Test Track 3.0 Review- A Retro Change, But For the Better?

The idea of “plussing” attractions goes back all the way to Walt Disney himself, who constantly wanted his parks and attractions to be improved and refined. Test Track at Epcot is now on its third incarnation and we had the chance to preview the new ride before it’s opening day on July 22nd.

This attraction’s history goes way back to Epcot’s opening year in the form of the World of Motion attraction, a dark ride that took guests through the history of transportation, sponsored by General Motors. GM continues to sponsor the attraction, and in 1998 the original version of Test Track debuted using the World of Motion show building. The slot car-style dark ride started as a ride showcasing how GM tests their vehicles, through various safety and speed tests. The second iteration was specifically sponsored by the Chevrolet portion of the company, and allowed riders to create a virtual version of their car and then run it through the simulation track.

This newest version harkens back to the ride’s World of Motion origins, but this time focused on the future of the automobile industry and what the next generation of vehicles could look like. But is this a change for the better? Keep reading to find out! I’ll be getting into spoilers, so if you want to go in fresh come back and read this after you’ve experienced the ride.

The entire entrance facade for Test Track has been redesigned for this newest version, removing the large truss canopy structures obscuring the front of the ride building. The inside queue now incorporates large windows allowing sunlight in and making the space feel warmer and more welcoming. I really like this new look, it is shiny and eye-catching, drawing people in as the cars zip by.

However, beyond this entrance the queue is unremarkable. Rows of switchbacks with scattered screens and futuristic vehicle designs make up the minimal waiting space. The attraction is still in previews, so there’s a chance more will be added, but for now it looks stale and bare.

The ultra-modern display vehicles lose their allure after looking at them for a few seconds and the mostly bare walls aren’t exactly exciting either. I wasn’t in this room long enough to watch the videos, but maybe they will help to pass the time.

The second queue room is mostly just a corral of switchbacks with some display cases showcasing environmentality. Thankfully though, the crowded and chaotic merge point after the car design area is gone since there is no longer the designing aspect in this version.

The station is mostly unchanged, but it works well and there are new floor markings and lighting fixtures that modernize the ride. The ride vehicles themselves also look very sleek and futuristic, sporting a mostly black design. The screen inside the ride vehicle dashboard has been removed, but the interior is mostly the same otherwise.

One of the first differences about the ride vehicles is visible right away, there is now a window looking out over the queue that the vehicles pass by before the seatbelt check. This is a great detail and helps make the ride feel more cohesive and open. From here, the vehicle makes the initial incline up the hill and starts along the journey inside the dark ride section.

The first part of the experience is pretty similar to 2.0 where there are digital buildings, cars with projection mapping, and blacklight-esque paint on the scenery. I like this part a lot; the initial physical building and screen transformation is fun and it’s interesting to see the test segments that were previously separate including in one overarching drive.

The next section starting with the magnetic road is where the ride starts to weaken for me. The largely repetitive structure of the houses and interiors is just not very visually stimulating, and the new narration is annoying to a point bordering on frustrating. The dialogue lines are not engaging, and despite riding it twice I do not remember anything that was said, except for some groan-inducing jokes.

The former hot-and-cold rooms have remained boring through the 2.0 version to 3.0 and brings the pacing to a screeching halt in an attraction that is already slower paced. This is probably the scene I was most excited to see revitalized, but it’s basically the same as the previous version. On the plus side, one of the sides is now filled with physical props. The forest scene shown in the concept art is neat but doesn’t last long and there are no memorable set pieces.

The final scene before the launch into the outdoor section is a major positive, an absolutely massive screen engulfs the room, and crisp, clear projections show a futuristic city that the ride vehicles blast into. I’m not sure why this city is there or what it has to do with the overall story, but it is very cool to look at. The outdoor section is unchanged, except for the speed monitor going from standard LED bulbs to a digital screen, which fits the clean look of the new ride.

I wanted to take a moment to talk about the ride programming and pose a question to all the engineers and mechanics. Could this attraction potentially be reprogrammed? The ride still brakes, slows, stops and speeds up in the same places as the previous versions. But could Imagineers change this to make some sections faster or slower? I’m not sure how the slot car system works but I would be curious how different the next version of this attraction could be.

Test Track 3.0 brings the ride back to an old-style dark ride similar to something found at Epcot in 1982, with modern touches of course. But is this a change for the better? In my opinion, no. I never rode the original 1.0 version, but I prefer the previous 2.0 version of Test Track to this update. For me, that version was more exciting. I think building and testing your car was a fun idea to make it more interactive and gave guests a place in the ride. The Tron-type visuals and car tests fit this attraction better than the “edu-tainment” approach this seems to be harkening back to. The attempt at an overall story never quite lands, and I found myself bored in many of the scenes.

The new narration is irritating, and the repetitive scenes and queue line make it seem like this version wasn’t thought out enough. I do want to be clear, I absolutely love the older classic attractions, Spaceship Earth and Carousel of Progress are two of my favorites at the whole resort. That’s why I was disappointed, because this ride was billed as something similar and for me it doesn’t get there. It is in a weird middle ground where it’s not necessarily worse but it’s also not noticeably better, so it feels like the refurbishment was not justified. It feels like it was redone based on the GM contract, not from a place of a creative spark.

However, the beginning and ending sections are an improvement. The first section with the LED buildings and speed potion are fun an interesting to look at. The launch section is very impressive and will undoubtedly be the most talked about portion of the new ride. The problem for me is that it doesn’t tie into anything. The colorful and futuristic city is just too far detached from the simple suburbia depicted in the rest of the attraction. Of course, the outdoor speed section is still a highlight, and I love that more of the facade is now visible from the front.

Even though I prefer the version that came before, I’m glad Test Track is still in the park because it is an iconic structure with a lot of history. I don’t think kids and families will enjoy this version as much, but adults looking for a slower paced attraction might appreciate this new approach. Which version of Test Track has been your favorite and what are you looking forward to in the new version? Let us know in the comments below!