WDW Speed way going electric???

"El Gran Magnifico"

Mr Flibble is Very Cross.
I think Disney can monetize a "drone" attraction. Follow me here: Drones could be rented at various locations around World Showcase Lagoon. Each sporting the "colors" of said representative country pavilion in which they are rented.

The drones can then be fitted with ordinances. Say each drone gets 3. You rent them - then hone your skill at dropping said ordinances on taco shaped objects within the lagoon. I think it'd be a hit (literally) after a few rounds of practice. The cash would be rolling in. Kids would smile. Adults would have fun.
 

ohioguy

Well-Known Member
I think the only thing that saves the Speedway is its historic connection to Walt, and the fact that it's popular with the younger set. It certainly is past its prime and there's nothing that screams "futuristic" enough to maintain its place in Tomorrowland. That land could be used for another big ticket attraction. Disney is reimagining The Black Hole, which might fit nicely in that space.
 

AFoodie

Member
Does anyone ever think that the WDW Speedway will ever go electric? Personally I wish it would. Get rid of those old gas go carts and go electric. Also I wish they would fix the steering in the cars. The steering is so loose when you turn you just bump the center guide rail. The speedway in Disney Land is sponsored by Honda, I wish Disney could get them to upgrade the attraction. It would also be better for cast members working there to not have to smell the gas fumes all day.
Not happening anytime soon. Disney doesn’t seem to be ready to put any money into fixing what’s already broke (Disco Yeti) or finishing what’s underway (GOTG, Tron).
 

Pepper's Ghost

Well-Known Member
It certainly is past its prime
Wow, that's mildly stated... like saying Michael Jordan was a decent basketball player, or Tiger Woods is a philanderer. 🤣🤪

I agree with the couple of others who feel electric is problematic from a practical standpoint. If it's battery operated, charging is a problem. You'd need full and frequent change-out of ride vehicles, and I'd bet that you'd need far more than two sets of vehicles per track. Charge time averages to be longer than range for most electric cars. And then of course you need the normal spare cars for those that break down for one reason or another.

I saw the mention of contactless charging. I have no data on this, but I'd bet exposing guests and especially employees to constant electromagnetic fields the size needed to charge all the cars on the track would be very hazardous. Heck, most people won't buy houses anywhere near large power lines. Imagine if they were designed to charge everything within range.

And let's not even consider live electric tracks. Talk about hazards with employees needing to walk the track for assistance.

Add all of this to the cost and penny-pinching of The Parks... I'm guessing it will be ripped out and another big attraction installed before this ever happens.
 

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Recharge time might be problematic, whether the vehicles’ batteries could run for 12 hours a day on an overnight charge. Under-floor contactless chargers? Actually, I think WDW would like to reclaim that valuable inside-the-park real estate for another rollercoaster rather than renew the Grand Prix operation.
Hong Kong made it work. You recharge the batteries in load unload. The LPS trackless ride vehicles (MMRR, RotR, PHH) do the same.
 

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Anybody else feel like this is THE attraction to do an all indoor queueless queue, think Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon, if you’re going to do a major refurb?
 

Pepper's Ghost

Well-Known Member
Anybody else feel like this is THE attraction to do an all indoor queueless queue, think Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon, if you’re going to do a major refurb?
Not sure I follow. Do you mean basically a dark ride? If it went electric, that'd actually be really cool. A dark ride where you're in cars sorta like TT1.0. To be able to control the environment and make it very different every time with projections. They can make it M&MRR but better.
 
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Pepper's Ghost

Well-Known Member
Hong Kong made it work. You recharge the batteries in load unload. The LPS trackless ride vehicles (MMRR, RotR, PHH) do the same.
MMRR, RotR, etc have larger ride vehicles though, don't they? Wouldn't that mean room for more batteries?

Recharging only during load/unload puzzles me. I'm not saying they didn't make it work, but I can't see how that short time frame gives the time for charging. I'm definitely out of my comfort zone here though.
 

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Not sure I follow. Do you mean basically a dark ride? If it went electric, that'd actually be really cool. A dark ride were you're in cars sorta like TT1.0. To be able to control the environment and make it very different every time with projections. They can make it M&MRR but better.
Jimmy Fallon has a set up where you are given a pass with a boarding color (NBC peacock) and there are different activities you can do to pass the time until your color is called.


Honestly, Speedway needs it more than Dumbo, which is the same idea.
 

Pepper's Ghost

Well-Known Member
Jimmy Fallon has a set up where you are given a pass with a boarding color (NBC peacock) and there are different activities you can do to pass the time until your color is called.


Honestly, Speedway needs it more than Dumbo, which is the same idea.

Huh. Interesting. Isn't that more like the process used for RotR? Boarding groups essentially? Or really, just FP. Sounds like the exact same concept with a slightly different twist. With FP, you pass the time on different activities until your time arrives such as other rides, eating, shopping, or shows. Although I haven't been back to WDW for several years, I thought it basically the same with boarding passes on RotR.
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Recharge delay may very well be one of the obstacles to this seemingly obvious proposal. Maybe either have multiple fleets(i.e. 1 on track, 2nd on chargers), as many fleets as needed, or wait for better charging/battery combos. Waiting seems to be winning.
Well they already had a solution for Hong Kong. What did they do there?
 

oliviamia103

New Member
GreenGT – a Switzerland-based firm involved in car design - could be the first to the Le Mans grid with an electric race car. ... According to the GreenGT, the closed-cockpit race car will deliver between 400 and 450 bhp and an astonishing 2000 Nm of torque up to 160 km-h, then reduced to 800 Nm to aid high-speed traction.
 

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