Test Track Presented by Chevrolet - Autumn 2012

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Chris W
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Beginning this fall, Epcot guests will be able to enjoy a re-imagined version of the popular Future World attraction, Test Track presented by Chevrolet.

This new version of the attraction will transform the current testing workshop into the sleek “Chevrolet Design Center at Epcot,” where guests can become immersed in the fun – and fast – world of automotive design. Here, guests will become automotive designers and create their own custom vehicles. Next, they’ll buckle into a six-person SimCar ride vehicle and test out their design on the challenging track of the Test Track course.

Afterward, guests can take a fascinating look into the future of transportation by viewing a collection of the latest Chevrolet vehicles in an all-new showroom.

This fun new experience is the result of a renewed, multi-year business relationship between Disney and General Motors, companies that have worked together for more than 30 years.
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2 ... -at-epcot/
The current testing workshop of the queue area will be replaced with the "Chevrolet Design Center" where guests will use workstations to become automotive designers.  Surrounding the queue area will be concept vehicles and models.  Once guests have designed their vehicle, they will board the existing Test Track ride system, newly named "SimCar", to put their design through its paces.  The post show area will give guests a score of how well their concept vehicle performed, along with the chance to see the latest Chevy models in a brand-new showroom.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions/Tes ... cot%27.htm

So Test Track has got a new sponsor and they want to make changes to the attraction. All the track will remain the same but the theme is going to be changing.
Rumours are suggesting that it's the next part of the WDW Next Gen Experience concept, what Disney believes is the future of theme parks.

I'm not really too bothered about the retheme, standard change due to how Epcot works, but as it is part of the NGE project it is very exciting!
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Sam
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I don't like this at all, because I'm a big Test Track fan.

The current main bulk of the ride, the testing area, is kooky and fun and weird and a bit of an adventure. It sounds like they want to retheme it into some bland and corporate "vision of the future" kinda thing. Do we know if the actual track indoors is being changed at all? i.e. getting rid of all the bumpy bits and hairpin turns and stuff?
Craig

From that it doesn't sound like the actual track layout itself will change much at all.  We may see a slight update to the theming on the track itself, but this seems to concentrate on before the ride rather than anything else.  Instead of queuing, there'll be more interactivity before boarding the ride vehicles.

Interesting how they will get to design their own vehicles though.  I wonder if this means the reactions of your car on the test track will change according to what you've designed?  Will it be bumpier according to the suspension, faster according to the engine?
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Adam James
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According to Inside the Magic, Epcot have been testing out the RFID technology with the below test SimCar for certain ticketed riders over the past week or so. Shapewise I can't see many differences, so the technology mostly appears to be within the vehicle if i'm looking at it correctly.

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I haven't been on Test Track myself so can't really pass comment, however it does look like an extraordinary experience as it is.
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Benzin
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Reading the quotes, only things to massively change will be the pre and post ride sections...

And simplifying Automotive Engineering for the masses makes me laugh... If only it was as easy as they'll make it out...
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Having not been on the ride, I cannot comment fully on it, but this seems like an exciting prospect to me, being able to design my own car before putting it through it's paces virtually would be quite good, what hits my mind is how would this work, for example, I guess you design the WHOLE car, including the insides, engines etc. so how would this transfer to the ride itself? other than that, it would definitely be a one of a kind thing, as unless you write everything down or have real good photographic memory, you cannot honestly make the same car twice.
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Themeparksandy1981
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General Motors is still sponsoring the ride just this time there basing the refit on 1 of there models they make.
I think after 13 years a refit could be a good thing as it is in future world and the future is always changing. They updated Spaceship Earth in 08 and after Test Track I can see Soarin been updated to show a Florida film and maybe Mission to Mars been updated to go to another Planet. In between theses upgrades can see a new 4D movie based on Tron replacing HISTA or Captain EO and Journey to Imagination been replaced or updated. I heard the Living with the seas&the lion king attraction in the land are gonna get changed as they got a new sponsor now. I heard nothing about the Universal of Energy. I do hope they use the wonder of life building all year round again not just for special effects.
A rumour about World Showcase is that there gonna change bits to the firework show and gonna add Brazil to world showcase.
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Will04
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Themeparksandy1981 wrote: General Motors is still sponsoring the ride just this time there basing the refit on 1 of there models they make.
I think after 13 years a refit could be a good thing as it is in future world and the future is always changing. They updated Spaceship Earth in 08 and after Test Track I can see Soarin been updated to show a Florida film and maybe Mission to Mars been updated to go to another Planet.
It has long been rumoured that Soarin' will get a new Soarin' Over the World ride video, both for Disneyland California and in Epcot.  However, plans recently seem to have gone quiet: I imagine this is due to WDW and DLR spending large amounts of money on the Fantasyland and California Adventure makeover projects. Hopefully we will see it sometime in the future.
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CoasterCrazyChris
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I can vaguely remember Test Track - it was that sort of ride you just wanted to go on again and again.

Here is the existing pre-ride area:

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This is probably one of the best themed rides in the world - if they strip all this amazing theming out and turn it into  one giant car showroom for GM I will not be best pleased.
Last edited by CoasterCrazyChris on Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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NeilHD
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Hmm... not entirely sure I like this because Test Track is one of my favourites.

Need some more details though really. If it really changes the actual experience of the ride then will this slow down the throughput when there are smaller groups that previously would have shared a car?
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Sam
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Test Track is closing down today, for a month, presumably to become yet another ride bastardised and ruined by a sponsor. :)
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TB2
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Sam wrote: Test Track is closing down today, for a month, presumably to become yet another ride bastardised and ruined by a sponsor. :)
What, so like it wasn't sponsored before?!

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Maybe GM just stands for Genetically Modified Testrack.
1. Expedition Everest 2. Hollywood Tower of Terror 3.Superman De Acero 4. Katun and Nemesis 6. OzIris 7. Blue Fire 8. Black Mamba 9. Manta 10. Oblivion

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darkside
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I thought it was closing until late September?
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Jiminy Cricket
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Im fuming im going in september , its a big blow specially as there are hardly any rides at Epcot why are they refurbing this in main season i don't get why they didn't start in january
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Themeparksandy1981
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It's rumored to reopen on the 21st Sept
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Jiminy Cricket
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i go back on the 20th!  :roll:
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Themeparksandy1981
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They could have soft opening during the week before to test it out with a limited number of guests.
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King Nemesis
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Im guttered...
Going on the 22nd of May and was looking forward to going on this ride.
Pretty annoyed now...
*sad face*
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TB2
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Jiminy Cricket wrote: Im fuming im going in september , its a big blow specially as there are hardly any rides at Epcot why are they refurbing this in main season i don't get why they didn't start in january
Epcot isn't just about the rides, in fact the only park out there at Disney World that is rides heavy is Magic Kingdom.
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Sam
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"New renderings of the reimagined Test Track at Epcot: The attraction is currently scheduled to reopen late fall."

This looks dumb...
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