Test Track

[Lowillian]

Hello,
I've never posted on this board and I hope this is the right place to post this. My husband and I went to WDW recently. My husband brought up something I hadn't thought of. With GM not doing so well, do you think they will pull their sponsorship of TT? If they do, what will happen to TT, if anything?

Any thoughts on this?

 

[wannabef]

If they're smart, they'll keep the sponsorship and re-furb the ride to emphasize alt energy technologies. That's where their ad money seems to be focused these days.

 

[Condorman]

That's so funny. Can you imagine solar-powered cars? The moment you zoom out of the indoor facility and onto the track - if the sun is shrouded behind an overcast sky - your vehicle just slows to a crawl, CMs collect you, apologize, and give you a FastPass to Ellen's UoE.

I don't think GM will pull sponsorship, but you can absolutely forget about them providing any funding for a much-needed update or refurb. We'll be living with the current TT for a long time to come. I don't mind. I enjoy it.

 

[OKW Lover]

GM can't just "pull out" they have a signed contract for a set number of years that they entered into when the old World of Motion was demolished to install Test Track.

 

[mitros]

GM can't just "pull out" they have a signed contract for a set number of years that they entered into when the old World of Motion was demolished to install Test Track.

Wonder when that contract expires...........

 

[CanadianGuy]

Wonder when that contract expires...........

Well.. how many years delayed was test track? Because GM originally signed a deal to sponsor thru 2007.

But then... the ride debut was delayed by .. more than months.. years if I recall correctly... originally to open in May of 1997.. it didn't actually open til March of 1999.

So I would guess that it is sponsored thru 2010 anyway.

 

[Padrepride]

GM as well as the economy is struggling. Even if GM does pull sponsorship, I don't see Disney shutting Test Track down. Of course, we can always look at Rocket Rods at DLR which lost their sponsor [Goodyear i believe] and further heightened Rocket Rods spiral to doom. But Test Track is a successful ride and is a staple of Future World.

 

[KYMickey]

Maybe GM pulling their sponsorship would be a good thing. Then Toyota or Honda who are making money could take over sponsorship, put some money into the ride in make it truly memorable like it once was. I mean Toyota has gotten into NASCAR and is kicking butt this year so they obviously want more exposure in America.

 

[Mad-Jasper]

That's so funny. Can you imagine solar-powered cars? The moment you zoom out of the indoor facility and onto the track - if the sun is shrouded behind an overcast sky - your vehicle just slows to a crawl, CMs collect you, apologize, and give you a FastPass to Ellen's UoE.

And hows that different from now?

 

[wdw4us2]

Maybe GM pulling their sponsorship would be a good thing. Then Toyota or Honda who are making money could take over sponsorship, put some money into the ride in make it truly memorable like it once was. I mean Toyota has gotten into NASCAR and is kicking butt this year so they obviously want more exposure in America.

Blasphemy! GM has been sponsor of this attraction since Epcot first opened starting with World of Motion and now Test Track.

 

[fightinfire21]

Maybe GM pulling their sponsorship would be a good thing. Then Toyota or Honda who are making money could take over sponsorship, put some money into the ride in make it truly memorable like it once was. I mean Toyota has gotten into NASCAR and is kicking butt this year so they obviously want more exposure in America.

Toyota making money???? Toyota has lost volume and money for the first time in a long time recently. I am in the automotive business and right now it is not good for ANYBODY!

 

[Metro West]

Blasphemy! GM has been sponsor of this attraction since Epcot first opened starting with World of Motion and now Test Track.

 

[mitros]

That's so funny. Can you imagine solar-powered cars? The moment you zoom out of the indoor facility and onto the track - if the sun is shrouded behind an overcast sky - your vehicle just slows to a crawl, CMs collect you, apologize, and give you a FastPass to Ellen's UoE.

I don't think GM will pull sponsorship, but you can absolutely forget about them providing any funding for a much-needed update or refurb. We'll be living with the current TT for a long time to come. I don't mind. I enjoy it.

Oh please anythjng but Ellen's UoE! They screwed that place up royaly.
And before anyone says anything, this is, in fact: IMHO!

 

[Condorman]

They seriously need to update TT, redo MS, raze WoL, gut and re-imagine UoE, take Nemo out of TLS, put a new Soarin' movie into TL, and sinkhole that last pavilion - the one with Figment and HISTA. I don't even know what that area is all about but it's a waste.

They should get right on that and send me the bill.

 

[mitros]

They seriously need to update TT, redo MS, raze WoL, gut and re-imagine UoE, take Nemo out of TLS, put a new Soarin' movie into TL, and sinkhole that last pavilion - the one with Figment and HISTA. I don't even know what that area is all about but it's a waste.

They should get right on that and send me the bill.

DW and I agree with all that you have stated. We will go halfsey's on you with the bill. Or maybe we can get Ei$ner to go in with us and we could split it 3 ways!

 

[Condorman]

DW and I agree with all that you have stated. We will go halfsey's on you with the bill. Or maybe we can get Ei$ner to go in with us and we could split it 3 ways!

You're on!

I know some of us have had this conversation on another thread, but I'm not so much of an Eisner hater. True, the last couple years of his tenure he did flush the company into the toilet. However, he did leave us with DHS, AK, DLP and TDS. I've been to all of them, and I'll never knock the guy for giving us those. Of course he had nothing to do with Epcot, so you decide what you want to replace Figment. UoE is all mine.

 

[mitros]

You're on!

I know some of us have had this conversation on another thread, but I'm not so much of an Eisner hater. True, the last couple years of his tenure he did flush the company into the toilet. However, he did leave us with DHS, AK, DLP and TDS. I've been to all of them, and I'll never knock the guy for giving us those. Of course he had nothing to do with Epcot, so you decide what you want to replace Figment. UoE is all mine.

THAT is the reason, we no longer care for Ei$ner. While he in fact did great things for Disney, it eventually went to his head and he started to ride roughshode on everyone. He felt he could do no wrong, but after a while, he did a lot wrong. But as you said, that's another thread. And by the way, DW says she will be glad to take a sledge hammer to that twice-tried-to-fix-it Figment pavilion......

 

[DC7800]

DW says she will be glad to take a sledge hammer to that twice-tried-to-fix-it Figment pavilion......

Please leave the actual building structure alone, however. It will make it easier to restore the original attraction after you've demolished the (vastly inferior) Imagination Institute.

Oh, and can you also bulldoze Mission Puke-A-Twirl (Mission Space) instead of just redoing it?

 

[mitros]

Please leave the actual building structure alone, however. It will make it easier to restore the original attraction after you've demolished the (vastly inferior) Imagination Institute.

Oh, and can you also bulldoze Mission Puke-A-Twirl (Mission Space) instead of just redoing it?

Hey, wanna join the demolition group? You could work on the Mission Puke-A-Twirl. And don't worry, DW will leave the Imagination building . She only wants to gut the interior and then perhaps Disney will get the hint and re-fill it.......properly.

 

[KYMickey]

Toyota making money???? Toyota has lost volume and money for the first time in a long time recently. I am in the automotive business and right now it is not good for ANYBODY!

Yes, Toyota's profits fell but they still made a significant PROFIT, something the U.S. auto industry hasn't done in a longtime. A large part of the profit dropped was because of the strength of the yen. They also lost volume but not to the degree other auto companies have. This loss was mostly due to the world's economy not Toyota and they're certainly in a much better position than any American automotive company.