Walt Disney World Epcot Discussion Thread

[Mrlittle]

^yes exactly, I bet Disney could use that to make your design car that you make in Test Track and sell it for like 30-50 bucks. What kid would not want there custom car to take home?

[AustinR]

Test track said to be back up and running today according to an old co worker of mine at epcot today.

[jedimaster1227]

^It has done very limited previews for select cast members but there is still work being done in the queue, pre-show and post-show.

[jray21]

What's the word on the street been for the cast member previews?

[AustinR]

Sounds pretty great, and quite a bit to do with your car after the ride, like race it, make a commercial, and of course see what the scores are compared to others. You get a card with your car on it to scan and play the different activities

[PriestofSyrinx]

Rode it yesterday about 4 times. Not every effect is working yet, Today may have been the first day with everything on...

 

Spoilers ahead!

 

The actual ride is actually referred to as the Sim Track.

 

Heavy use of Blacklight and brings a sort of Tron Vibe. Almost all traces of 98 Test Track are gone! (Exception of some Black and Yellow paints in Load/Unload areas and the Maintenance Bay) And the Semi-Truck gag is back but really well done.

 

Lots of little references to EPCOT Center, World of Motion and even a Cars reference!

 

Designing the car is very similar to Sum of All Thrills! But a lot more fun! you can create anything from realistic concept car to Even a huge Truck that looks like a tank! (Thats what I did!)

 

Did not experience post show beyond the big screen that shows every ones car and stats (Much like the Globe post show at Spaceship Earth)

 

They were cycling cars much closer than what I remember... On the Speed Loop, I felt like a Hot Wheels on those old plastic dueling tracks with the motors.

 

The design stage has variable design times of 9 mins, 7 mins, and 5 mins. Based on line length... So I see it never going to 9 mins, maybe 7 mins in January/February.

 

The line will constantly have at least a 60 min wait time. Fastpasses will be gone in an hour. Because every family with a male child will want to go and design their own car. Actually everyone will want to ride, even if all they want to do is design their own car.

 

My opinion: Even with not everything working right quite yet, It is a significant improvement over the past Test Track. No more industrial feel, all sleek Tron/Epcot Center feel. This is the best re-imagining Disney has done at Epcot,or even Walt Disney World, rivaling Summer Nighttastic's Tower of Terror. Its a must not miss.

 

But I will say this: Bill McKim. You will be missed...

[Wes]

^ Good to hear they didn't screw it up. Very excited to see more.

[jray21]

That's good to hear! Glad it's still a good ride.

[Inukaza]

I was able to ride it 7 times today at cast preview. I second everything the person above me said about the ride. I do want to express concern about the q-line, though. It really is smaller than the original line and I'm wondering how many people will it hold. (Or, if there will be a extended queue line outside the building.).

 

I do think it's amazing though, the entire queue line has been re profiled and it makes you try to wonder where everything used to be.

 

 

Random spoilers and funny story:

 

I miss the heat detection display at the end. Also, techno sound effects are reused from Mission: Space. (Say hello to the noises that play when you press a button on the control panels.) No more track "B" /sad. Fast Pass and Single Rider do NOT have the ability to make their own car, if you get these you will bypass the pre-show/event. Also, obviously when you have a new ride, you expect issues. Well, towards the end of the day, the ride e-stopped, there was only one group of girls on the ride and I was waiting for my last turn before they shut down the ride. Well, funny enough, the entire 30 minutes the ride was down, the girls were screaming for help. Screaming bloody murder. It was highly amusing, the other cast members were laughing as well. Oh well, nothing they could do aside from playing the memo about the ride being down.

 

Either way, it was a fun ride. Some will like it, some won't. However, I think for the GP, this is more impressive than the first rendition.

[Erik Johnson]

What is the official re-opening date for Test Track?

[SharkTums]

^I believe it's December 7.

[A.J.]

That's a little disappointing that Fastpass and single riders can't take part in the car design show, but they didn't take part in the old pre-show anyway so I suppose it's no big deal. I guess I'll just have to ride it first thing the next time I go to EPCOT so I can get the full experience.

[adeuce02]

December 6th is the official re-opening date.

[Inukaza]

I was riding again today when they allowed cast members into the post show to look around before they closed it back up again. So......more spoilers.

 

 

 

In the post show:

-You can take a virtual photo of yourself with your car.

-You can drive your creative car via simulators. ( I did not see them, but a test track cast member told all about it.

 

There is a lot I still didn't get to see, but it seems like the post-attraction area is a attraction itsself, sort of like how mission space has it's area. Another thing to add; the system where the tracks you make are uploaded to the cars still doesn't work, so I can't say how cool it is to have your track ranked yet.

 

Also, funfacts. The design studio runs Windows 7 enterprise. They are cycling cars every 10 seconds, and I don't see any reason that they shouldn't be able to do this when guests are here, due to loading precedures.

[A.J.]

Also, funfacts. The design studio runs Windows 7 enterprise.

I'm going to go weep softly in a corner now.

[adeuce02]

Funny thing is last night when I rode the post show wasn't working cause it was installing updates.

[robbalvey]

That's a little disappointing that Fastpass and single riders can't take part in the car design show, but they didn't take part in the old pre-show anyway so I suppose it's no big deal. I guess I'll just have to ride it first thing the next time I go to EPCOT so I can get the full experience.

I'm totally ok with that. Part of me wanting to do either Fast Pass and especially single rider is to get to the attraction as quickly as possible and bypass as much of the queue as I can. The "design a car" thing sounds very similar to the Dumbo "next gen" queue as it gives you something to do while you wait in line, virtually speaking. So I'm totally ok skipping all that if I choose to go the Fast Pass or single rider route.

 

--Robb "Actually happy to hear you get to skip it!" Alvey

[ernierocker]

The "Design a Car" thing sounds like something that would cool to do once but not necessary to do every time. Just get there at rope drop and do it first thing in the morning and then you can use Fast Pass/Single Rider after that.

Edited November 25, 2012 by ernierocker

[robbalvey]

Someone please just tell me they have gotten rid of the three old "pre-show" rooms that used to bottle neck the queue. That was easily the thing I hated the most about Test Track. Please tell me those rooms have been totally removed!

[adeuce02]

^^^Yes they are gone. The new queue is confusing but I think where they used to be is now where you design your car but instead of three rooms it's just one big room.

[Inukaza]

^No. There are two design rooms.

 

The entire queue line is on ground level now, until you get out of the design lab, where you hit the ramps and go around where the old preshow area used to be. Robb, the entire queue line has been re-profiled. Nothing is remotely the same to the original layout. In addition, the design studios are MUCH larger than the old preshow rooms. The rooms don't exit directly into the queue line as well, like the old one did. Instead, both rooms empty into a spacious room where the ramp up the the ride begins. Personally, I can see this working well. There are two rooms, each holding 34 design computers, and you can have up to three people using the same design computer at one time.

[adeuce02]

Ok there are two rooms. My mistake I only had the chance to ride it once and I got rushed through

[MonorailORANGE]

Yes two rooms for the design (got to nab 6 rides on it yesterday). Fastpass riders will have the opportunity to select a pre made car before moving to the merge point in the queue. I love the overall new experience! The world of motion icons put into the signage, and some awesome visuals. I think a def win for the GP, as they will eat it up for sure!

 

Spoilers from my ride experiences. I apologize in advance if I loose you in this review or if I reiterate too often.

 

Walking into the queue, and seeing just how different the layout is, well stunning. Chevy displays a full-size concept vehicle on the left of stand-by, and a case containing the four aspects of the "design": Capability (yellow), Efficiency (green), Responsiveness (blue), and Power (purple). The yellow pulled apart car thing was also very cool eye candy, and rounding behind it all to see the white car shaped blob that had projected imagery on it was a nice touch. Heading up to the staging area for the design studio, it was nice to see interactive monitors that allow the designer to preview how to create their car before actually doing it.

 

When you get to the design studio, you begin with the choosing a car or truck design, and draw a line, which ultimately shapes the vehicle. The line becomes "optimized" into a more defined shaped, that allows you to alter at certain points, and a vehicle is generated. Once created, the designer can sculpt the vehicle by pulling and pushing parts of the car, as well as change the size of the wheel base, widen the car, etc. When this is all happening, the top of the screen displays the 4 categories (Capability, Efficiency, Responsiveness, and Power) and the values are changed as you alter the car. You then choose the engine for your car, with several choices from eco friendly - to power hungry, sacrificing values in efficiency or power. The final step includes some final touches to the vehicle, painting it, adding decals, and accessories and wheels. At this point, you'll see how outlandish (but fun!) you can make your vehicle, from monster truck sized tires to over the top hood scoops. Some of these things adjust the values of the 4 categories, and display when it boost points in one or subtract from the other. We saw that some accessories did change the values of the 4 categories, even though it wasn't mentioned beside the accessory on the screen.

 

You then continue the merge point, where it was in the old TT. The design of the new queue is clever, since the Fastpass and single rider are so separated, the things such as the design studio and layout keep stand by riders occupied and distracted from the quick flow that fastpass lines generally have with guests.

 

The boarding process is the same as the old TT, except RFID readers with small displays have been added to each "spot" that you stand on. I was told that it is important to scan your card before the gate opens to the car, as if you scan when the gate is open to board, your vehicle design will be uploaded to the next car. As this was just testing, my vehicle never uploaded to the Test Track car that I rode in.

 

Onto the ride portion, as you pull towards the seatbelt check, the "hello, the seatbelt check is around the corner" spiel is the same, but a male voice now talks in a much more mellow pace, the new voice of TT. It sort of sounds like one of those voices that you'd hear on one of those relaxation cd's. (No idea if anyone knows what I mean). When you get to the seatbelt check CM, that has you tug on the yellow strap, It is easy to notice that the lighting on the track to the left to the maintenance bay has been turned off, and the focus goes to uphill portion of the ride (easily one of my favorite parts). The uphill climb has massive murals on both sides of the track, with some containing projection effects, as the car says, "welcome to the sim track". It is an awesome open to the ride, with cool black lighted stars on the celling. You pass under the first of many arches, this one being yellow, marking the Capability testing. The track and guard rails are painted with yellow black light painting. The Belgium and German blocks are going, and more big murals with projectors are on the sides, and your car "connects" to On-Star. Into the old abs off / on sequence, the old monitor that Bill talked to you on has been replaced with a frosted piece of glass, that is projected onto, a very nice appearance. The car does the same effect, swerving off at the end of the "track" like it lost control, and turns the corner to repeat the test. As it does, a projector effect occurs, where it looks like a virtual waterfall comes towards the car on the left. The next stretch of road( the old abs on test) has blue outlined black lit set pieces on the sides, (as others have said, heavy usage with black lighting) and you launch towards the efficiency testing (the old hot/cold chambers), and a bolt of lighting hits on the right. Think of it as a virtual tron-like world and appearance. Just before going in, to the left of the car, a model of a futuristic city sits, with projection effects, as well as a monitor displaying the 6 vehicles that were made by the designers, and who scored best in capability. (This part did not work when I rode, as the vehicles were not ours on the monitor). This is the trend for the ride, as you go through each category, the results are displayed. Moving on to Efficiency (green theme), the old hot chamber "scans" the car with lighting. The old cold chamber, shows a wind tunnel effect, and then the old corrosion chamber also has a "scan" effect on both sides of the car. Overall, this part was just ok, as the effects were just nothing special and non surprising. As you move into the Responsiveness (blue theme) test, a laser effect projects onto cut out black tree shapes, to appear that it is drawing the trees. When going through the curvy road, black light again is heavily used, as the cut out trees from the old TT are reused, outlined with blue black light paint. The track and guard rails are also painted with blue black light paint. You continue to the truck, yes it's still there, now with blue headlights, and a neat effect where rather than putting show lighting on the truck, they outlined it with lasers. As you arrive to the power effect (old crash test) you round the corner to see all 4 categories illuminate (almost like they are loading up). And the car says, " and now its time for the final test. Power. The room lights up, and plays epic (ok, well I like it) music as you launch through several purple arches, onto the outside portion of the track. The outside is the same, no more "Push it, Harder!" quote though.

 

When exiting the photo viewing area is the same, and a massive screen with RFID readers allows you to see the layout of the ride, as well as where the cars are on the track (no idea if it is truly synced with the cars, or if its just a cool display) and allows the guests to scan their car, and compare to friends to see their final score and how they did. It also displayed the top 10 cars for scoring the highest in each category.

 

I didn't get a chance to see the rest of the post-show, but as others said, it sounds promising. It is very re-rideable and I found myself wanting to go back to the design studio, trying to optimize the score of my vehicle.

[gisco]

Sounds like they have done a pretty good job on the re-design. I will probably do the regular queue the first time just to get the full effect but use fastpass and single rider from then on.

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/11/agent-p-expands-his-mission-through-world-showcase-at-epcot/

 

Have you joined forces with Agent P at Epcot yet?

 

The interactive game, Disney Phineas and Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure, debuted earlier this summer but today we’re happy to announce that in the next few weeks, Agent P will be adding new elements to his adventures in the United Kingdom, Mexico and Japan Pavilions.

 

The game is based on the wily secret-agent alter-ego of Perry the Platypus, a faithful pet to the title characters from Disney’s animated series “Phineas & Ferb.” Although just a simple pet to Phineas and Ferb, Perry turns into Agent P in each episode to help stop the misguided plans of his nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

 

Here at Epcot, guests transform into secret agents to help Agent P thwart some of Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s most daring plots. Agents use a high tech detection device called a “F.O.N.E.” (Field Operative Notification Equipment) to receive clues for each case.

 

While we don’t want to give away any of the clues ahead of time, here are two landmarks that just debuted as a part of Agent P’s enhanced missions.