PHOTOS - A look at the Test Track refurbishment

Jan 30, 2020 in "Test Track"

Gallery / 3 Photos
Test Track refurbishment late January 2020

Posted: Thursday January 30, 2020 10:36am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

More construction walls are up around Test Track as the ride enters its third week of refurbishment.

Test Track refurbishment late January 2020

The latest walls now span the entire front of the building. Test Track will be receiving a software upgrade for improved reliability, and no changes are planned for the ride. Cars have been spotted cycling on the track in recent days.

Elsewhere at the pavilion, the entire roof is being resealed and work is taking place at the front of the building.

The small stage setup in front of the building is being used for Youth Music Group performances.

Test Track refurbishment late January 2020

Test Track closed on January 13 with a planned reopening to guests on February 27 2020.

View all current and upcoming Walt Disney World refurbishments.

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Chef MickeyFeb 26, 2020

Can we get a person who has ridden it to chime in and comment? To me, it’s one of the most poorly maintained rides on property. The onboard screen are awful, usually display not Hong, and the on ride screens are the same. The whole ride system seems dirty and poorly maintained. Hoping some of the tech improved.

skiir97Feb 26, 2020

^ It reopened yesterday evening.

MovieloverFeb 26, 2020

So any update on Test Track reopening today? Are they still... On track? ;)

larryzFeb 05, 2020

Guests also have the unique opportunity to be tripped and trampled in the dark after impaling themselves on a grinning bat finial.

MickeyLuv'rFeb 04, 2020

No implication. There are 3-5 opportunities for guests to be re-organized prior to boarding the doom buggies on HM. 1. Multiple options to stop in the interactive queue. On slow days, guests are able to bypass much of the interactive queue. As with many attractions the queue has several chain connectors that can be unhooked by CM's. I am certain, sometimes we have stopped to interact with the Prudence's poetry mystery, and people have passed us. I wasn't offended. 2. By the tombstones, where the FP and on FP riders mix, guests are told to fill in all the dead space. They get shuffled a bit, depending on whether they go to the right or left side of the holding area, or down the middle. 3. In the fireplace room, riders are resorted. again, they can go to the left or right side of the room. 4. In the stretching room guests are re-sorted. 5. Post-stretching room- guests again have some ability to re-sort as they enter the final queue before boarding. I have often seen small children, for example, hang back a bit. If anyone still doesn't know what I'm describing, videos of the queue are readily available with a quick search.

ChrisFLFeb 03, 2020

I think the implication might be that if you're in HM and you're the last guest into the stretching room, if you know where the door opens, it's possible to "skip" ahead of the rest of the crowd who don't know where the door opens

IncomudroFeb 03, 2020

Yeah, some people view those wait rooms ToT, Test Track, Haunted Mansion, as lines. They certainly aren't lines.

MickeyLuv'rFeb 02, 2020

Huh? I said it is the same as the preshow rooms. CM's always tell folks to fill in all the available space, that the HM pre-show area is not a line. Attractions riders are re-sorted 3-4 times on HM. If I opt to stand around guessing Prudence Pock's puns in the interactive HM queue, people will pass me, as they should. At slower times, visitors are allowed to walk through or bypass parts of the interactive HM queue. It makes no sense to get mad at people who want to bypass the interactive queue. If TT opted to offer guests a choice of bypassing the vehicle design, it would be the same.

FlynnwriterJan 31, 2020

I love great criticism - but Test Track is a great ride and the art Direction is spot on. criticism l

peter11435Jan 31, 2020

Except this isn’t a store and it’s not a post show. It is the queue. You are in line. I’m not sure how you think this is any different from preshow rooms at Dinosaur or the Haunted Mansion.

MickeyLuv'rJan 31, 2020

Sure it makes sense. It happens at WDW in a number of places. It certainly happens in most post-ride areas: TT, Imagination, and M:S. Also in many WDW pre-show rooms: Dinosaur, the old TT pre-show, and it has been happing in HM since it opened in the 1970's. It happened I the old Coke tasting room, and in most WDW gift shops. Those who want to take their time, get to take their time, while those who want to move ahead get to move ahead. Sometimes we take our time in the post-ride area of TT, sometimes we exit quickly. I actually find this an odd aspect of American culture. Many Americans like to go slowly, but then hate getting passed.

MickeyLuv'rJan 31, 2020

This idea is actually being explored! The advent of additive manufacturing and high strength carbon fiber makes this idea very feasible. The idea is still new, bit it has progressed significantly over the last 5+ years. Additive manufacturing is rapidly being developed right now across many industries where customization is needed/desired. Another big area where it shows big promise is in medical prosthetics. Now you maybe won't get to design the entire car, but you will get to custom print the body of the car and sections of the interior. Further, the new carbon fiber materials can be ground up and recycled.

MickeyLuv'rJan 31, 2020

Then I suggest you consider using the single rider queue. In SR, you have an option to pick a car, but not the full design choices offered in the regular line.

RSoxNo1Jan 31, 2020

I do think 2.0 missed the mark in many areas of the ride itself (basically not integrating our designed vehicles into the attraction better). Having said that, I think it's a better thematic fit for EPCOT Center even if the ride is arguably not as good.