Test Track refurb???

[Tom Morrow]

They're not talking about WDI, who, obviously had a part in the design of this. The point is that TDO does not deserve credit because this never would have happened if it wasn't for GM forking over the cash and wanting it done.

 

[RSoxNo1]

My take on it: GM had the ideas, GM paid for the ideas, built some of the items themselves and told Disney you better make this work. Therefore if GM had the ideas and didn't want to pay for everything, we would of got another 'value engineered' attraction.

So ....I don't think TDO deserves credit on this one - one could say WDI don't deserve credit either.

I think GM gave Imagineers some direction and more importantly a budget that they haven't seen in a while.

 

[NemoRocks78]

Courtesy of Screamscape:

Fantastic stuff! I can't wait to see the rest. Though it definitely seems like they shoulda done something outside - everything is gonna be so sleek inside, and then you wind up outside on a plain ol' track. Coulda used some nice lighting around there or something.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Screamscape just got caught. The video got removed.

Not yet but they may... one of the few people @WaltDisneyWorld follows is @Attraction (Attraction Magazine) and they just RT the @Screamscape video tweet. #twitter

 

[Bairstow]

By that logic, TDO deserves credit for nothing ever. And Universal deserves no credit for WWoHP - it should all go to JK Rowling.

You're bowing out to hyperbole.
If rumors are to be believed, GM's influence in this rennovation went far beyond simply providing a budget and some nice concept cars to display at the end.

So, as the video demonstrates... there really needs to be sound effects or a music score for the outside portion. Seems like that should have been a no brainer...

Oh well, at least the inside is awesome.

Sounds like what the outside portion needs is fast-paced music in the style of what seems to be played throughout the attraction.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Didn't Disney take a pass on Harry Potter because what Rowling wanted was too expensive? Can somebody confirm if that actually happened? Anyway, that's not the point I'm trying to make.....Universal was willing to pay for what Rowling wanted. And that's the difference. All of the recent improvements that people are listing in this thread were the result of mandates from higher-level executives overriding TDO and/or someone else footing the bill. Left to their own devices, TDO would not have done things like Star Tours 2 to the level that they ended up being. The underwhelming Space Mountain refurb and the deteriorating condition of the parks in general are empirical evidence of how TDO runs a park on their own. So, no, TDO really doesn't deserve all that much credit in this case; save your props for WDI and GM. (Not rendering an opinion myself on the ride yet - just making the case for who should be credited, for better or worse)

Bloomberg Businessweek: Are you feeling pressure at all over what Comcast/Universal (CMCSA) is doing with Harry Potter?
Rob Iger: Universal did a good job with Harry Potter. It’s had a modest impact on our business in Florida. But we continue to expand and improve that place, too. We’re building out Fantasyland now in the [Orlando] Magic Kingdom, then we’ll add Avatar Land.

BB: Any reason why you guys didn’t bid on Harry Potter?
Iger: We negotiated for Harry Potter way back, and at the time the folks that were running that side of the business didn’t like the terms.

BB: Was that before you were CEO?
Iger: I had just become CEO. Yeah, I’m not a big believer in second-guessing decisions.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-09/bob-iger-on-disney-california-adventure#p2

 

[marni1971]

Because he's trying so, so hard to withhold credit from TDO. Just a pathetic post.

That made me giggle. I'll miss you.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Its funny you say that. I agree with your point.

However, these specific pictures show the bridge after it was updated in 1994 for Star Trek Generations (their first movie). See what the Trek people were able to do? Update a 1980s classic into the mid 1990s without destroying it!

You completely out-geeked me. I salute you.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Couldn't agree more. That clip is very EPCOT Center in the best way possible.

I said the exact same thing on Twitter last night.

 

[NoChesterHester]

This looks like a home run. And just like renovating your kitchen, the new area leaves the rest of the house looking more shabby than ever.

The excellence of this attraction should be applauded. Now we should all turn our collective voices to calling for the rest of Future World the be addressed in a similar fashion.

 

[Oddysey]

My wife and I took a peak over the walls last night and really like the new architectural design. It is sleek, has a modern, and seeing the glossy sort of sim car design posted in the middle really does lend itself to the feeling of the original Epcot. There were a lot of people standing in the area in front of the walls taking pictures, and that sort of thing. There seems to be a real genuine excitment for this.

On an interesting note, my wife never had the opportunity to experience the old Epcot, and after seeing the new design she started complaining about the canopy type structure up front. She never complained about it when TT1.0 was around, and stated that now it just looks like a construction zone under the entrance having a very temporary feel. It made me realize that it is not just the nostalgia for WoM that makes me and many other want the structure to come down. Even my wife who never experienced the original was complaining about it. Oh well, in the end I am happy TT is by all accounts getting an excellent refurb.

Oh yeah, one last thing that I noticed that I did not notice in the pictures was that the mirror that used to be attached to the building for view of the speeding cars has been removed.

I woke up (in Australia) to see another 3 pages to the thread and got excited for new pics or a video, but instead it was just 3 pages of arguments. Of course I should have realised that but, ya know...

And I woke up to see an additional page of those complaining about others complaining, and this essentially is even less productive. The best way to get the thread on track or get it to reflect the content that you want is to contribute to the topic in a constructive way.

 

[dreamscometrue]

I think everyone here genuinely wants TDO to do a good job every single project they work on. That being said its been admitted via major news networks, various insiders, etc that GM had the lead here and designed what is said to be a great experience. Does TDO deserve the majority of the credit on this... No but they too did a good job taking the vision and building it.

And, I don't think this is a bad thing at all...partnership.

Isn't this typical of how pavillions at FW were created and maintained from the outset; that is, with significant corporate sponsorship? From at least the time of the 1964 World's Fair, hasn't Disney needed financial input from large businesses for many of the very expensive pavillions/attractions?

 

[c-one]

And, I don't think this is a bad thing at all...partnership.

Isn't this typical of how pavillions at FW were created and maintained from the outset; that is, with significant corporate sponsorship? From at least the time of the 1964 World's Fair, hasn't Disney needed financial input from large businesses for many of the very expensive pavillions/attractions?

Our resident historians are probably more qualified to answer this but I think you're mostly right. Pavilion sponsorship money has historically financed rehabs or new attractions -- e.g. the Spaceship Earth renovation (and wand removal) came about once Siemens took over as sponsor and requested changes. I think the degree to which the sponsor is involved with the ride's content varies, however. It's ranged from aiding in design as Chevrolet has done here, to whitewashing the ride's content (ahem, Exxon/Universe of Energy), to slapping the corporate logo on a few things and calling it a day like United Technologies did with the original Living Seas. But a partnership is not at all unusual, no.

 

[E82]

If anyone knows a CM, today and tomorrow(12/1-12/2) they can invite friends and family to play-test TT from 2pm-930pm without it counting against their maingate (free) passes.

 

[Flswimmer]

Apparently according to Attractions Magazine, cast member previews are today at 2:00 pm. Hopefully pictures/videos will be allowed.

 

[RAXIP]

Apparently according to Attractions Magazine, cast member previews are today at 2:00 pm. Hopefully pictures/videos will be allowed.

Still no photos or video allowed.

 

[E82]

Apparently according to Attractions Magazine, cast member previews are today at 2:00 pm. Hopefully pictures/videos will be allowed.

Pictures and video is still not allowed.

 

[disneylover4]

Do

Pictures and video is still not allowed.

Does anyone think guests will be able to ride it today?? My family and I are here right now and would love to ride it!!!!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Here is the 2010 Shanghai Expo GM pavilion that was build by the same GM team involved with TT 2.0. Whatever gave them the idea for a wheel shaped pavilion?

What inspired what? From the looks of it, TT2 was inspired by other recent GM shows, and drew its inspiration from WoM / EPCOT 82. A WoM, which for its part was inpired by elder GM transportation pavilions in previous world expo's.

This mutual inspiration, close cooperation between outside designers and WDI is not a criticism of either one. Far from it, it is what EPCOT, at least the Theme Center if not the city, is all about. A permanent world's fair, a showcase for (American) industry. Pavilions designed in close cooperation with industry.

For however much I admire the design of TT2, the regret remains that EPCOT should present a vision of its own. EPCOT has a mission, a vocation of its own, one more encompassing than selling advertissements. 'Motion', or even the less abstract 'transportation' are a better subject for EPCOT than 'car design'. TT, even TT2, is a post show. It belongs in CommuniCore/Innoventions, not as a self-sustaining pavilion. It is Sum of all Thrills more than it is WoM.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

On an interesting note, my wife never had the opportunity to experience the old Epcot, and after seeing the new design she started complaining about the canopy type structure up front. She never complained about it when TT1.0 was around, and stated that now it just looks like a construction zone under the entrance having a very temporary feel. It made me realize that it is not just the nostalgia for WoM that makes me and many other want the structure to come down. Even my wife who never experienced the original was complaining about it.


And I woke up to see an additional page of those complaining about others complaining, and this essentially is even less productive. The best way to get the thread on track or get it to reflect the content that you want is to contribute to the topic in a constructive way.

I still can't believe that every casual visitor can see what the TT designers apparantly could not. Namely, that the canopy is an eyesore. One that cheapens the design, cheapens the pavilion. It is to TT2 what the Wand was to SSE.

I totally agree that the best way to end the pointless side-discussion is to not feed it, and focus on the serious posts and news snippets instead.