Test Track closing early April 19

[disneygeek90]

I actually find the new version more engaging. Rode it twice this week.

You're pretty much looking at blue neon lights for 90% of the ride. Pass.

 

[larryz]

So, it's a couple of days later -- and I didn't hear anything about the world ending...

 

[mikejs78]

True, but that model has changed a lot since then. It’s not dead (yet), but certainly has lessened or at least evolved. Even though GM sponsors TT, they certainly don’t own it and shouldn’t be able to shut it down. That’s not the reason for sponsorship on either side in the first place.

I believe that things like this have happened since the beginning. I know someone who worked for Kraft foods back in the 80s - and I remember one time hearing about how they shut down The Land one evening for a private corporate event, which this individual attended.

GM is the original sponsor of that pavillion - from day one. Probably the only sponsor in Epcot today who has been there since the beginning. I suspect they have favorable long term contract terms that go back to the early 80s..

 

[mikejs78]

You're pretty much looking at blue neon lights for 90% of the ride. Pass.

Not about the lights. It's the interactive element of designing your own car and benchmarking it against the base test model. It's a lot of fun. Could it be better? Sure. But it's still a lot of fun.

 

[GlacierGlacier]

Not about the lights. It's the interactive element of designing your own car and benchmarking it against the base test model. It's a lot of fun. Could it be better? Sure. But it's still a lot of fun.

It feels like it could be at home (concept-wise) with some classic Epcot stuff. It's not an omnimover with Animatronic show scenes, but the edutainment aspect is incredibly strong. I'd love to see it with some additional *gasp* screens. Maybe drive alongside a life-size version of the best car in each category like you were looking through a mirror, or with your cars appearing on the in-car displays...

Or just for the "welcome to the sim-track" audio cue to sync up properly for once.

 

[MinnieWaffles]

I sometimes think our moderator will post a very minor item like this just to watch the wave of anger spread like wildfire.

Don't tell anyone, but I think they changed the toilet paper in stall #4 of the restroom just inside Epcot in the ladies's room.

 

[21stamps]

Not about the lights. It's the interactive element of designing your own car and benchmarking it against the base test model. It's a lot of fun. Could it be better? Sure. But it's still a lot of fun.

I think the appeal of the ride is definitely the design aspect and “test”... the interactive games/commercials etc after the ride are also as much of a reason to visit as the ride itself.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I think the appeal of the ride is definitely the design aspect and “test”... the interactive games/commercials etc after the ride are also as much of a reason to visit as the ride itself.

The pre-show for Test Track feels very EPCOT Center to me. I just wish the ride itself integrated more of the pre-show design process. The ride itself feels sterile, and it would be great if there was some humor integrated to the attraction like the previous incarnation. This could be accomplished a variety of different ways, but the easiest would be to use the designs on monitors where it simulates the best and worst vehicles at each test.

 

[mikejs78]

The pre-show for Test Track feels very EPCOT Center to me. I just wish the ride itself integrated more of the pre-show design process. The ride itself feels sterile, and it would be great if there was some humor integrated to the attraction like the previous incarnation. This could be accomplished a variety of different ways, but the easiest would be to use the designs on monitors where it simulates the best and worst vehicles at each test.

That's something they could easily do for a Test Track 2.5 or something.

 

[Jambo Joe]

The pre-show for Test Track feels very EPCOT Center to me. I just wish the ride itself integrated more of the pre-show design process. The ride itself feels sterile, and it would be great if there was some humor integrated to the attraction like the previous incarnation. This could be accomplished a variety of different ways, but the easiest would be to use the designs on monitors where it simulates the best and worst vehicles at each test.

Great comment. I have to admit the first time we rode it after the re-skin I was genuinely confused - there is too little connection between the design time you spend at the beginning and any tangible result during the ride. We had one of those - ‘ wait - that’s it?!’ moments. Lol.

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

The pre-show for Test Track feels very EPCOT Center to me. I just wish the ride itself integrated more of the pre-show design process. The ride itself feels sterile, and it would be great if there was some humor integrated to the attraction like the previous incarnation. This could be accomplished a variety of different ways, but the easiest would be to use the designs on monitors where it simulates the best and worst vehicles at each test.

Great comment. I have to admit the first time we rode it after the re-skin I was genuinely confused - there is too little connection between the design time you spend at the beginning and any any tangible result during the ride. We had one of those - waiting that’s it?!’

Misleading:

 

[21stamps]

Misleading:
View attachment 279745

How is it misleading. Isn’t that exactly what the ride is?

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

How is it misleading. Isn’t that exactly what the ride is?

The description led me to believe the car I design has some effect on the ride experience. That’s not saying the description is intentionally misleading, though now I know I’m not alone in misunderstanding the description. Disney could have incorporated the car designs into the ride experience in some clever way. Maybe they had a plan, and the budget wouldn’t allow it.

 

[21stamps]

The description led me to believe the car I design has some effect on the ride experience. That’s not saying the description is intentionally misleading, though now I know I’m not alone in misunderstanding the description. Disney could have incorporated the car designs into the ride experience in some clever way. Maybe they had a plan, and the budget wouldn’t allow it.

Ah ok. I always thought that the point was to see how good your design was.. so it made sense to me.

 

[mikejs78]

The description led me to believe the car I design has some effect on the ride experience. That’s not saying the description is intentionally misleading, though now I know I’m not alone in misunderstanding the description. Disney could have incorporated the car designs into the ride experience in some clever way. Maybe they had a plan, and the budget wouldn’t allow it.

I'm not sure how that would be possible given that each car seats 6 people...

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

I'm not sure how that would be possible given that each car seats 6 people...

Imagineers would be able to figure something out. Here’s an example:

The pre-show for Test Track feels very EPCOT Center to me. I just wish the ride itself integrated more of the pre-show design process. The ride itself feels sterile, and it would be great if there was some humor integrated to the attraction like the previous incarnation. This could be accomplished a variety of different ways, but the easiest would be to use the designs on monitors where it simulates the best and worst vehicles at each test.

 

[spock8113]

I wish they'd close it to put it back the way it was. That was funner.

 

[mikejs78]

I wish they'd close it to put it back the way it was. That was funner.

I prefer this version.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Steve,
I know this is off topic, but...
I'd like to see like a "bulletin-board" post similar to how Mr Penguin's rumor tracker is posted so that parks related announcements can be posted in one central location.

 

[ParksAndPixels]

We talked with one of imagineers involved in redo. This was an atempt by Chevy to give modern cutting edge tech feel to auto industry. Not a bad idea, but I’m not totally sold on the new theming. What would be cool if they did like a virtual comparison of the created cars then you “ride” the best scoring vehicle. Have a cool and perhaps more obvious transition between the virtual car and a physical vehicle.