Test Track refurb

[pigletto]

Well if anyone would like to take lessons on what not to say to their kids I'll share the major blunder I had yesterday....

I may have let it slip at dinner that it didn't look like it was closing. I didn't mean to.. it just fell out of my mouth before I could recover. So I just got to tell my very excited eight year old that it probably would be closed for the second time

Luckily at this point he's pretty much over it. I believe he said "Oh well..lots of other rides." Good boy. And now I will keep my big mouth closed

 

[Reddog1134]

Ok someone interpret the above information for me, please.
Will we still get the current type test track ride, with the addition of a simulator? Or, will be loose the existing ride and now get a simulator ride plus the other refurb stuff?
I hate, hate, hate simulator rides.

(Please don't stop posting info Traveliz.)

Here's the link to the original Disney Park Blog announcement.

The woman that wrote the announcement says several times in the comments that it will be an "actual ride, not a simulator".

The following is just my opinion. I believe they may be gutting the entire ride EXCEPT for the track itself. The pre-show, post-show and ride themeing will all be different.

The question a lot of people have is "how do you customize a ride experience on a fixed track, in a vehicle that holds 5 other guests?"

 

[n2mm]

Oh my, we arrive on April 19th, just a few days too late. Only one thing to say......

"Bill, the next group's ready...."

 

[suttonal821]

I emailed WDW from Disneyworld.com inquiring about the closing dates for Test Track a few days ago. I just received the following response:

Dear Kadesha,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

The current GM Test Track at Epcot will close for refurbishment in April 2012, with an anticipated opening of Test Track Presented by Chevrolet scheduled for fall 2012.
.

I wonder when Fall 2012 might be? My dad and I are planning a trip for the last full week of September and this is one of our top rides in all four parks! Keeping fingers and toes crossed!

 

[DisneyAbsolutely]

My daughter works on that side of Epcot and cross trains with people there -she chose not to cross train there because of the impeding refurb date. I have given out correct information before...I wait as long as possible to be as sure as I can be and then I get these comments time and again. Pretty much done with any scoop.

Liz

I didn't mean for you to take it that way. I was just shocked by how much conflicting information is out there. I wasn't doubting you. I think many of us are confused by the contradictory information out there. I'm sure that was what your daughter was told. But apparently there are workers at Disney that still don't know anything about this refurbishment. It's so crazy to me that Disney won't announce anything. Please don't take offense. That was not my intention.

 

[Love Tink]

The e-mail that Kadesha received is a retread of the original January press release, including dates and ride description. Nothing at all new there.

A local blurb in an Orlando newspaper with information from an unnamed spokesperson is hardly "confirmation" from Disney World. Confirmation from Disney World would be placing the refurb dates on the calendar on their website - which is used for planning by the vast majority of park guests.

Yes, the calendar very often has a delay in updating changes to park hours. But it is Disney World's official way of communicating park information to guests, so watching for information to be listed there before believing internet rumors and hearsay is hardly laughable.

 

[crazy_cremello]

I emailed WDW from Disneyworld.com inquiring about the closing dates for Test Track a few days ago. I just received the following response:

Dear Kadesha,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

The current GM Test Track at Epcot will close for refurbishment in April 2012, with an anticipated opening of Test Track Presented by Chevrolet scheduled for fall 2012.

The re-imagined Future World attraction will transform into the sleek "Chevrolet Design Center at Epcot" with interactive design and styling workstations where Guests will be able to create their own custom concept vehicles. Also included will be a "SimCar" ride vehicle experience where Guests can put their design through its paces on the exhilarating hills, switchbacks and straightaways of the Test Track circuit. Guests will enjoy a post-show area filled with special effects, be scored on how well their custom concept vehicle did and see the latest Chevrolet vehicles in an all-net state-of-the-art showroom.

Please tell me Disney are joking? So they are getting rid of the crash test dummies, the brake test, the hill test and the best part of the ride, the track at the end, to replace it for a crummy simulator which you could go to a fair ground and ride, and 'create your own vehicle'!? I am so angry right now. What on earth are Disney playing at. I swear they are getting worse and completely ruining every single ride!! I don't want to ride a piece of c*** simulator, I want to sit in a car with a couple of other people and enjoy the ride as it is now.

 

[DisneyAbsolutely]

Does anyone besides me find it hilarious that multiple posteres are pointing to the fact that this isn't on the official website so it must not be true?

The "official" website is notorious for being outdated and inaccurate and has been for years it is often the very last place to be updated to any new info so I wouldn't bother looking there for the info.

I think people are on edge because their vacations fall in this time period. I am in that category of people and I think that this type of information should be well documented. It might be floating around the rumor mill like crazy, but nothing reliable is being reported. Is this going to be anyone's guess until April 15th? This is big news, particularly for Epcot, so why haven't we heard more about this? Why did they take previous announcements down? It's aggravating to me because many "reliable" sources are saying opposite things. You'd think there would be a specific place to find accurate information about closings that are coming up very soon. Nobody is going to think to google Orlando Sentinel articles. It's so weird.

I don't think anyone is trying to be rude on here. Some people are just wound up about not knowing for sure until they arrive at the ride entrance!

 

[kadesha]

The e-mail that Kadesha received is a retread of the original January press release, including dates and ride description. Nothing at all new there.

A local blurb in an Orlando newspaper with information from an unnamed spokesperson is hardly "confirmation" from Disney World. Confirmation from Disney World would be placing the refurb dates on the calendar on their website - which is used for planning by the vast majority of park guests.

Yes, the calendar very often has a delay in updating changes to park hours. But it is Disney World's official way of communicating park information to guests, so watching for information to be listed there before believing internet rumors and hearsay is hardly laughable.

Agreed. It should be on the calendar, it's their main way of communicating with people planning trips. Not everyone is on the DIS! lol!

While the information in the email is not anything new, it was sent to me TODAY from DISNEY. Therefore, one must think that they are going ahead with the scheduled refurbishment.

I don't know why they won't update their calendar. It's maddening!!!!

 

[Baron Hardup]

Looks like I picked the wrong month to go on vacation! Two of the kids favorite rides are BTMRR and TT. They are a little young for the bigger rides, so this would be a big blow to their "thrill" ride set. Planning to have both of these down at the same time is borderline deceitful to me. I sure the heck wouldn't have planned the trip months ago knowing this was a possibility. Might cut a day scheduled for WDW and go check out Universal.

 

[DisneyAbsolutely]

The e-mail that Kadesha received is a retread of the original January press release, including dates and ride description. Nothing at all new there.

A local blurb in an Orlando newspaper with information from an unnamed spokesperson is hardly "confirmation" from Disney World. Confirmation from Disney World would be placing the refurb dates on the calendar on their website - which is used for planning by the vast majority of park guests.

Yes, the calendar very often has a delay in updating changes to park hours. But it is Disney World's official way of communicating park information to guests, so watching for information to be listed there before believing internet rumors and hearsay is hardly laughable.

I agree. Disney has accurarely posted information on their website about all current and future closings. Why would they neglect to mention a major one like this? Plus, they have had months to add this to their calendar. Why isn't it there? Why are they putting things up and taking them down? It doesn't really make sense.. If anything, you'd think Disney workers would know but it sounds like they generally don't. I can't pretend to know how this normally works--- but it certainly sounds like they normally give plenty of notice when rides are closing. Even minor refurbishments are documented on Disney's park hours page.

 

[Love Tink]

While the information in the email is not anything new, it was sent to me TODAY from DISNEY. Therefore, one must think that they are going ahead with the scheduled refurbishment.

My point is that you received a response from someone working in public relations (of which there are probably hundreds, sitting all day answering e-mails like yours), who answered using the best information available to her - which is pretty much the same information available to us - an old press release. This wasn't a case where your e-mail was brought to upper management and they all discussed it and decided how to respond.

I don't think the people answering e-mails or working on ride operations are the people who would know if the refurb has been cancelled or pushed back. They are all going by the information they've been given, and they have no official information to make them think that anything has changed. I don't think these people are lying, or "wrong." I just think they may not be the people who actually know everything that is going on.

 

[tink20]

They should let everyone know!

 

[Traveliz]

My point is that you received a response from someone working in public relations (of which there are probably hundreds, sitting all day answering e-mails like yours), who answered using the best information available to her - which is pretty much the same information available to us - an old press release. This wasn't a case where your e-mail was brought to upper management and they all discussed it and decided how to respond.

I don't think the people answering e-mails or working on ride operations are the people who would know if the refurb has been cancelled or pushed back. They are all going by the information they've been given, and they have no official information to make them think that anything has changed. I don't think these people are lying, or "wrong." I just think they may not be the people who actually know everything that is going on.

Actually at this point due to work schedules the people who work at this attraction or whatever attraction have their schedule for that week so its extremely likely that if you work at TT and have been reassigned along with 100 other people they might know something. Even though those that run the attractions are definitely not in to deciding when these events are going to happen they are most certainly kept informed by their management. All those people at TT with full time status are guaranteed their 32 hours plus, all those CPs at TT are guaranteed employment throughout their program (unless they are termed for some other reason). This just won't happen on the night of April 15...these things are taking place now and they know and are being told why.

Of course "they" don't know everything going on...and neither do all the guessers on these boards.

Liz

 

[kadesha]

My point is that you received a response from someone working in public relations (of which there are probably hundreds, sitting all day answering e-mails like yours), who answered using the best information available to her - which is pretty much the same information available to us - an old press release. This wasn't a case where your e-mail was brought to upper management and they all discussed it and decided how to respond.

I don't think the people answering e-mails or working on ride operations are the people who would know if the refurb has been cancelled or pushed back. They are all going by the information they've been given, and they have no official information to make them think that anything has changed. I don't think these people are lying, or "wrong." I just think they may not be the people who actually know everything that is going on.

Exactly, as I said it's the "standard" response. However, it's the ONLY press release on this topic. There has not been anything released indicating a change to what the "old" press release said.

It's definitely a strange situation. I'm not sure what I'm inclined to believe. So much conflicting info!

They should let everyone know!

Since you had put that you wrote WDW, you'll get the same standard response that I did. And it won't take 10 days, it only took me about 2 days to get the response.

 

[Coca-Cola]

So will Soarin' be twice as busy if Test Track does close.

http://www.mickeyupdates.com/2012/test-track-to-close-on-april-16-for-refurbishment

 

[DisneyAbsolutely]

So will Soarin' be twice as busy if Test Track does close.

http://www.mickeyupdates.com/2012/test-track-to-close-on-april-16-for-refurbishment

Probably Test Track and Soarin' are the most popular/only attractions at Epcot. I see no other way around it. Soarin' will be the center of attention if TT closes.

I'll be so crushed if I don't get to ride on Soarin' at least once.

 

[tink20]

Since you had put that you wrote WDW, you'll get the same standard response that I did. And it won't take 10 days, it only took me about 2 days to get the response. [/QUOTE

I think you copied this, while I was changing my post. I changed it after I read what someone else posted. But I did email them. So, I guess WDW won't tell me any new info. I am most concerned about BTM. I will be upset if both TT and BTM are closed at the same time. But, what can you do.

 

[Love Tink]

Of course "they" don't know everything going on...and neither do all the guessers on these boards.

Liz

Why so aggressively defensive? We're just talking here.

 

[mbrittb00]

What I don't understand is that a major attraction is supposed to close in 2 weeks (according to the Disney Spokeswoman via the Orlando Sentenial), and Disney has not made any official announcement aside from that in January which seems to have even been pulled from Disney's Website.

http://www.mickeyupdates.com/2012/test-track-to-close-on-april-16-for-refurbishment/

Assuming that the April 16th date is correct, I have to conclude that they are purposefully withholding this information from the public (because otherwise this would be gross incomplete, which I would have a hard time believing). The question is WHY?