Richard Petty Driving Experience to close

Flight Safety

Flight Safety

Active Member
Nick Pappagiorgio said:
I was at the '98 WDW Indy 200. It was/is a nice track, and one of the few tri-ovals in the country. I get it isn't, everyones cup of tea, but back in the day it was a cool experience. Part of the problems is that they only have temporary stands for race events which are set up in parking lot space. This also created traffic issues with the park. Probably will never see a race again because it does not have the SAFER barriers that most tracks have now. They also had a driver who got into a bad reck while testing and was paralyzed.
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I too was at the inaugural Indy 200, and man it was fun to see Tony Stewart battle for that win. Too bad he didn't get it. But I was there again in 98 when he did get the win. It was a very unique experience to watch a race on WDW property. I am a race fan, and above all a WDW fan. So this was always awesome to me. I always roll my windows down when driving into the TTC or nearby so I can hear if anyones turning laps.

It was also really nice to see some nascar haulers pulling into my favorite place on earth for testing every now and then. I am sad to see WDW Speedway leave. And I am pretty sure that they will level the track and add additional parking.
 
Brad Bishop

Brad Bishop

Well-Known Member
I bet it was some bean-counter decision:

"If we build it next to the MK parking lot then we don't even have to build a parking lot. I'm a genius! Give me my bonus for saving you so much money."

Without thought to the longevity of the project or long term needs.. Just save $thousands by not having to build a parking lot and pat yourself on the back.
 
NelsonRD

NelsonRD

Well-Known Member
Whenever I read comments about Disney changing something because they need the space I just giggle. Isn't that what the whole Florida project was all about? Enough space to contain all of the things they can dream of?

Also, I would argue the opposite of being out of place - maybe the location was not the best, but the idea that it existed and provided an experience that 'non-theme' park people could enjoy while 'forced' to take a Disney vacation was valuable. While I have never done it, it was on the table one trip while my wife was planning a tea party at the Grand for the girls.
 
S

Skyway

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
Not to mention nothing said magic more than the roar of cars as heard from the TTC.
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Or the Poly.

I wonder if this has anything to do with people paying buckets of money to sit on the porches of their waterfront bungalows and not hear the echo of engines bouncing off the water and hotels??

I just can't believe Disney would turn away the annual lease money from Petty for infrastructure improvements.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
NelsonRD said:
Whenever I read comments about Disney changing something because they need the space I just giggle. Isn't that what the whole Florida project was all about? Enough space to contain all of the things they can dream of?

Also, I would argue the opposite of being out of place - maybe the location was not the best, but the idea that it existed and provided an experience that 'non-theme' park people could enjoy while 'forced' to take a Disney vacation was valuable. While I have never done it, it was on the table one trip while my wife was planning a tea party at the Grand for the girls.
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That is a nice romantic notion, but the reality is all space is not created equal and Disney is no longer dealing with a blank canvas.

The property has been developed for more than 40 years and a good chunk of all that open space is now covered with structures along with a spider web of utilities and infrastructure below the surface. You simply can't pick up a resort, road, etc and move it 50' to the left because you need the room for something else.
 
NelsonRD

NelsonRD

Well-Known Member
Master Yoda said:
That is a nice romantic notion, but the reality is all space is not created equal and Disney is no longer dealing with a blank canvas.

The property has been developed for more than 40 years and a good chunk of all that open space is now covered with structures along with a spider web of utilities and infrastructure below the surface. You simply can't pick up a resort, road, etc and move it 50' to the left because you need the room for something else.
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I understand what you are saying, but I have a hard thinking the only solution for 'more parking' -if that is what this is about - is to remove the speedway. Maybe - just maybe, its for STOL....
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
ULPO46

ULPO46

Well-Known Member
I feel as though they might destroy the track and build stacked parking for the MK. That would save tons of space and perhaps ease the "terrible" congestion of the TTC.
 
216bruce

216bruce

Well-Known Member
‹Skippy› said:
While I'm glad the race went around the track (I had no desire to visit the place otherwise), The steep decline/incline when you first enter was easily my least favorite section of the route.
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Amen to that! Worst part of the whole marathon course was that %$#dam* 'drop' onto the track and then running in a blacktop/concrete bowl. But, they are really going to have to reroute a lot of the marathon course in the next couple of years- DHS construction, racetrack removal and maybe even the DAK construction could impact the course
 
TheRabbit

TheRabbit

Well-Known Member
PhilharMagician said:
Try using the timeline feature in Google Earth before making incorrect statements. Just because you did not know about Google Earth in 1995 does not mean the imaging did not exist. There is imaging available on Google Earth for NYC back as far as 1959.


I hope they raze the track area and put in more parking spaces and line the whole parking area with some trees.
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Really? Because it looks to me from that photo that it is from the US Geological Survey. If Google Earth used the photo from them in their timeline feature, then at least quote the photo correctly. The photo was NOT taken by Google Earth since Google Earth was not around then. I am CORRECT in my statement. That is a photo from the US Geological Survey.
 
M

maxairmike

Well-Known Member
TheRabbit said:
Really? Because it looks to me from that photo that it is from the US Geological Survey. If Google Earth used the photo from them in their timeline feature, then at least quote the photo correctly. The photo was NOT taken by Google Earth since Google Earth was not around then. I am CORRECT in my statement. That is a photo from the US Geological Survey.
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You want a real shocker? NONE of the satellite imagery by any online search engine with mapping features is actually theirs. The screenshot was taken from Google Earth, therefore it is from Google Earth. If you want to play ridiculous technicalities, great, have at it.

Also, you're not really a rabbit, so stop calling yourself one.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
TheRabbit said:
Really? Because it looks to me from that photo that it is from the US Geological Survey. If Google Earth used the photo from them in their timeline feature, then at least quote the photo correctly. The photo was NOT taken by Google Earth since Google Earth was not around then. I am CORRECT in my statement. That is a photo from the US Geological Survey.
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None of the satellite images are taken by "Google earth". All are sourced from a myriad of satellite image suppliers.

Google purchased a satellite imaging company (Skybox Imaging) only 8 months ago.

Street view images are the only ones actually done almost solely by Google.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
TheRabbit said:
Really? Because it looks to me from that photo that it is from the US Geological Survey. If Google Earth used the photo from them in their timeline feature, then at least quote the photo correctly. The photo was NOT taken by Google Earth since Google Earth was not around then. I am CORRECT in my statement. That is a photo from the US Geological Survey.
Click to expand...

Google Earth is a SERVICE - not a camera itself. Google uses OTHER PEOPLE'S IMAGRY and has since day 0.. since until recent times, only the government owned satellites with optics worthy of taking ground level imaging. You were dismissive (no idea why) because you somehow thought their images couldn't predate their service's existance.

Hey know what... those books in your library?? They CAN have books in them from before your library opened...
 
Chevross

Chevross

Active Member
Well, huh. I actually enjoyed my experience there in '10 when I got to drive an Indycar race car. It was a unique track, which it's sad we're losing in the racing world as so few exist, but inevitable I suppose. I'll miss it, but I guess the convenience of parking outweighs a rare experience most do not get the opportunity to enjoy, especially in one of their favorite places in the world. Oh well. C'est la vie.
 
prberk

prberk

Well-Known Member
Flight Safety said:
I too was at the inaugural Indy 200, and man it was fun to see Tony Stewart battle for that win. Too bad he didn't get it. But I was there again in 98 when he did get the win. It was a very unique experience to watch a race on WDW property. I am a race fan, and above all a WDW fan. So this was always awesome to me. I always roll my windows down when driving into the TTC or nearby so I can hear if anyones turning laps.

It was also really nice to see some nascar haulers pulling into my favorite place on earth for testing every now and then. I am sad to see WDW Speedway leave. And I am pretty sure that they will level the track and add additional parking.
Click to expand...

I actually thought it was kind of cool, too, to have the Indy races there. They occurred during the traditional off-season for Disney (January), so not a huge effect on crowds. For those few days, I did not see a problem using the MK parking lot and redirecting MK day guests to Epcot for parking. Most people like the monorail, anyway.

I remember taking pictures at DTD of the WDW Indy Car used to promote the race.
 

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