First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

[Eckert]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

I rode it yesterday and loved it! It feels so cutting edge and futuristic, much as one would expect when they enter the digital realm! You can re-use a card, however, for some reason when I went in the fastpass lane on the second ride the card scanned at car entry, but i don't remember it showing on the screen after the final loop. reusing it in the post show worked perfectly however. I found out something kind of neat about the cards, shining a bright light through them reveals the inside of the card is purple. )

While I did really like the original Test Track, I feel this version is very much superior to the original.

[KingEric]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Actually now that people have said it, while the ride is visually stunning, it all does feel like dead space.

[TylerDurden]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

While I am disappointed that actually riding it did not change your mind, I am glad you posted so anyway. Agreed to disagree sometimes is best.

Definitely! Just wanted to post my opinion and start up some conversation! And I get what you're saying, because yeah the scenery was very common--I guess it just made sense to me

[Kidgenie]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Finally rode it in person on Sunday--still not impressed. It's all very nice visually but all seems to be dead space. I rode in the single riders and my party and I decided to skip the car design so maybe that's what everyone is excited about? But like other posters have said, things like the truck crash and former heat/cold chambers lack purpose now and just seem to be poorly-executed dead space. I miss the physical sensations of heat and cold, with the icicles to look at in the freezing chamber and the robots in the corrosive room. Back in the old Test Track, the fake trees in the lateral testing segment were meant to be corny, they were just part of a testing ground, but now that we are supposed to be in a computer, the fake trees are just that--fake trees that *should* feel more real. And even in the finale when you had all those crashed cars to look at now feels dead--the whole thing beyond the first hill feels dead honestly. I miss the physical sets (side note, the obviousness that the 'grid' is just a wall with blacklight paint is very distracting to me), the stuff to look at, and of course, the physical effects that are missing in this somewhat lacking attraction...IMO

Fair enough. You didn't like it.

I do miss the robots. The heat lamps were awesome! I do not miss the fake icicles. They looked fake and the room wasn't nearly cold enough to be even near the temperature have had real icicles, and it should have been. It was basically just blowing air on you.

Over all I strongly prefer the Grid of blacklight paint, fake lazer trees, and glow in the dark star fields over the old "physical" sets of authentic road cones, construction barriers, and a couple of crashed up cars. While yes, those things were real, they were also real regular to the point of "really?, because I can't see these things when I take a drive down anyroad USA?" and none of that was remotely futuristic. The Grid walls at least attempt to portray the future, something that lacking in Epcot's Future World that I am glad to see in TT2.0.

While I am disappointed that actually riding it did not change your mind, I am glad you posted so anyway. Agreed to disagree sometimes is best.

[TylerDurden]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Finally rode it in person on Sunday--still not impressed. It's all very nice visually but all seems to be dead space. I rode in the single riders and my party and I decided to skip the car design so maybe that's what everyone is excited about? But like other posters have said, things like the truck crash and former heat/cold chambers lack purpose now and just seem to be poorly-executed dead space. I miss the physical sensations of heat and cold, with the icicles to look at in the freezing chamber and the robots in the corrosive room. Back in the old Test Track, the fake trees in the lateral testing segment were meant to be corny, they were just part of a testing ground, but now that we are supposed to be in a computer, the fake trees are just that--fake trees that *should* feel more real. And even in the finale when you had all those crashed cars to look at now feels dead--the whole thing beyond the first hill feels dead honestly. I miss the physical sets (side note, the obviousness that the 'grid' is just a wall with blacklight paint is very distracting to me), the stuff to look at, and of course, the physical effects that are missing in this somewhat lacking attraction...IMO

[GhostHostJeff]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

I rod it this week on our trip. I think the ride is visually amazing, but I felt that the former areas where you went through the heat chamber, cold chamber, etc feels like dead space with nothing much to look at.

[Eckert]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Thanks!

[brightlined]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

While I'm thinking about it - one thing that they didn't fix in the upgrade were the repeated breakdowns of the ride system. I was told that the ride was down for three hours on Sunday, and was down for a couple of hours on Monday while I was at the park.

[brightlined]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Technically, no, you can't keep the cards. If you wanted to, you could just recreate the car on the next ride. The cards are just plain white cards - they don't have any markings on them or anything that would make them an interesting souvenir. You're supposed to deposit them in bin before you enter the gift shop.

Without knowing for sure, and if you really wanted to, I'd bet you could pocket the card and use it again on the next ride. As best as I could tell, it seems like they just have the vehicle information on them and nothing else. It didn't seem like there was any information on the card that was unique to the person or to the card.

Why I say that - when you're lining up right before boarding, you're supposed to tap a little monitor next to your spot in the line. Your car is then "uploaded" and assigned to the appropriate spot where you're sitting in the vehicle. I saw repeatedly where one rider tapped their card against more than one of the monitors - essentially loading in their car for other riders. The other riders then could not upload theirs. (In one case, I saw a mom swipe her card against all three, and her entire family rode the ride with her car.)

That actually seemed like a flaw of the system. People couldn't figure out what to do with the monitor, and couldn't undo do it if they made a mistake.

But, in my mind, using the same car again kind of takes the fun out of it. I'm not sure why you'd want to ride with the same car twice. Part of the fun is coming up with different combinations and seeing how the results fare.

However, some of that part of the ride is a bit overplayed in descriptions of the ride - I saw a lot of people forgo coming up with a car after the first ride. I quit after the second ride - although part of that was because you only get one "option" if you're in the FastPass or single rider line, so it's not really a customized car. It's not an essential part of the ride as far as the enjoyment of the ride - it's more of a bonus thing. (Honestly, it's just something to keep people busy while in line, though you can do some fun stuff with them in the post-ride area.)

[Eckert]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

I have a couple of questions for those of you that rode the ride... Are you allowed to "re-use" a car? Do you get to keep the card?

[brightlined]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Not that anyone's looking for another opinion...

I rode it for the first time on Monday. During the first ride, I didn't love it. I could see the original in my head as we were riding, and it felt like we were speeding through all of the parts. (At the time, it felt like the overall running time was a lot shorter than the original. I cynically thought of it as a way to increase capacity.)

I rode it again on Tuesday. Finally, I was able to shake off my mental comparisons to the original. And I loved it. As people have already said, the visuals are beautiful. If you think of it as a medium thrill ride, it's much more enjoyable.

A couple of things just don't work. The truck just feels wrong - it needs to be more worked over to match the theme - you can just see too much of the original truck. And I really, really miss the "crash test" fake-out in the last scene. The first skid out is confusing now, too, as it's not well-explained - it just kind of happens.

But, ignoring those, I definitely prefer it to the original. I don't think I ever rode the original back-to-back - usually, once was enough. But I rode the new version five times over three days (yay, single rider), and I think I'd have ridden it more had I had more time.

The "TRON" theme in some ways feels like more of a throwback to World of Motion. The city visuals are reminiscent of the futuristic city at the end of the ride.

My last ride of the week was fun. I was next to an older couple (60s/70s) who asked me to "help them figure out what to do". (I showed them how to tap the cards.) I wasn't sure at first if they knew what they were getting into, or if they'd enjoy it at all - I dreaded the first skid out as it was happening. But they took it in stride. At the end of the ride - despite having some rain falling during the outdoor part (painful) - they raved. They LOVED it. It sounded like they wanted to ride it again.

[BandM]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Insidethemagic posted a really cool video today, where he replaced the ride soundtrack with a Tron:Legacy soundtrack.


YouTube

Oddly fitting.
Now can someone get working in one with the WoM soundtrack?

[imaginashton]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Insidethemagic posted a really cool video today, where he replaced the ride soundtrack with a Tron:Legacy soundtrack.


YouTube

[aimster]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Yeah I was never a big fan of test Track 1.0, but 2.0 blew me away. I really loved it. I loved the TRON inspired look and now how it's about building the car of the future (which fits EPCOT's original innovative theme) instead of something that's been around for 60+ years.

[KingEric]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

As a resident curmudgeon I give Disney a hard time (because I know it can do better).

But after riding this version of Test Track, for me personally it makes me hate the ORIGINAL test track more.

This version is a visual and immerse sensory feast! You are surrounded by the TRON like grid, and digital world. It makes you realize how little we settled for in Test Track 1.0

While Test Track 2.0 isn't going to knock Spiderman or Harry Potter off their crown as best attraction in Orlando.

Test Track 2.0 became the best attraction in Epcot, and one that I look forward to riding again! (something I couldn't say about TT 1.0)

[Kidgenie]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

You can't say for a fact that this version is better. Aesthetically, it may be more pleasing, but it is not better. It's not worse, either. What you're saying about fake test experiences, that's essentially what this one is as well, but it's not as clear. At least in the old one, there were clear 'parts' to the ride--2.0 seems to be one continuous circuit from a computer screen (which, by the way, is blacklight paint on warehouse walls), to another computer screen, to another computer screen...like in the segment with the lateral test--in the old version, it was to test the cars lateral compatibility, but in the new version you're just climbing up a hill and zig-zagging...why? You're still in the computer.

The warehouse may have been bland but at least it sold an authentic experience of what real car tests are like. The computer theming is cool...for 30 seconds. Then it gets repetitive. There's no need for any layout, it's just the same design over and over again. Call me crazy, but I much preferred TT 1--it just made more sense to me and was a more complete and full experience.

By the way, when have guests ever not been smiling and glowing after getting off a new ride? That's really not a good way to judge an attraction's success, IMO, that's just hype.

With apologies, but honestly I didn't mean to state my observations as fact. Mark my words? yes, but they are still my words and though I believe them to be true, things like it will not be a flash in the pan are my words, and time will tell if they morph into fact or if someone sticks it back to me later.

You prefer the sterile warehouse enviroment, I strongly prefer the blacklight paint on new walls built in what use to be a wide open warehouse. I like the creation of a Tron like sim world over simply because it is something I need to go on Test Tract 2.0 to see. I did not need to go on Test Track 1.0 to see authentic Crash Barricades, road cones, and robots. (But I did like the robots, and I do miss them to the point that is one part I do wish had been kept and re-skinned). Where you say the computer themeing is cool... for 30 seconds, I say the bland authentic experience of real car tests was never convincing or cool, not even for 30 seconds.

There have been examples of guests not smilling and glowing after getting off a new ride. Its not just hype. But TT isn't a new ride. Its an updated ride. When Imagination was updated, there was a lack of smile and glow. Ditto for SSE. When Space Mountain was updated, it really seemed to me like the general response was disappointment that they did not do more to the ride experience itself. Clearly with TT they did plenty to change the experience and my preception is from watching guests come off of the 2.0 version is most are genuinely excited about what they just experienced.

I am sorry you don't like the changes and lament the lost of your old version. Hopefully though you can at least see that in test track's case, this was no ride slaughter ala Imagination. Did anyone working on the new Imagination really think they were "improving" the attraction over the original version? But here they made a sincere effort to update and improve TT and as always the case, some will not agree. You are part of that population and that is fine.

[TylerDurden]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

We are not the 1%. The ride is definitely better then a sterile warehouse enviroment pretending to test anti lock brakes, weather "extremes", and lateral forces. Old Test Track was a joke. It had a story, but the story, it was just one fake test experience after another.

I have been on TT2.0 and while I was there the responses from the crowds coming off the attraction were overwhelmingly positive! You Tube is not a means to judge this attraction. While I respect you prefer the older version, I cannot wrap my mind around why. This is a far better uses of the ride system, and I have NO doubt having been on it that if both test 1.0 and test track 2.0 were built from scratch at a new park, 2.0 would definitely need a larger budget to be completed. It is not a budget cut or a watering down of any kind. 2.0 is also considerably less commercial with Chevy then 1.0 was with GM. Aside from the show room at the exit, the Chevy Sponsorship is subtle (parts of the que) to to almost non esistent during parts like the design your car rooms, and the ride itself. Thank you for not beating me over the head with GM/Chevy this and GM/Chevy that.

Journey into your Imagination was a budget cut. Test Track 2.0 is not. Mark my words, it will not be a flash in the pan, it will reestablish Test Track as Epcot's premier attraction, and it will maintain that status for some time to come. Stop reading the you tube comments, and start watching the guests coming off the attraction, look at their faces, their body language, and listen in at their excitement and you'll know this to be true.

Gone will be the days where the most commen comment heard about 1.0 was "The outside part was fun".

You can't say for a fact that this version is better. Aesthetically, it may be more pleasing, but it is not better. It's not worse, either. What you're saying about fake test experiences, that's essentially what this one is as well, but it's not as clear. At least in the old one, there were clear 'parts' to the ride--2.0 seems to be one continuous circuit from a computer screen (which, by the way, is blacklight paint on warehouse walls), to another computer screen, to another computer screen...like in the segment with the lateral test--in the old version, it was to test the cars lateral compatibility, but in the new version you're just climbing up a hill and zig-zagging...why? You're still in the computer.

The warehouse may have been bland but at least it sold an authentic experience of what real car tests are like. The computer theming is cool...for 30 seconds. Then it gets repetitive. There's no need for any layout, it's just the same design over and over again. Call me crazy, but I much preferred TT 1--it just made more sense to me and was a more complete and full experience.

By the way, when have guests ever not been smiling and glowing after getting off a new ride? That's really not a good way to judge an attraction's success, IMO, that's just hype.

[Eckert]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

Agreed! No kidding, eh? I'm still waiting on one of those. ( BTW, great avatar Zuse )


.

Thanks! "It's stunning I Knoooowww". X)

[BlAcKoUt510]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

I respectfully disagree, Fellow Chatters. Small World is a story about traveling the world and experiencing the songs and costumes of each nation and ethnicity. POTC is a story about traveling through a pirate's world (specifically, the world of Jack Sparrow and the movies) and experiencing pirates in various scenes.

With Tron Test Track (3-T), all I see are those quasi-neon light ropes installed over the previous attraction props (even the tractor-trailer that you swerve away from!). From those of you who have actually ridden the new attraction, please tell me -- what is the story?

But someone just explained to you what an actual story was. And as they stated, Pirates, Small World, or Test Track 1 & 2 never had an exact one (some until recently).

If you enjoyed the old version's experience better, that's fine. But with that kind of thinking, I can easily say Test Track 2.0 is a story about us testing our vehicle in a future-like SIM environment, only real big difference being before it was in an very un-futuristic setting known as a warehouse.

[BandM]

Re: First Test Track 2.0 ride Video hits the web

I respectfully disagree, Fellow Chatters. Small World is a story about traveling the world and experiencing the songs and costumes of each nation and ethnicity. POTC is a story about traveling through a pirate's world (specifically, the world of Jack Sparrow and the movies) and experiencing pirates in various scenes.

With Tron Test Track (3-T), all I see are those quasi-neon light ropes installed over the previous attraction props (even the tractor-trailer that you swerve away from!). From those of you who have actually ridden the new attraction, please tell me -- what is the story?

There's no villain in ITASW, no plot twist or even a plot, it's a visual experience, more like opening a pop-up book, a caricature of the different world and it's cultures. Moreover, the original iteration of POTC (DL's version) lacked any in your face story (until the Sparrow update) or even an ending (until the treasure room scene that was shoehorned into the WDW version).
I fail to see how visiting a GM test facility to test a car is any better then visiting a Chevrolet design center, designing your vehicle and testing it in in "virtual reality" (presented in dark-light-o vision). Seriously now how is GM telling me ABS is the best thing in the world better then "automatic crash avoidance", it's as gimmicky but at least 2.0 is in the dark and future themed.