Exotic Driving Experience - anyone tried yet?

[iluveeyore]

Not sure if this is the right section, but I wondered if anyone had tried the new Exotic Driving Experience at the Walt Disney Speedway? We have done the Richard Petty Drive Along, but I wanted to surprise DH and let him live his dream and drive a Porsche. Just wanted to hear if it's worth it or not as the kids are going to foot the bill as an early Father's Day gift.

 

[Interpol]

Haven't done the Exotic Driving Experience, but a couple of years ago I did rent a Ferrari F430 from one of the local exotic rental agencies in the Orlando area. From what I recall they severely limited the number of miles you could drive per day (I think it was around 50-100) but I just used it to tool around the city and take my wife to dinner for a special occasion.

The price was decent - I think it was a little over $1100 or $1200 for 6 hours. I liked the Ferrari so much I ended up buying one myself a year later.

 

[iluveeyore]

Thanks Interpol, but this is only under $200 for six laps in a Porsche (thank goodness as the kids could never afford $1100!), although I'm sure hubby would rather drive it for 6 hours than 6 laps! He gets to drive part of the road course and part of the speedway. We're still debating (the kids and I) whether or not we should surprise him with this, or just pay for a couple of rounds of golf. I might just drag him to the Speedway at Disney to watch other people drive around in the sports cars, and then see how badly he wants to do it, and maybe schedule him for our next trip!

 

[Interpol]

I just visited the EDE website. Looks like the course is a mix of the high-speed oval and a section with curves, which should be a nice and fun course to drive. A friend of mine did this in Las Vegas last year and had a blast.

If you do end up doing this for your husband, I highly recommend you go up a step and get the Audi R8. It's a true exotic supercar and the mid-engine configuration makes it a LOT easier to drive than the rear engined Porsche 997. Not that the Porsche is a slouch, but driving it well sometimes requires some counter-intuitive thinking.

 

[dnsmills]

I had the same question a while back. I received back positive replies. I'm planning on doing the experience in December when we go to WDW and taking the Lamborghini out for a spin.

 

[elleavon]

I got my husband the 6 laps in a lamborghini for Christmas, for our February trip. I think it was about $300. He thought it was awesome. As he said, there is no other way he could drive one otherwise, and on a race track, not the walmart parking lot or some thing. A cool, once in a lifetime experience for him to brag about for years to come.

 

[iluveeyore]

I got my husband the 6 laps in a lamborghini for Christmas, for our February trip. I think it was about $300. He thought it was awesome. As he said, there is no other way he could drive one otherwise, and on a race track, not the walmart parking lot or some thing. A cool, once in a lifetime experience for him to brag about for years to come.

Thanks for that! So true - mine has always wanted a Porsche, but we know we'd get laughed off the lot of a Porsche dealership if he wanted to test drive one, so this would be his dream!

 

[CanadianPaco]

I want to surprise DH in August. Is it like booking ADRs? Am I too late? I'll call tomorrow but for now, just wondering how booked they get?

 

[lissa42886]

is this the Test track thats going to be closed ( or maybe already is ) for renovation??? i always wanted to do the driving experience

 

[skeeter31]

is this the Test track thats going to be closed ( or maybe already is ) for renovation??? i always wanted to do the driving experience

No Test Track is a ride at Epcot that is closed for renovations. The exotic driving experience is a totally seperate entity that operates out of the Richard Petty Driving Experience track near the Transportation and Ticket Center. It's not included with any park admission and is a completely seperate charge (roughly $250-$300 for 6 laps).

 

[juncker]

I haven't done this, but it looks awesome.

I read that DVC members also get a discount in case that applies to you.

 

[cheerupem0kidx0x]

is it closed the week of fathers day or just booked? tried to book something for our trip from the 16-24th of june and there was nothing for any of the cars!

 

[CanadianPaco]

I can't address the June dates but when I went to make a ressie in the end of August, it was unavailable up until August 26 because they were away on tour.

 

[datsyukchick]

We have not done the course at WDW, but are seriously considering it. I suprised my DH with 5 laps in a lambo here in Vegas for our anniversary. Since he's military, they added on an extra lap for free! It was an unbelievable amount of fun, definitely worth the price tag. He had so much fun that he booked me a ride-along drifting lap with their professional driver in a corvette. As I was getting fitted for my helmet the corvette broke and they had to take me around in a lambo, the same one my DH had just finished driving. SO MUCH FUN! I have never been so happy to see a broken corvette in my life!

 

[Technosavant]

I posted a pretty in-depth review of the Exotic Driving Experience a couple weeks or so ago. It's in the Theme Park section... shouldn't be hard to find at all.

 

[cheerupem0kidx0x]

I bet it is because they are on tour, I noticed they are going to be in NC and NJ at the beginning and end of those dates And we live in NC too but the days they are gonna be here won't work for us to go. Oh well maybe next time.