The awaited new version of Test Track is now in soft-opening at Epcot and it looks awesome! With its TRON inspired design and a new pre-show and post-show it's now a totally new attraction that will re-open officially in a few days. Sure, the track itself is still the same and some of the scenes - the heat, cold and painting sequences as well as the crash test scene - have been replaced by others but the industrial theming is also gone forever and, good lord, what a good news!
Although i was impressed by the technology i was among those who hated the theming of the first version, specially considering that they had to get rid of World of Motion and all its animatronics to build Test Track. Now, with the new futuristic theming, at least the attraction belongs totally to Epcot Future World and some scenes have shortly some reminiscences of scenes from Epcot extinct attractions like Horizons... Of course, if you don't like TRON you're going to be disappointed but the truth is that WDI Imagineers did a fantastic job with this new version. Let's thanks too Chevrolet, the new attraction sponsor, who gave the money that WDI Imagineers needed for the new theming. On the picture below you can see WDI Imagineers with people from Chevrolet around the new Test Track model.
Full ride videos already appeared on Youtube and once again it's the good guys from Inside the Magic who did the best one not only showing the full ride but also the pre and post show. It's very important to watch the pre-show so don't miss it on the video below.
One more thing before you launch the video: i wouldn't be surprised if this new Test Track version was the second WDW attraction to open in less than two weeks which will also serve as a technical rehearsal for an upcoming Shanghaî Disneyland ride. I told you recently in my previous article how Disney Hollywood Studios "Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow" could be a rehearsal for some techniques that WDI might use in SDL POTC new version. Here it's different, Shanghaî Disneyland will not have a Test Track ride but a TRON motor bike coaster will apparently replace the usual Space Mountain in SDL Tomorrowland. And i have the feeling that the TRON theming in Epcot Test Track might be a technical rehearsal for WDI Imagineers for the SDL TRON attraction. Keep this in mind when you'll watch the video and you'll see how some of the lighting effects and projection techniques could be used in a TRON ride, of course with different scenes. That said, go ahead and watch the video, of course in full screen mode!
If you want to see how different this new version is from the first one Orlando Attractions Magazine had the good idea to upload a video showing side by side the two versions. But do NOT watch this next video before you've watched the one above.
Finally, here is a series of WDI renderings specially done for the new version. They were released three weeks ago and i still don't know why i missed them as they look great. Click on each to see them in high-res and if you want to see pictures of the ride jump to the Inside the Magic web site.
The first ones below are showing the queue and pre-show areas.
The next artwork shows the pre-show design stations with which you can design your car. Your design will appear on screens placed all along the ride.
The new design of the Test Track vehicles.
Two renderings for ride scenes, but it looks way much better in real.
Some artwork for the post show, the first one showing the Chevrolet showroom also includes a game called “Showroom Showdown”.
All this looks great, doesn't it? Thanks to let me know in the comments what you think of this new Test Track!
I am excited to see the new theming but I still prefer the old one. I am a fan of actually props...
ReplyDeleteBut I bet it will look wonderful in TRON Coaster!
So basically in the past 2 weeks Disney world has gotten 2 second rate version attractions while Shanghai will be getting the first rate versions? That would really upset me if I was a WDW AP member. Why not just put the real Tron e ticket in Epcot and leave test track alone since TT is well received already and Epcot seriously needs fresh attractions ? The Tron ride would fit nicely with a pavillion about computer science and the future of that tech.
ReplyDeleteHonestly Alain, I really preferred the old version.
ReplyDeleteI like when they update attractions, but not what they have done to this one. TT made sense before, it was supposed to simulate the tests done to new car models in the factories and it looked authentic.
The line showed how they tested the car materials, than in the ride itself we had brake tests (with and without ABS), paint test, heat test, cooling test, curve test, crash test and speed test; it made sense and the ride decor looked like a real testing facility.
Now it's just more nonsense futuristic crap that will soon become outdated.
The computer to design your car is not impressive at all, it would be really impressive if we boarded the car we had just designed to test it, but the way it is I can do at home.
Besides, like Luke I also prefer real props to projection effects.
WOW! Sorry, but I'm at a total opposite of the comments before mine. I personally felt that the original Test Track was horribly out of place from a thematic standpoint. Sure I liked the original attraction and like "real" props, but the kind of props in the old test track were not a loss. The new projection and lighting effects have brought this ride back into the future and make it fit the theme of Future World for the first time ever. I personally can't see this attraction becoming outdated within a decade. This is one of the only rethemes that is actually worthy to call EPCOT home.
ReplyDeleteNow if only they could take ideas from this and create a worthy successor to the original Journey Into Imagination ride. I do agree that EPCOT could use a new ride or two, but I also feel that the existing attractions need refreshed as well. The previous generation of attractions at EPCOT feel very incomplete and are a let down compared to most of the originals.