Test Track renovation

[Mo Noyz]

I wouldn't say that because I do think that they did a nice job with it initially. It's just that the queue itself had a "re-ridability" factor of 0.

I guess I also subconsciously factor in that EPCOT Center really didn't have any truly detailed queues at the time.

Well, The Living Seas was decent enough, I suppose. Hardcore queue theming didn't seem to take off until the days of Test Track and Tower of Terror.

[supernova]

I guess I also subconsciously factor in that EPCOT Center really didn't have any truly detailed queues at the time.

What are you talking about???? You're honestly going to try to tell me that Spaceship Earth isn't a beautifully masterful queue that... OK, never mind.

[Mo Noyz]

Well, the first time I rode it at night the atmosphere, lighting, and music made it pretty cool. That could count, I suppose.

[HauntedGabe]

That whole side of Future World will be close to deserted. Test Track is the big draw. Mission Space is just so-so attendance wise and I don't know how many people are dying to get to Energy. Then there's Wonders of Life...

Energy is a good place for a small kid to crash and take a nap. I did that ride so many times when my kids were tiny, cool, dark ideal. Also good for a big rain storm passing through. Mission I did once, I'm in the club of never again.

looks like im not going to epcot in april for my annual trip lol

I'm sure you are not going to be alone in skipping Epcot. It is like the final nail in the coffin for Future World and Soar'n will be that much more crowded.

Yet you don't know. Nothing has ever gone easy for Test Track. We were there for the CM Original and Forgotten and not spoken of Cast opening. The next day TT opened. It closed. It didn't open for what, over another year? It isn't spoken of. Everything refers to the Official opening date much later. If anyone knows the real story, I'd love to hear what happened that it was so hush, hush. So who knows, depends on how these test cars fared, it might still be awaiting rehab come spring.

on.

Now all I think is "man, does it have to be this loud?!"

Still an excellent queue, but somehow more annoying than anything else...

I so agree, sounds has been known to startle me too. Giggle.

Lately, I haven't really experienced the queue. I always hit Test Track after I get my Soarin' fast pass. My wife's not a huge fan of the ride, so sometimes I'll ride solo if she doesn't feel like going on. With basically the entire park over at the Land during the morning EMH, there is little to no line for Test Track (or Mission Space, for that matter), so I fly through the queue. Plus, if I go to the solo rider line, you can sometimes skip the preshow, too. But back to my point, I couldn't imagine weaving through that yellow piping on my way to the ride during a busy time and being the least bit entertained by the queue.

Test Track is on my top 5 list. Love that attraction. We normally ride it together at least once. We hit the solo line frequently. Once we hit the solo line and the normal line went faster. Many caught onto that secret.

[supernova]

Well, the first time I rode it at night the atmosphere, lighting, and music made it pretty cool. That could count, I suppose.

Beautiful at night for sure. But I absolutely got your point about the old-style Epcot attractions with the lack of themeing for the queues. Spaceship Earth's seemingly unending rows of blue pipes are about as maximum "unappealing" as you can get. Plus, it's all outdoors.

[BamaJenn]

This trip was the first time in a long time that I've experienced the queue at TT. We too normally do FPs but there was little requiring that this time around. That said... I actually found myself commenting that it's in need of some work. The cars look sad (faded, some cracked spots etc.), the indoor scenes etc. are much the same. The lighting seemed like it's just not up to snuff anymore in some places and just overall it felt a little more "jerky" than usual. I'm hoping this rumor is true but only in the sense of cleaning it up and repairing it.

[supernova]

A lot of times I've ridden, the video monitors were crackly, if working at all.

[Mo Noyz]

Yeah, the video monitors have been a mess for several years. The entire ride is showing its' age badly.

[supernova]

Look how long it took them to get around to fixing the audio on a major attraction like the Haunted Mansion. Then again, that ride isn't sponsored.

[HauntedGabe]

Must remember though, nobody knew including GM for a while, with the bail-out if this attraction was going to be sponsored at all. Glad that all worked itself out and is going to be rehab'd or it would have likely been another ghost much like WoL pavilion and most of Imagination.

Does continue to baffle me that with the admission charged that everything needs to be paid for by a sponsor.

[BamaJenn]

From WDWNewsToday.com (re: the recent 2012 refurb announcements):

Still not listed is the rumored refurbishment of Test Track at Epcot. The reason we have heard for this is that the attraction is not closing in the Spring as rumored, but rather in the Summer after Cars Land at California Adventure opens. The reason for this is that Imagineering wants to see how the upgrades to the technology and the new show scene effects work before moving them over to Florida. Once Test Track does close, it will be closed for several months. Right now, the only rumored changes we are hearing about are new scenes where the tires are changed or the paint scheme of the car is changed, just like in Radiator Springs Racers.

[JNota0005DakMC]

mike,
i rode it in august, and even then the preshow video was off... for regular riders... not just single... it seems they made it an extension of the queue more than anything else...

[supernova]

mike,
i rode it in august, and even then the preshow video was off... for regular riders... not just single... it seems they made it an extension of the queue more than anything else...

The last time I rode, there was a recorded voice that kept repeating "Stop" over and over and over again on the ride, over the on-board sound. Apparently the cast members knew about it but never bothered to remove the offending vehicle. They did offer to let us re-ride, but rather than hop off and get onto the next car, we had to take the hidden walkway up and over the ride. When we came down the other side, we were greeted by a less-than-friendly staff member who questioned what we were doing up there and why we were coming back down to ride. She escorted us back out to the exit before the guy who told us to get back on stepped in and told her what was happening. Yeah, I have nothing else to do with my time at 8:30am at a completely empty attraction than to try to jump the non-existent ride. And I guess I'm too lazy to exit and re-enter. Dope.

[JNota0005DakMC]

yeh sometimes the "magical" personalities that Uncle Walt wanted for his CM's has been given liberties lately...

[Prince Charming]

I have not experienced any technical problems on this attraction over the past few years. I gather from all of these posts that I have been lucky! I remember riding it back in 2000 and it was breaking down fairly frequently - we could never get past the brake test section! They even gave us a "Re-Entry Pass" (before Fast Pass) to skip the line, but it would end up with another stoppage. I had collected a few of these purple tickets before finally giving up; I even saved one, as a souvenir!

It will be interesting to read more about the refurb.