transportation

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On Track with Test Track

Published August 28, 2012 by Disneyways.com

NEW INFO as of October 2012! Click here to learn more!

“Late Fall” is the time frame for Test Track to return. Don’t you love it when Disney gets specific?

Walt Disney Imagineering’s Melissa Jeselnick revealed more details about Test Track through a Q&A chat session posted Monday on the Disney Parks Blog.

Here are some things Melissa had to say about what we can expect.

Remaining the same:

•Ride vehicles. They are “still the same physical ride that our guests know and love,” Melissa says. “You’ll ride in our sim car.”

•Track layout. The indoor-then-outdoor nature of the attraction continues, including the 65 mph stretch.

•Queue workarounds. Both FastPass and single-rider line will be available again for Test Track. YAY!

Expect these to be updated:

•Marquee. Test Track will have a new look upon approach in Future World.

•Queue. The pre-show area will be totally rehabbed, with a theme that is “changing from testing to design,” Jeselnick says.  On display will be “actual items, sketches, cars, models from GM that have never been seen before by anyone outside the Chevrolet family,” she says.

•Music. The soundtrack will be futuristic and have sound effects. (To me, the thing looks like something from Tron. It seems the music may sound like Tron too!)

Here’s what will be totally different:

We will get a chance to virtually create a “dream vehicle” using interactive kiosks. Whether this is done individually or as a group, the new creation(s) will be graded against the standard sim car (the vehicles we actually ride in as we know them).  When you get to the slide show at the bottom, look for the photo with the dials.   We get to choose from factors such as capability, efficiency, responsiveness, power and speed. The actual ride will be the same, only now you get to see who makes the best “dream vehicle” in comparison to the sim car.

The post-show will kick off with a scoring opportunity, not just with the guests in our car, but guests throughout the day. (Think Toy Story Ride ending) From there, we’ll move into other opportunities to interact with our design. The show room space will still be there with the Chevrolet cars, and we’ll have our own photo ops with different concept cars.

Why the changes? Melissa told us car design has moved into a digital realm, and now Test Track will reflect that move. Test Track is one of my favorite attractions. I have a feeling it will stay that way. How about you?

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Test Track closing for refurbishment on Sunday according to cast members

Published April 11, 2012 by Disneyways.com

It’s official!! Well, almost. Here’s what we know for sure:

Disney and General Motors are partnering to develop a re-imagined Test Track experience. The current GM Test Track at Epcot will close for refurbishment in April 2012, with an anticipated opening of Test Track Presented by Chevrolet scheduled for fall 2012.

Disney has said Test Track will transform into the sleek “Chevrolet Design Studio at Epcot” with interactive design and styling workstations where we will be able to create their own custom concept vehicles. Also included will be something called a  “SimCar” ride vehicle experience where we can put our design through tests on the hills, switchbacks and straight-aways of the Test Track circuit. There will now be a post-show area filled with special effects, and we will be scored on how well our custom concept vehicle did. Disney is also updating the showroom with the actual vehicles and making it “all-new” and “state-of-the-art”. Construction permits have been filed with Orange County as of yesterday.

Unofficially, cast members who work the ride are saying they will close beginning this Sunday. Again, no official word on re-opening except that they expect we will be able to feel the wind in our hair from our test track vehicle some time in the fall of 2012. Personally, I’m a big fan of the wind-blown look, so for me it won’t be a minute too soon.

Aren’t you glad you used Dial?

Published April 10, 2012 by Disneyways.com

Remember those old soap commercials that asked, “Aren’t you glad you used Dial? Don’t you wish everybody did?” See the commercial here.

If you have ever been on a Disney bus packed like a sardine can full of tourists – then you will appreciate this. Disney is testing articulated 112 person capacity busses for resort guest transportation*. I think that means if you were on Disney property today, you might just be able to see and ride on one, The bad news is, they tested something similar back in the early ‘90’s and it apparently didn’t work out. So, I’m crossing my fingers things will go better this time. In the meantime, I am stockpiling my Dial soap for the hot summer season.

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