Time to remove Indy speedway

[Goofey Drool]

Maybe they should add a nostalgialand...lol

 

[Micca]

Autopia is a classic Disneyland original. The Tomorrowland Speedway should stay, and convert to electric cars.

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

Do more research.
See what REALLY happened.

I understand the purpose of Tomorrowland pretty well. Instead of being enigmatic, perhaps you could clarify your point?

I get that a lot of compromises were made in the execution of TL, but the intent is pretty clear. Walt's concern with Tomorrowland was that it would instantly become Todayland. I think that concern has been realized.

I am astounded at how many people cannot grasp this. This attraction is all about the tommorow of the child. Not the tomorrow of mankind. Can the track and cars be updated? Sure. Make them look like Teslas with electric motors. Make them look like open wheel F1 cars. Or NASCAR cars. Or super futuristic Jetson mobiles. But at its core, the attraction works (for children) on so many levels. It is great watching kids actually control a three dimensional moving vehicle instead of the joystick on an X Box.

On what are you basing this statement? The purpose of Tomorrowland is to showcase the future and possibilities of the human race. When Autotopia was built, the Eisenhower Interstate System was indeed an important step in our future -- it was a new sight and concept. It definitely had a place, whereas now it looks a little tired in an already sad Tomorrowland.

I like your idea of updating it, as I'd hate to see the baby thrown out with the bathwater.

 

[JimmyV]

On what are you basing this statement?

Common sense and Walt's vision of the attraction. The Speedway was never supposed to be a showcase for the future and the possibilities of the human race. I rode the Speedway within 6 months of its opening. Even in 1972 there was nothing futuristic about the attraction. Cars existed. Roads existed. The cars looked like ones that you could see in everyday life. Are you suggesting that the Speedway was somehow supposed to teach us of the wonders that man could achieve if he just kept reaching for the stars? Hardly. The Speedway was (and remains) all about the child who dreams of his or her own future, and envisions himself or herself at some late point in their life sitting behind the wheel of a real race car. It is an attraction that plays off of an emotion, which was what Walt wanted. It wasn't about driving to the moon. Or Mars.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

They should definitely remove the Speedway and install more attractions that fit the overall aesthetic and concept of Tomorrowland, like the Monster Inc. Laugh Floor. Personally, the day can't come soon enough that we discover laughter as a vital renewable resource harvested by adorable bogeymen from an alternate universe.

 

[JimmyV]

Personally, the day can't come soon enough that we discover laughter as a vital renewable resource harvested by adorable bogeymen from an alternate universe.

Yes, that is quite a showcase for future and the possibilities of the human (or monster) race.

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

Common sense and Walt's vision of the attraction. The Speedway was never supposed to be a showcase for the future and the possibilities of the human race. I rode the Speedway within 6 months of its opening. Even in 1972 there was nothing futuristic about the attraction. Cars existed. Roads existed. The cars looked like ones that you could see in everyday life. Are you suggesting that the Speedway was somehow supposed to teach us of the wonders that man could achieve if he just kept reaching for the stars? Hardly. The Speedway was (and remains) all about the child who dreams of his or her own future, and envisions himself or herself at some late point in their life sitting behind the wheel of a real race car. It is an attraction that plays off of an emotion, which was what Walt wanted. It wasn't about driving to the moon. Or Mars.

The whole LAND was supposed to be a showcase of the future. You really have to go back to Disneyland's Autopia to understand the intent of that attraction, and you have to go back to DL's Tomorrowland to understand what it is supposed to be. When MK was built, it was just copied from DL and re-themed to be called the Grand Prix Raceway. Walt had nothing to do with the Grand Prix Raceway as he died in 1966.

At any rate, the point is that the attraction is looking just as tired as the rest of Tomorrowland -- which in its entirety is supposed to be about mankind's tomorrow -- and needs attention. At least look at DL Paris' version in their Discoveryland. It says future more than some sleepy, smelly cars in an ugly concrete maze.

 

[MarFV]

At our last trip my son was just a little too short to ride Space Mountain and my daughter was just two. The only thing my kids liked in Tomorrowland was the people mover. They rode on it 4 times. My son still claims it was his favorite ride in all of WDW. But he might just be trolling me.

Nope. My 8 year old lists Peoplemover as his favorite, too. He also like the Speedway.

 

[BobC]

Hmm wow...really debated this one. I haven't rode this since I was a kid, but it's always packed. I don't remember it being that enthralling, but maybe because we have an awesome go-kart track by my house.

It's still a fan favorite with nostalgia. If it were to be removed, many people would be mad and many people happy to see something new.

 

[JimmyV]

When MK was built, it was just copied from DL and re-themed to be called the Grand Prix Raceway. Walt had nothing to do with the Grand Prix Raceway as he died in 1966.

The fact that he died in 1966 doesn't mean that he had no input as to what the the park would include. It's not as if he bought up all that land and had no idea what was going to be built on it. Here is an excerpt from an allears history of the attraction.

By the time planning had begun for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the Interstate System was old hat and less than exciting. Yet the Imagineers knew they wanted to offer young drivers a place to feel the freedom of the road. Thus, the Grand Prix Raceway was born.

Note the use of the phrase "old hat". There was nothing futuristic about the attraction, then or now. It's all about letting little kids pretend. Can't we afford them that? Re-design the entrance and have it absorbed by Fantasyland as Robo suggests. It wouldn't change the purpose of the attraction.

 

[mellowyellowuk]

The problem with your theory is that it is not in a park that has limited space. There's enough room there to add an equal number of new attractions. 27000 acres is a lot of land, all they have to to do is utilize more of it. As I stated earlier, I don't want to hear about the evils of pollution and the "smell" if any of you took a motor vehicle to the parks, you added more of a footprint then that small attraction does.

It so much more that just a smell of you have asthma aggravated by the fumes, I avoid this ride like in plague. I have nothing against the ride in principles but as I ended up in er one trip cause I made the stupid decisions to sit on the pavement in the car park outside Florida mall cause my feet hurt and the mears shuttle was late please don't tell my its only a smell. The cars need updating.

And yes I do fly to the park, I also don't drive (mainly cause I'd be worse that the four year olds on the ride) so use public transport both for the parks and as my main form of transport at home.

 

[ttintagel]

Definitely could use refurbishment and redesign. But man, little kids really really love it and I think that says a lot.

 

[Delirium]

Long lines. All day, every day.

Kids, including mine, absolutely love it. I guarantee it ranks ahead of most, if not all, of the indoor omnimover rides with most kids.

If we're making changes in Tomorrowland, shouldn'e we start with Stitch?

 

[mhconley]

Autopia was my favorite when I was a kid. DS(12) loves Autopia and Tomorrowland Speedway. They're among his favorites.

Martin

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

The fact that he died in 1966 doesn't mean that he had no input as to what the the park would include. It's not as if he bought up all that land and had no idea what was going to be built on it. Here is an excerpt from an allears history of the attraction.

By the time planning had begun for the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the Interstate System was old hat and less than exciting. Yet the Imagineers knew they wanted to offer young drivers a place to feel the freedom of the road. Thus, the Grand Prix Raceway was born.

Note the use of the phrase "old hat". There was nothing futuristic about the attraction, then or now. It's all about letting little kids pretend. Can't we afford them that? Re-design the entrance and have it absorbed by Fantasyland as Robo suggests. It wouldn't change the purpose of the attraction.

I don't think you and I are in total disagreement. The ride was ancient then and it's pre-historic now.

Turning the TLS into a Fantasyland is a bad idea. It would take an already large land and make it larger, and it would diminish Tomorrowland to the point of irrelevance. That's a nice-sized chunk of land and it sits mostly behind Cosmic Ray's.

Understand this: Grand Prix Raceway (TSW) exists because Tomorrowland Autopia exists. The interstate system was the future and Eisenhower's interstate had yet to begin. Walt was a futurist. Tomorrowland was a microcosm of what would become the Florida Project EPCOT and freeways were designed to run directly under a monorail system (just like in Disneyland, as it turns out).

By the time WDW opened in '71 -- as we both pointed out -- the interstate was old news and it was themed to a raceway. It wasn't there just because kids want to drive cars when they got older. It's a representation of mankind's future, just like Walt said when he dedicated the land. Notice the cars were not built on a nice country road, but rather the exciting promise of the freeway. Kids have been and always will want to drive vehicles -- that's not the debate.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't necessarily think the attraction needs to go away. Transportation is going to happen in the future... but it's not going to be in a bunch of smelly gas-powered cars, running around a dull concrete raceway. Make it racing in the future, driving in the future... whatever. But don't leave it as it is -- a relic of yesterday in a less-than-futuristic Tomorrowland.

 

[wfjny]

I don't think every attraction has to be based on a movie. Many of the best attractions came before the movies (Haunted Mansion, Pirates). While this isn't my favorite, my kids love it. I wouldn't be in favor of removing it even with the noise and the fumes.

I agree. The kids do love it. They get to drive a real car.

Other theme parks have cars on tracks, but the kids do not really drive them. i am thinking of the rids in Hershey and at Carowinds (that is now their own dinoland). The kids do not drive them, they ride in them.

I even have mixed feelings about them updating it. I think kids love driving their own gas powered car. Then again, a push for a "Cars" themed electric car has me thinking. And, all they would need to do would be replace the cars. It could even be done over time.

 

[ols386]

It seems that kids like the Indy Speedway.

I only went on it one time, and I wasn't impressed, but I don't think the intention is for adults to be impressed.

The one thing I remember about it was that when I got off of the ride, my hands were a sticky mess, lol. Must have been a lot of cotton candy hands on the steering wheel.

 

[LOL!]

It's
Just
A
Ride

 

[Wackdawg]

I say totally re do it and make it a part of fantasy land being the property of the ride is adjacent to it. They could make it a Mr Toad themed car ride and do some other things with the area as well.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

everytime I walk by it I shake my head. Does not belong, no nostalgia, no movie or character tie in. Feels like it belongs at a six flags.

Anyone willing to defend it?

It would not hurt my feelings if they removed it and put something else in that space. That is a good amount of room. It stinks, the cars do not steer correctly and I do feel it has nothing to do with WDW. This type of attraction is in every theme park. It was a big deal for Six Flags at one point. Disney has removed better attractions that actually scream Disney....so again, it would not hurt my feelings.