Richard Petty Driving experience to close later this year

[Geoff_M]

The lack of safer barriers combined with the lack of permanent facilities, and the parking crunch on race day all contributed to it's death as a IRL and Nascar race site.

I worked the IRL race as media in 1997 and you're right about the parking issues (MK parking was diverted to Epcot and people had to ride the Monorails to get to MK), but the loss of the IRL event wasn't about SAFER. The last IRL event at WDW was 2000 and the first SAFER barrier wasn't installed at ANY track until 2002 at Indy. Dropping attendance and the IRL's demand to move the date into February is what killed that race.

 

[Geoff_M]

I also read that there was very little seats and they would have to bring in extra temporary bleachers.

This just didn't seem like it was very well thought out.

Actually it was a pretty good model. There was exactly ZERO permanent seating at the track. They could install upwards of 60K seats using temporary stands along the front straight. Here's what one half of the front straight looked like in 1996:

In later years, as the crowd fluctuated, they could adjust the number of stands needed. One business advantage to such arrangements is that they save on property taxes since the seating isn't permanent (I assume WDW pay property taxes to the county).

 

[chartle]

I

Actually it was a pretty good model. There was exactly ZERO permanent seating at the track. They could install upwards of 60K seats using temporary stands along the front straight. Here's what one half of the front straight looked like in 1996:

In later years, as the crowd fluctuated, they could adjust the number of stands needed. One business advantage to such arrangements is that they save on property taxes since the seating isn't permanent (I assume WDW pay property taxes to the county).

I added to my other post right after you quoted it about how the temp seats made the parking issue even worse since they were set up in the parking lot.

 

[Lewisc]

Replace the racetrack with a parking garage. Redevelop much of the MK parking lot as a new resort (or POLY expansion). This isn't a rumor or news...I made it up however it makes as much sense as anything else.

 

[Geoff_M]

I added to my other post right after you quoted it about how the temp seats made the parking issue even worse since they were set up in the parking lot.

The parking lot space consumed by the stands and the fenced in perimeter area was pretty minimal from my recollection. What really messed things up was the use of the MK parking lot for the race fans on race weekend... and on race day ALL (I believe) MK traffic was diverted to Epcot.

 

[chartle]

The parking lot space consumed by the stands and the fenced in perimeter area was pretty minimal from my recollection. What really messed things up was the use of the MK parking lot for the race fans on race weekend... and on race day ALL (I believe) MK traffic was diverted to Epcot.

Yea all the diverting traffic was part of my "This just didn't seem like it was very well thought out." comment. But I guess it was kind of different times when WDW had slow times.

 

[sachilles]

I worked the IRL race as media in 1997 and you're right about the parking issues (MK parking was diverted to Epcot and people had to ride the Monorails to get to MK), but the loss of the IRL event wasn't about SAFER. The last IRL event at WDW was 2000 and the first SAFER barrier wasn't installed at ANY track until 2002 at Indy. Dropping attendance and the IRL's demand to move the date into February is what killed that race.

Did you do a lot of IRL work, we may have inadvertently crossed paths. I filled in on an emergency basis with a pit crew somewhere around 98 or 99.

I guess I'd have to agree with you that the lack of safer barriers didn't kill it. Had it been more desirable as a site, they'd probably have fitted it with the new style barriers. Parking concerns during the scheduling windows were at odds first and foremost.


Now I know they aren't going to build a replacement road course....but just now the dreamer of me can't help but think about a radiator springs grand prix "attraction" with a real live road course that could be utilized on an occasional basis by a real race series.

 

[wareagle57]

Here is the latest rumor a new entrance
http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ntrance-to-walt-disney-world-in-the-works.htm

I'm a little confused what the removal of the track has to do with a new norther entrance, or why they need one. The track is due south of the MK, so I don't see why they'd need a road to come in through there. And isn't there already a northern entrance at Center Dr off Reams? It looks like the only place for a new entrance would be slightly further north west off Reams. I'm not familiar with this part of property though since we always come in off I-4.

 

[Andrew015]

Ok I'll start the fire.

MONORAIL EXPANSION.

While we're playing with fire, allow me to add some gasoline...

As mentioned by LockdOut, the need for the TTC is quickly going by the wayside. Also, we know what the likelihood of a monorail expansion looks like (zero chance). But that doesn't mean Disney couldn't build another resort on the existing monorail.

Demo the TTC, shift the MK parking lot back to the current racetrack area (or to the North side of the park), build new resort (aka, DVC expansion) on the monorail. By the time this is complete, it will be selling for $200/point. Bada Bing, Bada Boom.... rinse, wash, repeat.

 

[chartle]

While we're playing with fire, allow me to add some gasoline...

As mentioned by LockdOut, the need for the TTC is quickly going by the wayside. Also, we know what the likelihood of a monorail expansion looks like (zero chance). But that doesn't mean Disney couldn't build another resort on the existing monorail.

Demo the TTC, shift the MK parking lot back to the current racetrack area (or to the North side of the park), build new resort (aka, DVC expansion) on the monorail. By the time this is complete, it will be selling for $200/point. Bada Bing, Bada Boom.... rinse, wash, repeat.

I just don't see the TTC going away you still need a "portal" on the other side of the lake unless you think everyone is going to take a bus to the MK. At that point just get rid of the monorail. Heck fill in the lake and to quote a song "put in a parking lot".

 

[rteetz]

I'm a little confused what the removal of the track has to do with a new norther entrance, or why they need one. The track is due south of the MK, so I don't see why they'd need a road to come in through there. And isn't there already a northern entrance at Center Dr off Reams? It looks like the only place for a new entrance would be slightly further north west off Reams. I'm not familiar with this part of property though since we always come in off I-4.

They mention a possible new entrance gate and roads. This would go where the track is. The northern entrance is needed for the congestion at the other entrances and the fact that a lot of new housing is built or being built north of MK.

 

[sachilles]

Well, further up that peninsula between the ttc and contemporary resort was deemed unsuitable for building as the ground wasn't stable enough. Certainly it could make a nice addition to the Poly. Long shot, but could be part of the long term plan. Long shot, but a fun one to think about.

 

[OldsDr]

The first Thing i thought of was shifting parking to build a new DVC on the monorail. Then one behind the Magic Kingdom with a Backdoor entrance to MK. I am surprised they are not just going to make everyone park at epcot and bus them over, they can even design the busses to look like Monorail Cars.

 

[Geoff_M]

Did you do a lot of IRL work, we may have inadvertently crossed paths. I filled in on an emergency basis with a pit crew somewhere around 98 or 99.

I've worked as a photographer within Indycar for the last 24 years, but mostly at Indy... but I also used to do a lot of other Midwestern Indycar events (Milwaukee, Road America, Detroit, MIS, Mid-Ohio), plus an occasional "out of region" event (Laguna Seca, Fontana, and WDW)

 

[soniam]

I had totally forgotten that Schmidt's accident was at Disney. I remember watching that race on TV. I never got to go to a race there though. Ah, the good old split days. I miss a lot of those drivers. I guess I'll see some at Indy in one job or another.

DH did the Petty thing in 2012. It was a little boring, because he likes road courses better.

As was mentioned, the track was a joint project between Disney and the parent company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The primary intent was to use it as a venue for IndyCars as part of the IRL series. But the problem is that the track is a rather "short" tri-oval with three turns instead of the normal four (though technically a true oval only has one LONG turn on each end). This meant that the WDW Speedway had to squeeze 360 degrees of turning into only three turns. Tighter turns means a greater chance of a car impacting a wall in more of a "head on" orientation. There were two notable IndyCar driver injuries at WDW Speedway. The first was Davy Jones (not of "The Monkeys"), who suffered a serious neck/spine injury in 1997 that nearly decapitated him (by some accounts), but he survived and after a long period of time wearing a "halo" device resumed his racing career. The worst accident was Sam Schmidt, who also suffered a practice crash at WDW in 1999. He wasn't so lucky as Jones. Schmidt suffered a spinal fracture that left him a quadriplegic. However, Sam's done a lot since his injury. He's a race team owner now, and last year I watched him drive a biometrically controlled car around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at over 100 MPH. Both of these crashes were before common use of the HANS device on helmets that limits the forward extension of a driver's head to the point where they risk neck injury or a basal skull fracture.

Watch this video and see how much time each lap an IndyCar driver had to turn the wheel during a lap a WDW:

The track also was never fitted with a "soft wall" SAFER barrier.

IMS and WDW entered into the project because WDW wanted a race there in late January as a means to increase crowds during a slow time of the year. But after a couple of years, IndyCar expressed a desire to move the race later into the calendar because a January race left an almost two month gap before the next race. WDW didn't want to move the race to a "busier" time of year for them, so the races were stopped.

Why is it closing now? My guess is that the track may be in need of a resurfacing, which if true would be quite expensive.

 

[rteetz]

I've worked as a photographer within Indycar for the last 24 years, but mostly at Indy... but I also used to do a lot of other Midwestern Indycar events (Milwaukee, Road America, Detroit, MIS, Mid-Ohio), plus an occasional "out of region" event (Laguna Seca, Fontana, and WDW)

Never been a huge Indy fan but I really miss nascar in Milwaukee. It is nice that they continue to use the track for Indy Fest tho.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

After I wrote that I was thinking the same thing 'why would they need more space near the TTC' and Poly expansion came to mind. But I can't see how any parking area near the Poly would be considered prime prime DVC resort space. I can't even see how if they used the Poly's parking lot for expansion that then they would take some of the TTC's for its lot.

I'm not much one for Internet leaks (because 99.9% are Disney engineered to elicit a response)...but In the case of the poly DVC...the rough outline originally leaked had several components...

All of the components except a large DVC tower that basically sat ontop of that side of the TTC and a rehab of the old pool are nearing completion...

As far as "how desirable" the DVC land is...they couldn't care less. The DVC add ons are typically backside/throw away areas. Because as long as people book with points...they don't care.

Far fewer people drive than Before...especially the onsite people...that trend will continue.

If its a new parking lot...it's probably to divert space from existing area.

What I can see perhaps is them diverting/trimming seven seas drive away from the Polynesian...Maybe killing the parking lot there and moving it out...which means that could be a future "lush, Polynesian paradise"

The poly would then Straddle the monorail (maybe not forever though)...but who cares?
DVC wouldn't care one bit...the poly footprint is still small compared to most other places.

 

[Josh Hendy]

The parking lot space consumed by the stands and the fenced in perimeter area was pretty minimal from my recollection. What really messed things up was the use of the MK parking lot for the race fans on race weekend... and on race day ALL (I believe) MK traffic was diverted to Epcot.

One of my former colleagues had his very first WDW vacation with his young family in 1996 or 97. When he came back he was literally spitting mad about what went on during the racing event. I don't remember what his hotel or driving arrangements were but he was totally flabbergasted at the stupidity of the transportation and/or parking arrangements. I gather that he spent a very long time stuck in a bus or a hot car or something in a very long traffic jam with a young child (or two).

 

[Takket]

Here is the latest rumor a new entrance
http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/magic-kingdom/news/12feb2015-is-a-new-northern-entrance-to-walt-disney-world-in-the-works.htm

"A new entrance from the North would need to integrate into the TTC to handle a high volume of traffic, that does not currently exist, so the removal of the speedway may allow for that secondary entrance and parking plaza booths."

I don't get how that makes any sense. the TTC and RPDE are south of the park, not north of it, so how does closing the RPDE allow you to "integrate" the TTC with a North entrance?

 

[rteetz]

"A new entrance from the North would need to integrate into the TTC to handle a high volume of traffic, that does not currently exist, so the removal of the speedway may allow for that secondary entrance and parking plaza booths."

I don't get how that makes any sense. the TTC and RPDE are south of the park, not north of it, so how does closing the RPDE allow you to "integrate" the TTC with a North entrance?

MK is on the north part of the property. Adding a north entrance would allow guests that live north of MK to get to MK easier without having to go to other entrances. They are building new housing and there are plenty of houses already there. So this is a north entrance in the fact thats its a entrance on the northern part of the property.