. Like I don't hear the music on RnRC. I even concentrated on it the last time, but didn't make out anything specific, where I know that others can tell you what part of the track they changed the song and what it was.

 

[devoy1701]

wow...this sounds like SSE all over again. Give it 2 more years and we'll all get tired of complaining about it!

 

[curiousmanners]

The area where you design a car plays an important part.. not for the storyline so much as its a way to break up the line and give the crowd something to do while they wait. I'm sure no one here has forgotten how terrible the old test track line was.. it haunts my dreams lol.

I do however agree that maybe more explanation could be given somehwere to tie it all together a little more.

 

[JEANYLASER]

 

[muteki]

Got to ride the new version once this past trip and feel it was a bit of a mixed bag. Granted I never liked TT1.0 at all, but there were some things that improved in my opinion. I do like the overall "theme" better, and feel it fits epcot much better than the old one. The ride itself though, is rather plain and empty. I understand what they were going for, but many times it seems like you are just riding down an empty hallway. The canopy out front still being there is a travesty as well.

Technically speaking, my single ride is hardly representative but I don't remember having problems getting my car to display on the ride. It was the post show stuff that I thought was horrible. Vast majority of the test drive locations were roped off, and the make your own commercial thing didn't work. It actually made the commercial - but it wasn't my car in it, some graphical glitch instead. Never did get the copy sent to my email either.

I didn't have issues going through the line, but was disappointed FP line was diverted away from all the neat stuff to look at. We merged together with standby right before the main design room and all that worked well, but people traveling in small groups didn't understand that they only get one design station per group. I wanted to go through standby so I could get the "full experience" but they didn't have the ride open during morning EMH (bonkers) but ended up just missing out on the props.

 

[wdisney9000]

I was there 2 weeks ago... and none of the problems you listed were present.

I was there one week ago... and all problems listed were present. A lot can change in a week I guess.

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

By the already installed speakers in front of each rider.

Not difficult. The original version had dialogue and simulated engine noise in the same place.

You wouldn't hear the music on the outdoor section...that's absurd.....50-60 mph outside in a stripped down convertible? You think without it being really cranked up that you would hear it and if they did that, the sound would be a disruption to the other parts of FW.