The History of Test Track

On March 17th, 1999, a speed-focused ride opened at Walt Disney World's park, EPCOT. This thrilling attraction simulated you, the rider, as a crash course dummy on a six-seated prototype car attempting to pass through various assessments.

The simulated experience tested many elements such as; acceleration, braking and suspension. Guests are whipped around through sharp turns, cones, and other vehicles on the road throughout these tests. The highlight of the ride for me however was the lining up in front of a wall. The car begins to accelerate towards the wall and it looks and feels like you are about to test the crash safety of the vehicle. At the absolute last moment, the wall flings open allowing you to pass through it, while still giving the riders a small heart attack. As the wall opens up, you speed outside to open air where the vehicle completes a final speed test. The car banks around a turn and maxes out a speed of 65 miles per hour.

Guests were then brought back into the building to unload after the car passed all of its tests, and you, as the test dummy, made it back in one piece. The riders then exit the vehicle with wind-tousled hair and smiles on their faces.

The original GM sponsored Test Track was taken offline on April 15th, 2012, when Disney announced a new and improved Test Track to come in the future. In a short turnaround, Walt Disney World's EPCOT had opened the "new and improved" Test Track.

The ride's queue received a significant update that put the car design in the hand's of the riders. The rider's were able to change body design, colors, wheels, efficiency, power, and many other features on their car. This experience was to focus on testing YOUR car to understand it's strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the ride your car would be scored on different levels of the evaluations it went through.

The ride itself was updated and included new assessments that the car would go through. These assessments were to test the car's capability, efficiency, responsive, and power. The update was a much more modern and wow looking theme, however the theme of feeling like a crash dummy was completely lost. In fact, they even removed the gimmick that made you feel like you were about to crash into the wall. The high speed outdoor section of the ride still exists and is still quite thrilling, but it truly felt like it was missing a bit of character without leaving you a little nervous about crashing.

The second iteration of test track was open until June 17th, 2024, when Disney announced a new iteration would be coming to EPCOT. This new and improved design was said to include new show scenes and Imagineer's stated that they are reaching back into history for inspiration from the original World of Motion. World of Motion was the attraction that sat originally in the location of Test Track before it was shut down on January 2nd, 1996.

New Test Track Concept Art

Shown above is the concept art that was shown by Disney to introduce the new look of Test Track. The third iteration is set to open in the late summer of 2025.

Overall, Test Track will continue to evolve as technology, cars, and driving evolve. Are you as excited as I am for the new Test Track to open? Let us know in the comments below!