Browntggrr Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-epcot-test-track-closes-20120410,0,6501871.story I'm bummed. I was planning on bringing my family (1st time for kids) to Disney in August. I somehow missed this during the planning stages..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 They'll probably show how the new Chevy Volt battery catches on fire - and how many pennies it would take to buy a new Corvette. Then again, they could roll out old Vegas and Chevettes to show how lousy they used to build cars compared to how lousy they build them now. Volares and Aspens could be included....no wait....that's Chrysler's mistake. Upon further thought, they could compare fires in the Volt with fires in the Pinto, just to prove that GM lets you survive in their fire. As my friend would say, I'm ate up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD Reynolds Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Yep, it's a bummer. It's my son's favorite ride in the world, and when we go down this summer, it will be closed. We're trying very hard to prep him for this trauma, but I think no matter what we do, he'll still be crushed when we go to Epcot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 This has been a weird one to watch unfold. They announced vague details about the refurb a few months ago, then internal politics came into play and briefly cancelled / scaled back the plans to the point that the earlier releases were deleted from the Disney Parks media site, the formal closing was never posted to the Disney Parks website (which usually happens a few months ahead of time so guests can plan), and then miraculously it's back on the week before it goes down. The ride itself isn't changing too much - course is staying the same, with some show sets being swapped out, but the preshow and postshow are supposed to be dramatically overhauled. I'm not sure what the hold up was the last few months, but I know there was some concern within Disney brass about GM investing into an in-park attraction while still owing $Billions to the US Government. http://www.orlandose...0,6501871.story I'm bummed. I was planning on bringing my family (1st time for kids) to Disney in August. I somehow missed this during the planning stages..... You didn't really miss it, it wasn't posted to the attraction closure list until this week. Bad show, Disney. Bad show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 ^ Thinking back to early this morning..... Disney does most, if not all, refurbs during the hot summer months, so this should not come as a big shock. And even if I would have known about it, our plans would not have changed. Oh well, one ride will not make or break our trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 ^ Thinking back to early this morning..... Disney does most, if not all, refurbs during the hot summer months, so this should not come as a big shock. And even if I would have known about it, our plans would not have changed. Oh well, one ride will not make or break our trip. I agree, we're leaving 4 weeks from today, and a ride or 2 being down wouldn't have impacted our plans at all. I do worry what Epcot will be like during the busy summer months with one of its 2 marquee attractions down. They used to be able to reopen capacity monster Horizons when another major attraction was down (this was done while World of Motion was down during the conversion to Test Track, as well as during the extended downtime in Test Track's first few years due to the ride system issues), as well as a relevant Universe of Energy, CommuniCore / Innoventions, and a still somewhat entertaining Journey Into Imagination, as well as the entire Wonders of Life pavilion. Today, they have replaced Horizons with a much lower capacity and much less appealing Mission: Space, shuttered the Wonders of Life pavilion and gutted the attractions, and allowed Universe of Energy, Innoventions, and Journey Into Imagination to fade into obscurity to most guests. Spaceship Earth can still eat up crowds, but Test Track being down will be a major hit to park capacity this Summer. Luckily we'll be there with our 2 year old, all will be much more consumed with tracking down characters and riding Dumbo (I'm excited about the new Storybook Circus area, half of which is open) than doing a 60mph loop around Epcot's ring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 No! I'm going there in June! My sister really wants to ride it (as do I)! Shame. Why would Disney do this during summer? Shouldn't they do it next January and end it in April in time for spring break? Hm. Shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 I think with four parks and major attractions so spread around (no park has more than 3 or 4 major E-tickets, whereas each of the two parks in California has 7 or 8 big E-ticket rides), there's probably a whole staff whose job is just to schedule these things. If Test Track is down, that leaves that park with only Soarin' and Mission: Space in terms of E-ticket draws. Removing one of the three E-ticket attractions that park offers, guest comments are going to suffer automatically, so can you imagine if Big Thunder Mountain at The Magic Kingdom was closed for an lengthy refurbishment at the same time? Then, that park would only have Splash and Space Mountain, thereby eliminating 1/3 of the E-ticket rides in those two parks right off The Bat. Because of that, it's hard to contain refurbishments at Disney World to the off-season. Instead, they're planned year round to keep as many operating at once as possible. The problem is much less pronounced at the California resort because the two parks function as "best of" collections. If Big Thunder Mountain is closed there, you still have Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, plus Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Finding Nemo's Submarine Voyage, and the Matterhorn. At California Adventure, even if Radiator Springs Racers (Test Track's distant cousin) needs to close for a few months ten year's down the road, the park will still have at least Soarin', plus California Screamin', Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, Grizzly River Rapids, Little Mermaid, and World of Color to distract people from that closure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 The problem is much less pronounced at the California resort because the two parks function as "best of" collections. If Big Thunder Mountain is closed there, you still have Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, plus Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Finding Nemo's Submarine Voyage, and the Matterhorn. At California Adventure, even if Radiator Springs Racers (Test Track's distant cousin) needs to close for a few months ten year's down the road, the park will still have at least Soarin', plus California Screamin', Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, Grizzly River Rapids, Little Mermaid, and World of Color to distract people from that closure. California is also aided by a much higher ratio of passholders and multiple-repeat visitors. WDW is typically a "once a year" to "once in a lifetime" visit, so a headliner attraction being down carries a lot of weight. In Anaheim, there is a relatively low proportion of those type of visitors, making it easier for them to cycle major attractions through refubrishment cycles, let alone altering two absolute staples (Haunted Mansion and it's a small world) with seasonal overlays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheikra_rocks Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I am suprised that they aren't going with the "Cars" concept like Calif. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Cars would be great for EPCOT, give the kids a land, but GM is sponsering this one with Disney: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Truth be told, I don't care much for Walt Disney World, and would happily go out of my way to visit Disneyland instead. What made me think of that is that I almost began this post with "Of all the parks at Walt Disney World, Epcot is the most in need of major overhaul," but upon further consideration, that might not even be true... As I mentioned in the post above, Magic Kingdom is severely lacking in E-ticket attractions (I skipped it on my last visit, but Disneyland Park is my favorite theme park on the planet thus far). Disneyland has Indiana Jones! Matterhorn! Roger Rabbit! Mr. Toad! Pinocchio! Alice in Wonderland! New Fantasmic! 10 minute longer Pirates! Magic Kingdom comes across as a kid's park, because it is. Legacy attractions are ripped out for playgrounds and meet-and-greets. Epcot's much-touted Project Gemini never came about and its reputation has long preceded it. Now it has approximately three major attractions and a well-deserved stigma as an outdated outdoor science center. (World Showcase is lovely, but try telling that to families with kids who would happily spend their money elsewhere). Disney Studios is ridiculed by many industry fans for what it's become (even though I'd say its my favorite of the four parks, if only for its three killer E-tickets and its now-depressingly-outdated Fantasmic). As it is, it's got a world of potential but a severe lack of focus. Animal Kingdom just doesn't have enough... Beastly Kingdom would've sealed the deal in my book and overwhelmed me with happiness, but it's looking like it will either get Avatar or nothing (and I can't say which of the two I'd prefer, actually). Plus, Dinosaur is a shoddy black-light cheapening of the absolutely astounding Indiana Jones EMV technology... "Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Yeti." The technology could easily have been incorporated into a thrilling "lost world" style Indiana Jones ride where riders faced mythological creatures in a misty Asian temple. Just a swing and miss, really... Why do I always go off on these tangents? But I just have to close with: Bigger is not always better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomTheater Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I was the wierd kid whose favorite park was EPCOT, I loved the boring science exhibits and attractions. I was upset when they started changing it with TT and Mision Space. However I wish they would have built the original EPCOT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I was the wierd kid whose favorite park was EPCOT, I loved the boring science exhibits and attractions. I was upset when they started changing it with TT and Mision Space. However I wish they would have built the original EPCOT. You're preaching to the choir. I have the Horizons emblem tattooed on my left forearm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I was the wierd kid whose favorite park was EPCOT, I loved the boring science exhibits and attractions. I was upset when they started changing it with TT and Mision Space. However I wish they would have built the original EPCOT. Me too. Visiting now is more depressing than anything. My favorite activity in the park seems to be looking for things from previous rides that are left (like the space station window in SSE or the Horizons lighting rig... or the hollow floor and curved walls in the Imagination pavilion where the original track pit and turntable were). I'm happy to see that Test Track is getting some much needed work, though. Considering that we're probably never getting another audio-animatronic spectacular like Horizons, World of Motion, or Journey Into Imagination, I guess it's good that they're at least updating the "new" rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 The only good ride at EPCOT is Soarin' - my favorite ride at Disney, believe it or not. Other than that, the world showcase, while very cool, isn't something very fun for families... I stated this in another forum, but, c'mon. You can't be too harsh on Magic Kingdom. It has a lot of great rides. Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh, PhillarMagic, it's a small world, Peter Pan's Flight, The Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Dumbo, so many more to name...that's not enough for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 *here comes the flaming* Who needs thrills, or even rides, when you have theming?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 *here comes the flaming* Who needs thrills, or even rides, when you have theming?? Amen. I'll take Epcot 1990 over "Epcot '94" and especially over its current, visionless iteration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I have always preferred the Disneyland resort to Walt Disney World. In fact, I prefer California Adventure to all the Florida Disney parks except the Studio park. Then again, I prefer the place in Jackson to Maple Grove. Terpy, angling for a position near SFA.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Not gonna lie... Test Track was the only thing I really found disappointing at DIsney. They have a ton to offer, but this one isn't on par with the rest in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI-ORIG-EMP Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 They'll probably show how the new Chevy Volt battery catches on fire - and how many pennies it would take to buy a new Corvette. Then again, they could roll out old Vegas and Chevettes to show how lousy they used to build cars compared to how lousy they build them now. Volares and Aspens could be included....no wait....that's Chrysler's mistake. Upon further thought, they could compare fires in the Volt with fires in the Pinto, just to prove that GM lets you survive in their fire. As my friend would say, I'm ate up. My very first car was a nice 74 red Vega. Very first thing the Vega did when I drove it off the lot was the steering wheel cover come loose. Then I opened up the driver's side air vent and as I pulled it out, it came loose! I loved the way my Vega turned corners. As I would turn, I always had to race the front to keep the rear from beating me around the curve! Yea, what a car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Squee! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRoILMhldd4 It looks much more EPCOT than it does Epcot, which is a very good thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron88stang Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I will be at Epcot on Monday. I am hoping for a soft opening 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I will be at Epcot on Monday. I am hoping for a soft opening Hey, even if you aren't able to ride the new Test Track (which it looks like there's a good chance of), at least you're at Epcot! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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