We know, we haven’t said much about the new Test Track aside from a few tweets. We’re working on a fairly in-depth report comparing the old, the new, and even Radiator Springs Racers as a comparison point. We’re at Disneyland this weekend to accomplish that goal.No worries, you’ll get our full report soon. Until then, here’s the GM and WDI people talking about the design of the new attraction:
Tag Archives: GM
Test Track Live Chat Transcript and New Marquee
Well, that was interesting.. not terribly informative, but interesting. Here’s the full transcript of the LiveChat (moreso an artful dodge-and-weave on the part of Imagineering) about the upcoming Test Track renovation that is said to reopen this fall at Epcot. Oh, and we also got this one piece of new concept art of the new marquee – enjoy!
Hello everyone! The live chat will begin shortly.
Thanks Dr, is there sound or just text?
Hi Scott, this is a text based live chat.
Hi everyone. Welcome to our latest Disney Parks Blog live chat. Today we’re getting to know Imagineer Melissa Jeselnick, who is one of the lead Imagineers on the reshaping of Test Track here at Epcot.
First a few housekeeping items. We’re looking forward to all your questions, but please realize we won’t have time to get to all of them in today’s chat. As you submit questions, they will be put into a queue and will not appear at first in the live chat window. As Melissa sends her answers we will post the original question in the live chat. And please keep your questions family-friendly.
Welcome, Melissa! We have a lot of enthusiastic Test Track fans out there who are eager to learn more about the reimagined attraction. Thanks for being here to answer some of their questions today.
Hi. I’m excited to represent my team and answer some questions here today!
The first few questions come from our readers on the blog.
Michael asks:
1) Will the giant overhang in front of the pavilion be removed? (Hoping the answer is yes)
2) Will there be any changes to the internal ride track layout?
3) Will there be any new music/theme song for the attraction?
4) Will there be any scenes with sets/Audio Animatronics, or just the “warehouse” look of Test Track?
5) Will any elements of World of Motion be incorporated?
For the exterior, we actually have a new piece of artwork that we want to release, which is the new marquee for the attraction.
From the blog, Bryce asks: “What kind of changes can we expect in the queue area?”
The queue, the whole attraction is completely reimagined. The queue will look like nothing our guests are used to seeing it look. We’ll use the space to introduce guests to Chevrolet’s Automotive Design process – how it starts with a line and ends with the cars you can buy on the showroom floor. We’ll have actual items, sketches, cars, models from GM that have never been seen before by anyone outside the Chevrolet family. It’s basically changing from testing to design.
Kyra asks: “How are the vehicles customized? To better explain my question, say the ‘Killian’ party customizes their ride. If the ‘Connelly’ party comes later and uses the same ride vehicle, but customize it differently, how does that work? Or am I misunderstanding this?”
Let’s talk about the Design Studios. In the studio, you have a chance to design your own custom concept vehicle. That design follows you into the ride, which is still the same physical ride that our guests know and love. You’ll ride in our sim car. As you move through the space, your custom design will be scored in areas such as Capability, Efficiency, Responsiveness and Speed.
Melissa, I am very excited about an update to Test Trak. The concepts seem a little Tron like. Was Tron an influence? – Pixie Vac Steve
I think the new attraction and the artwork represent the digital age, and when people think about what the inside of a computer looks like, that’s what you think of.
Let’s talk about graphics. We’ve released this image before, but can you talk us through what we’re seeing?
That’s just before our final virtual scene. By that point of the ride, you’ve experienced Capability, Efficiency, Responsiveness, and Power and we’re setting you up for Speed.
Brande on the blog asks: “Will we still experience the 65 MPH loop?”
Yes, it’s still the same track layout that we know and love.
Will there be a single rider line in the new version?
Yes!
Jonathan from the blog asks: “First off, is the ride being re-branded as strictly Chevrolet? Second, can we get an explanation about how the vehicle customization is going to work? And the last one is just me being a dork…can you divulge what vehicle(s) built by GM gave inspiration for the new vehicles and the old ones?”
Yes. The new attraction will be sponsored by Chevrolet. It’s been great working with the dedicated Chevrolet team members and as Imagineers, we’ve learned a lot. They’re really integrated members of our creative team. It’s not Disney’s creative take on Chevrolet; it’s a real partnership.
How will the new “Customize your car” feature going to work? Wont there be multiple parties in one car at a time?
It’s an interactive design kiosk, so in the full experience you can start from a line, then shape your vehicle and add attributes – pick the colors, the tires, and make it truly your dream vehicle.
Everybody in the vehicle will have their ride design, whether they designed individually or as a group. As you move through the four groups, you’ll see how the design stacked up against the sim car design.
How many different customization combinations are possible?
The possibilities are endless.
Craig asks: “To Mellisa: What is something new and exciting we should be looking forward to in the reimagined Test Track?”
I think the coolest thing is how we integrate the pre-show with the experience, and then in the post-show, your ride vehicle travels through the entire experience with it. And you can keep interacting with your ride vehicle after.
When is the anticipated opening date for the new test track?
It will be done in late fall.
From the blog, Joseph asks: “What kind of experiences should we expect for the new post-show that will replace the automotive plant/vehicle showcase?”
The post-show will kick off with a scoring opportunity, not just with the guests in your car, but guests throughout the day. From there, we’ll move into other opportunities to play with your design with multiple interactive elements. The show room space will still be there with the Chevrolet cars, and we’ll have our own photo ops with different concept cars.
How long have you been working on the project?
I’ve been on the project since last spring (2011), right after Star Tours opened. We’ve got a huge team with folks from both WDI California and Florida, along with our Chevrolet partners. We’re tapping in to pretty much every single one of our 140 disciplines in Imagineering on this project.
Are you recording all new music for the attraction? Any details?
It will be futuristic. We’ll have a whole new soundtrack that will not only compliment the attraction with music, but special sound effects too.
Are there going to be any new show scenes ?
Let’s talk about the four show scenes in more detail. Capability is where your car is tested for rough road and weather conditions. Efficiency tests your car design’s environmental footprint. The Responsiveness phase tests maneuverability, and finally, Speed is tested.
Welcome Melissa. What prompted the “re-imagining”?
The whole automotive design process has evolved since Test Track opened and things have moved into the digital realm, and the same has been true for WDI’s design process. It updates the automotive story to reflect what is happening today.
To what extent will the scenes and visuals of the new Test Track be “virtual” versus props, set pieces, etc.? How much time will riders spend looking at screens instead of real-world items?
We talk a lot about being in the digital space, but it’s still a physical experience. We’re using a lot of new technology to tell the story, but it is still a dynamic physical experience.
Jonathan from the blog asks: “Can you divulge what vehicle(s) built by GM gave inspiration for the new vehicles and the old ones?”
It wasn’t a single vehicle, but more like the process. Our custom design studio reflects the entire Chevrolet design vocabulary, not just specific models.
Will fastpass still be avaliable when the attraction opens back up?
Yes, we’ll have FastPass, too!
The full experience allows you to do a lot of customization with your vehicle; the FastPass and Single Rider lines allow for an expedited queue experience and select you a custom vehicle of your choosing to take with you on your ride all the way through the post show.
What are you personally most excited about with this new redesign?
My favorite part is the first day guests get to experience what we’ve been working on for months and months. It’s always a great day. The team will be around!
Can you tell us more about the technology used in the attraction?
Our team is so excited to bring new interactive technologies to the guest to enhance Future World and put the guest at the center of the experience. All of the software is custom for this attraction.
From the blog, Alex asks: “Will this overhaul make the updated Test Track feel more like a dark ride compared to before?”
The experience will be dark, but more importantly, I think we’re pushing the envelope as far as the use of new technology, so it’s not really a traditional “dark ride.”
How specifically has your team been working with Chevrolet?
It’s back and forth. We send people to Detroit, they send folks here. The attraction reflects the Chevrolet aesthetic and Disney storytelling.
We have time for just one more question.
What is it that you hope guests will take from this newer experience?
I think the world of digital design is exciting to our Imagineers as designers and storytellers, so I hope our guests come away with some insight into what that process entails, and maybe it will excite some future generations of Imagineers to join us.
Thanks again for taking part in our live-chat today. As a reminder you can revisit this chat at any time and click ‘Replay’ to review all the questions and answers.
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Will Redesigned Test Track Be EN-V of Epcot’s Future World?
Ever since Disney bowed to guest pressure over not-acknowledging the closure of Test Track on their website and decided to toss everyone a bone by putting the world’s vaguest piece of concept art it has been mulled over by thousands of eyes. Here it is again for one more look:
Do you see what we see? Well, perhaps it’s a matter of context and knowing what you’re looking for.. and stalking the new pavilion sponsor – Chevrolet – obsessively for indicators of which way the wind is blowing internally. The important bit we’ll be discussing today is this:
That is a concept/prototype car from GM known as the EN-V being assembled in a workshop as interpreted by someone from Walt Disney Imagineering in this particular piece of art. Don’t believe us? Well here’s the real EN-V concept as it appeared in 2011:
The concept has since been re-branded internally by GM to be a Chevrolet product – much like how Test track itself is being re-branded to Chevrolet – and most recently advertised with some design tweaks as the EN-V 2.0 as of yesterday at Auto Show China 2012. It essentially got some structural redesign and some additional wheels – ones not depicted in the earlier Test Track concept art.
So why might this unassuming little egg shaped vehicle be the envy of Future World? Well, because it represents a return to futurism and futuristic concepts that once permeated Epcot and Future World. The EN-V concept has been in development for a number of years as a solution to modern urban development and personal transportation. Think of it sort of the Segway Personal Transporter, if the Segway wasn’t a silly thing people rolled around on just to be more-pretensiously-geeky-than-thou.Let’s start with the official blurb:
General Motors showed the company’s vision of the Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 concept at Auto China 2012 today. It is an evolved design of the company’s revolutionary mobility concept revealed at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
“Our designers and engineers are exploring a range of options for turning the EN-V concept into a reality,” said Kevin Wale, president and managing director of the GM China Group. “The EN-V 2.0 concept would use technologies such as the mobility Internet, electrification and telematics to help change the automotive landscape and ensure a sustainable future for our industry,”
The original EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept was a centerpiece of the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai. The two-seat electric vehicle pioneered a new automobile DNA based on the convergence of electrification and connectivity. It was developed to show the possibilities for alleviating concerns surrounding traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality and affordability for tomorrow’s cities.
The EN-V 2.0 concept adds features that consumers demand such as in-vehicle climate control and personal storage space. In addition, it would be capable of driving in all weather and city road conditions.
GM expects to use EN-V 2.0 prototype models in pilot studies throughout China.
That sound much more like old EPCOT Center than Epcot we know today doesn’t it? And it’s true. “EN-V” in the EN-V program actually stands for Electric Networked Vehicle. Aka: “Smart Vehicles.” All those rumors of the heavy “TRON-esque” network influence and the electric glow of a million points of data.. We can tell which way the wind is blowing now.
If you want to learn more about the development of the EN-V vehicles and get a glimpse of where this all seems to be going and maybe even where GM and Chevrolet’s interests are heading, feel free to check out these videos about their vision regarding the project:
Internal Calendars Have Test Track Closed Thru November 30th
Just a quick note on the ever popular topic of Test Track’s closure: while the guest calendar is shrinking the length of the refurbishment to a mere month in June (and pretty much everyone is certain this wrong and someone’s big dumb mistake) the internal calendars given to operations is listing the pavilion as under renovation until the end of November.
That means that the original projections and estimates of having Test Track reopened by Epcot’s 30th anniversary seem to be a mere hopeful thought of the past. Much like the Spaceship Earth renovation that happened around the 25th anniversary, it just doesn’t seem like there’s going to be enough time to finish this project before October 1st.
Perhaps things will go faster than planned though – we’ve heard rumors that a large part of why this project is so hush-hush is that GM’s own design team up in the chilly confines of Warren, MI is keeping things under lock and key (in particular, those new vehicles). A tighter ship than WDI might be able to keep the project on a stricter timeline – but then again, they might simply establish a more realistic timeline from the start.
Walt Disney World Test Track April-September Overhaul Canceled?
On January 6th of this year a whole bunch of Disney theme park blogs ran the Disney-PR supplied blurb and photo from the Disney parks blog that was carefully crafted to be light on hard details:
Beginning this fall, Epcot guests will be able to enjoy a re-imagined version of the popular Future World attraction, Test Track presented by Chevrolet.
This new version of the attraction will transform the current testing workshop into the sleek “Chevrolet Design Center at Epcot,” where guests can become immersed in the fun – and fast – world of automotive design. Here, guests will become automotive designers and create their own custom vehicles. Next, they’ll buckle into a six-person SimCar ride vehicle and test out their design on the challenging track of the Test Track course.
Afterward, guests can take a fascinating look into the future of transportation by viewing a collection of the latest Chevrolet vehicles in an all-new showroom.
This fun new experience is the result of a renewed, multi-year business relationship between Disney and General Motors, companies that have worked together for more than 30 years.
Oo… aah… exciting right? A little bit of digging and the dates of April 15 – to September 21, 2012, were even established as Disney’s tentative dates for this overhaul. Digging even deeper there was a more formal press release from Disney to their media outlets to be printed and published and cut and pasted and bandied about in all the usual ways. We proudly cut and pasted it here for your viewing pleasure even. The pertinent line of the release states:
Plans call for closing the current GM Test Track in April 2012, with an anticipated opening of Test Track Presented by Chevrolet scheduled for fall 2012.
And… now it’s four days until April and there’s not a peep from either company about the project. There’s not a foot on the ground and no one at the park seems to know anything about the project. Attractions Cast Members staffed at Test Track reportedly haven’t been told of any rescheduling to send them to alternate work locations – and they wouldn’t simply be laid off or fired en mass, there would have to be normal scheduling notice to have them work elsewhere.
No, things seem to be looking bleak for the project on the outside. Inquiries to Disney, GM, and Chevrolet on the matter have been met with non-responses. Odd, considering the timeline they gave technically begins in four days. Further, they actually pulled the press releases from their media website before we began poking our noses around and asking questions even. And it’s not as though that releases is simply old or may have fallen off the listings.. no.. the media and images related to that release is still there, along with the releases from the days before and after, but not the release itself from January 6th… pretty much blantantly meaning Disney hit “delete.”
So, Disney, you wanna fess up and tell everyone wether you intend to close Test Track in April, or not, after you put out a press release stating as much? We sort-of have proof that you did, despite the whole delete thing…
Epcot’s VISION House to Open Earth Day and New Concept Art
We’ve gotten word that Epcot’s new VISION House in Innoventions East is scheduled to open in celebration of Earth Day this year. That’s April 22, for the holiday impaired. We also managed to come across some new concept art showing what the house will look like from the exterior.
Front View (toward Sum of All Thrills and Habit Heroes)
Note the use of greenery and foliage. The tall tree will actually be right near the doorway leading out into Future World East by the Universe of Energy. It will stretch along the wall from the Energy doorway to main East Future World doors. Recently the Environmentality Corner was absorbed by the refurbishment walls – eliminating the last vestige of the old Forest For Our Future exhibit. That exhibit was ironically known for its giant trees, so it’s a bit ironic that the VISION House is re-introducing plant-life to Innoventions.
The new design of the old “house of the future” exhibit is really meant to focus on sustainable living and how that living can be easy and not cost prohibitive – thus an option for the average Joe. The major themes will be whole-home automation, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environment quality, security, multi-generational design, and durability.
Side View: (The Chevy Volt will be in the garage by the East exit toward Test Track / Mission: SPACE)
Sponsors who will have products in the house to be showcased include Trane, Nexia, Schlage, Boral, Panasonic, Pella, Armstrong, Kohler, GM, and Siemens. Despite early concepts showing a house free-to-roam the new exhibit is planned to have Innoventions hosts and hostesses giving guided tours.
Press Release: Disney/GM Confirm Test Track Overhaul April – Sept
Two of the world’s most recognized brands extend an alliance that will create a new experience for millions of Guests at Epcot.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Jan. 6, 2012 – Disney and General Motors have renewed their long-term business relationship with a new multi-year corporate alliance.
As part of the new alliance, GM will be actively involved with Walt Disney Imagineering in the development of a re-imagined, design-centric Test Track experience. The refurbished Test Track will be presented by one of GM’s most famous brands, Chevrolet. As Chevrolet marks its 100th anniversary, the new alliance agreement enables General Motors to tell its story in new and exciting ways to millions of Guests from around the world and continue as the official vehicle sponsor of Walt Disney World Resort.
“We are excited to renew our long-term alliance with General Motors,” said George Aguel, Senior Vice President, Corporate Alliances for the Walt Disney Company. “This unique agreement extends collaboration between two of the most recognized brands in the world, a relationship that spans over 30 years. The re-imagined Test Track Presented by Chevrolet will continue our shared goal of providing unique and innovative experiences that engage Disney guests in exciting and interactive ways.” ”
“As a global brand, Chevrolet is looking forward to welcoming Guests from around the world to the re-imagined Test Track,” said Joel Ewanick, Global Chief Marketing Officer for General Motors. “The best of Disney and the best of Chevrolet will come together to bring Guests an immersive experience in the design process of the vehicles they see on the road today and will see in the future.”
Plans call for closing the current GM Test Track in April 2012, with an anticipated opening of Test Track Presented by Chevrolet scheduled for fall 2012.
As part of the re-imagining, the Future World attraction will feature a sleek new “Chevrolet Design Center at Epcot” immersing Guests in the fascinating world of automotive design. Amid upbeat music, engaging media, dramatic lighting and a collection of Chevrolet concept cars and model vehicles, guests themselves will become automotive designers – and peer into the future of personal transportation in the process.
At interactive design and styling workstations, Guests will be able to create their own custom concept vehicles. The adventure will then shift into high gear as Guests buckle into their 6-person “SimCar” ride vehicle and put their design through its paces on the exhilarating hills, switchbacks and straight-aways of the Test Track circuit.
Their performance testing complete, Guests will move into a post-show area filled with special effects and be scored on how well their custom concept vehicle did. And of course, Guests will be able see the very latest Chevrolet vehicles in an all-new state-of-the-art showroom.
Epcot’s Test Track Overhaul Solidifies with Post-Easter Closure
We’ve gotten word that the final pieces are being put into place to take Test Track down over the summer, likely just after the Easter crowds are gone. Apparently GM has signed fully onto the deal and it’s not a matter of if the project will go forward, but rather when.
Staff at the attraction are being cross trained to new locations (it has one of the largest staff levels of any single attraction) and maintenance workers have already been informed of a rough timeline for the closure. Full-time and Casual-Regular CM’s normally positioned at other Future World attractions are also being asked to take on additional shifts at Test Track as the current round of College Program CM’s are phased out.
Curious about what may come? Here’s our original blog post from a few weeks ago:
Latest from the rumor mill: General Motors is ready to ink a deal to sponsor their Epcot pavilion for a further 10 years until 2022. As part of the deal the Test Track attraction would essentially be gutted, leaving only the ride path and vehicles chassis in place.Other areas of the pavilion would also be completely redone as they were during the transition from World of Motion to Test Track.
The new ride-thru attraction that Disney is in talks with GM to fund would involve new vehicle bodies for the Test Track vehicles designed not by Imagineering but rather GM’s own design, research, and development unit. Upgraded interiors and new electronics and show elements (screens, etc..) would be the fruit of this collaboration. For the ride scenes the pavilion would become a sort of hybrid version of the original World of Motion and the current Test Track attraction, detailing vehicle design, production, fabrication, and testing with a nod toward its history and the future. Apparently currently iterations of the design have a distinctly forward-looking emphasis with grand splashes of futurism to boot.
Final details are being worked out between the companies before any formal announcement is going to be made. This information is subject to change. Two timelines for a possible closure of the attraction have been discussed, starting in either January or April. As always, the full history of the Transportation pavilion at Epcot, including its conceptual origins as a two-ride attraction with both a high-speed test track and a history ride-thru, can be found in the Epcot Explorer’s Enyclopedia.
Epcot’s Test Track 2012 Overhaul & Retheme
Latest from the rumor mill: General Motors is ready to ink a deal to sponsor their Epcot pavilion for a further 10 years until 2022. As part of the deal the Test Track attraction would essentially be gutted, leaving only the ride path and vehicles chassis in place.Other areas of the pavilion would also be completely redone as they were during the transition from World of Motion to Test Track.
The new ride-thru attraction that Disney is in talks with GM to fund would involve new vehicle bodies for the Test Track vehicles designed not by Imagineering but rather GM’s own design, research, and development unit. Upgraded interiors and new electronics and show elements (screens, etc..) would be the fruit of this collaboration. For the ride scenes the pavilion would become a sort of hybrid version of the original World of Motion and the current Test Track attraction, detailing vehicle design, production, fabrication, and testing with a nod toward its history and the future. Apparently currently iterations of the design have a distinctly forward-looking emphasis with grand splashes of futurism to boot.
Final details are being worked out between the companies before any formal announcement is going to be made. This information is subject to change. Two timelines for a possible closure of the attraction have been discussed, starting in either January or April. As always, the full history of the Transportation pavilion at Epcot, including its conceptual origins as a two-ride attraction with both a high-speed test track and a history ride-thru, can be found in the Epcot Explorer’s Enyclopedia.
Rumor: Test Track closing in Janaury?
This rumor keeps getting batted and bandied around the net enough lately that it warrants a closer look. The jist of the rumor seems to be that Test Track at Epcot will close early in 2012 – likely January – and remain closed for a good portion of the year, probably at least until summer.
This closure and renovation is reportedly part of a deal with General Motors where they re-sign as the attraction’s sponsor for an extended period. Currently the sponsorship limps on in year-to-year contracts the same way the World of Motion did 1991-1996 before the final decision to build Test Track was made.
What exactly this closure/renovation/redo will entail runs the full gamut. Some suggest that the ride will get a more fleshed out thematic attempt and emphasis on future technology with much of the “test facility” storyline tossed to the wayside. Other say it simply time for track resurfacing and the vehicles are nearing the end of the their intended lifespan and need replacement. Further still, there is talk of integrating of NextGen technology and interactive queues.
All the rumors tend to agree that the ride system will remain in place, though the vehicles may be replaced or upgraded and the interior portions of the track layout may see minor changes.The reasoning offered as to “why Test Track?” instead of Imagination or Energy, or any of the other pavilions, is that General Motors is willing to pay for it as part of their sponsorship. This could be true – the sponsorship of the Epcot pavilion by General Motors is generally seen as very favorable and beneficial by the company. The ability of guests to explore GM vehicles in a no-sales-pressure showroom setting actually registered on buyer feedback surveys that the company conducted around the time of the initial World of Motion to Test Track conversion.
So while GM’s finances haven’t exactly been exemplary in recent years, they may be willing to hold on to and invest further in this sponsorship they view as beneficial for their general sales. Of course, if you want to read about the detailed history of GM’s relationship as sponsor of the pavilion you can always find it in the Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia.