Tomorrowland speedway

[dvczerfs]

From a child's perspective, this is perhaps one of the most exciting rides found within MK. For those kids who aren't tall enough to ride rollercoasters, or are simply afraid to ride them, this is one of those "go-to" rides.

As a youngster, this was my absolute favorite ride at WDW. The thought of being able to pilot my very own car as a little kid - where else can you do that as a child but WDW?

As an adult, I understand the underwhelming feeling that this ride presents, but it is still a must-do for me, as it makes me reminisce about my carefree, childhood adventures to WDW, which are some of the best memories I have.

I can see them changing to electric cars.

 

[glvsav37]

took a peak a the MK in google maps and they could prob move the que to the back around behind the barnstormer.

They could re-theme it 'Cars' or an updated motor speedway, or go real retro on it and make real classic looking street cars, add some old looking billboards, maybe a "Flo's-looking" building or 2 on the side.

Maybe extend it over the railroad tracks and have a covered bridge.

 

[Mrs. Bob Loblaw]

I'd love to see it redone with a Tron theme. I think that would fit perfectly.

 

[Ulysses]

Make it a TRON ride.

Then you have re-themed cars. 'Tomorrow' as can be. And it's a classic Disney property. The bike race was the famous scene, BUT, in TRON: Legacy, there were four-wheeled racers. And you could set it to a pretty sweet Daft Punk soundtrack.

Done.

 

[Twin Dad]

Make it a TRON ride.

Then you have re-themed cars. 'Tomorrow' as can be. And it's a classic Disney property. The bike race was the famous scene, BUT, in TRON: Legacy, there were four-wheeled racers. And you could set it to a pretty sweet Daft Punk soundtrack.

Done.

I like the way you think

 

[china mom]

I don't care what you do with it... change it, leave it the same.. doesn't matter. Just don't get rid of until my 9 year old is old enough to drive a real car. This ride is one of her biggest thrills.

 

[disneytripper024]

I don't care what you do with it... change it, leave it the same.. doesn't matter. Just don't get rid of until my 9 year old is old enough to drive a real car. This ride is one of her biggest thrills.

Yeah, they think it's a thrill until they try it. I remember riding them as a kid and being highly disappointed with the experience. Our neighborhood Grand Prix go carts were much more exciting. I think even bumper cars would be more exciting. No offense to the die hard fans but disney could do better.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Andrew015]

Yeah, they think it's a thrill until they try it. I remember riding them as a kid and being highly disappointed with the experience. Our neighborhood Grand Prix go carts were much more exciting. I think even bumper cars would be more exciting. No offense to the die hard fans but disney could do better.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

For most young children, I would imagine that their first ride on the Speedway is a big thrill that lives up to expectations. Certainly, for any kid who was fortunate enough to grow up on go-karts or four-wheelers, I can imagine the experience being a little underwhelming. But I don't think that experience applies across the board to the majority of youngsters visiting WDW.

 

[china mom]

Yeah, they think it's a thrill until they try it. I remember riding them as a kid and being highly disappointed with the experience. Our neighborhood Grand Prix go carts were much more exciting. I think even bumper cars would be more exciting. No offense to the die hard fans but disney could do better.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

She's ridden it more than once - still a big thrill

 

[minnielexa]

I wish Disney would put the cars on some sort of electric track that would allow the kids to feel like they're driving the cars but at the same time would get rid of the disgusting smell.

It teaches kids on how to drive, not to kill each other!!!

 

[Son of Gadsden]

But really, that area is less and less "tomorrow-ish" all the time.

Nonsense! It's still tomorrowish!

It's just what we thought tomorrow would be yesterday.

 

[rteetz]

Nonsense! It's still tomorrowish! It's just what we thought tomorrow would be yesterday.

That's one of the great things about it. Now of they would just do something to stitch tomorrow land wouldn't be bad

 

[Disneychick75]

It teaches kids on how to drive, not to kill each other!!!

What do you mean? I meant a controlled track where the vehicle's speed and placement are controlled. It's more dangerous the way it is now where one vehicle can hit other vehicles. Not to mention those fumes are not good.

 

[Ismo]

My then 13 yr old nephew was so excited to ride this last time and I really couldn't understand why. He explained to me that he can't drive a real car but I do all of the time so I couldn't understand.

I tried to explain to him that real driving isn't always fun...in fact it's rarely fun (especially if you live in Jersey like we do).

HOWEVER...(before I get yelled at by die hard fans)...

I LOVED it! DH let me do the driving and I think I laughed the entire way around the track. My nephew was in front of us with my brother as his passenger and he kept slamming on the brakes trying to get me to hit him. He would slam on the brakes and yell "SQUIRREL!!!" We honestly had a blast.

I definitely agree that they need to be upgraded to electric cars though. I believe it's what Walt would have wanted. Making them electric.

Also, the people who seem to get most excited about TS are young kids to teens. They can't legally drive yet, so for them it is THEIR "Tomorrowland". It's a glimpse at their future.

 

[myadventurebook]

Also, the people who seem to get most excited about TS are young kids to teens. They can't legally drive yet, so for them it is THEIR "Tomorrowland". It's a glimpse at their future.

I think that's a really interesting way to look at it. I remember my first trip, back in 2000 when I was 9 or 10 years old- this was one of my favorite rides. My parents hated it, and I can remember my dad trying to convince us not to go on it. He thought it was a waste of time, but we loved it. I think everyone who is saying that it's a thrill for non-driving youngsters to "drive" have a really good point.

This ride *is* always crowded. My BF and I have remarked on that every single time we've been there. There's always been around a 30-45 minute wait, and we go during low crowd times. Our idea to update it is generally the same as what many others are saying- retheme it to Cars and make it electric.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

I don't care what you do with it... change it, leave it the same.. doesn't matter. Just don't get rid of until my 9 year old is old enough to drive a real car. This ride is one of her biggest thrills.

This board is further and further out of touch with reality. This is a tremendously popular ride! So YOU don't like it? Lot of other people do! It's fun to ride with my children as they drive - and they get a big charge out of it as well. ...and does every attraction have to tie in to a movie???

 

[rteetz]

This board is further and further out of touch with reality. This is a tremendously popular ride! So YOU don't like it? Lot of other people do! It's fun to ride with my children as they drive - and they get a big charge out of it as well. ...and does every attraction have to tie in to a movie???

I agree disneys best attractions are not tied to movies, haunted mansion, speedway, people mover, Everest, test track, soarin, spaceship earth, space mountain, big thunder, jungle cruise, pirates(which was later turned into a movie).
The only thing I suggest that they do with the speedway is maybe get some new cars or make them electric but they are still drivable for all the little kids that love the ride.

 

[Jerseymomof2]

I agree it does smell but my whole family loves it!!!!!
as long as they leave the ride so my little ones can drive. it is their biggest thrill to be able to drive. They can change the theme. I would love something Cars themed. and if they could make them electric I think that would totally fit the tomorrow land theme.

 

[Andrew015]

All those who are saying to "make it electric" probably do not understand what that would entail from a financial perspective. If by "electric", you mean "battery powered" (i.e. like a battery-powered golf cart), then not only would this require all new cars, it would also require significant, ongoing maintenance (re-building / replacing electric motors), let alone the cost to replace the batteries. Remember, these cars run ~20 hours per day, 365 days per year. Such an application would consume a crap-ton of batteries on an annual basis. The current gas powered engines, by comparison, are very simple and are far less costly to maintain on an ongoing basis.

As many here have posted, this is a very popular attraction in its current state. Disney's return on investment for making such a change would be non-existant, as going to electric cars is not going to bring more people through the ticket gates, and it would only cause maintenance fees to go in the wrong direction.

 

[BigBlueWho]

We as a family love it; one of our happiest moments was me taking me older daughter on it and it started to rain while we rode it. Like an earlier post said, my daughter felt like she was driving for real!