Walt Disney World has announced the closing date for Test Track at EPCOT, which will go down for a lengthy refurbishment to reimagine the thrill ride into its third version. This post shares all of the details, concept art, and everything we know about the plan–plus commentary about its changes, the closure’s summer timing, and more. (Updated December 3, 2024.)
Test Track 3.0 was announced, somewhat out of the blue, during Destination D23 last fall. Not much was said about the project, but Disney revealed new details during the Parks Panel at the 2024 D23 Expo. Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro offered a sneak peek at the above concept art and teased what was to come as a quick part of a presentation that spanned several upcoming projects.
Imagineers along with teams from corporate alliance partner Chevrolet are reaching back into history for inspiration from the original World of Motion, and are bringing that spirit of optimism to the next iteration of Test Track. They’re seeking to push innovation forward and celebrate humanity’s enduring drive on the thrilling road to a brighter tomorrow.
The queue of Test Track 3.0 will feature six distinct exhibits, and within each room celebrate the vehicles – and people behind the vehicles – that push the envelope and help get people to our next chapter in our motion journey.
New show scenes will be added showcasing technological advances and how our lifestyles and relationships to mobility connect everyone. Enjoy a joy ride through scenes focusing on onboard technology, customization and personalization. Followed by a trip through a scenic outdoor route reminding us all of the joys of driving, taking in the world around us and spending quality time with friends and family.
During the D23 Expo, Walt Disney World also announced that the reimagined Test Track will open at EPCOT in 2025. They’ve now narrowed the timeline much further…
December 3, 2024 Update: Walt Disney World shared a wide-ranging update on what’s coming to the parks in 2025, and that included news about the reopening of the reimagined Test Track. Here’s the the pertinent portion of the news:
Get ready to feel the thrill of the open road, the wind in your hair, and nothing but adventure ahead! Test Track presented by General Motors is making its return lap late summer 2025. Walt Disney Imagineering has been working with General Motors on an all-new storyline – you’ll want to be all buckled in for an adventure. You might even see cars returning to the track (for testing…at Test Track…nice) with their new look early in the year!
Note that a previously-released and almost immediately-deleted press release indicated that Test Track would reopen in Late 2025–not Late Summer 2025. Big difference, and makes us wonder just how late is late summer in Disney’s view? September 22, 2025 is the official end of summer. Will it open before then, or get pushed to EPCOT’s anniversary on October 1, 2025?
A couple of things from this stand out to me. The first is that this indicates that the attraction will once again be presented by General Motors instead of Chevrolet. Not a big thing, as the former is the parent company of the latter, but still something interesting that caught my eye.
It’s also inconsistent with previous announcements, which mention Imagineers working with Chevrolet. This could mean we’re getting fresh concept art soon, as the art that was previously-released has a marquee that says “presented by Chevrolet.”
Much more significantly, that the reopening date is actually Late Summer 2025. Just about everyone, including us, assumed that the target date was sometime between Spring Break and the start of Summer 2025. We discuss that below, and I’ll preserve it for the sake of posterity (for now), so it doesn’t look like I’m trying to make my (wrong) prediction look right. Suffice to say, there were a number of signs that Test Track 3.0 would be done by summer.
Many Walt Disney World fans, especially summer vacation travelers, are going to be upset about this. Over a full year of EPCOT being down one ride isn’t great news from a park touring perspective, as discussed in our recent report about Early Entry and rope drop at EPCOT with Test Track closed.
It also probably pushes much-needed reimaginings to both Spaceship Earth and Journey into Imagination even further down the road. I’m not sure Walt Disney World management would want Test Track and one of those down at the same time. However, it does make the 2025 Destination D23 very opportune timing to announce either! (It also means event attendees could be treated to sneak peek previews of the reimagined ride, as we were with Moana’s Journey of Water last year.)
With that said, and at the risk of angering those of you who are already upset, I’m ecstatic about this news. I know, I know–we’ve bemoaned the slow pace of construction on this blog repeatedly. But hear me out, because this is different.
Test Track 3.0 is being largely funded by General Motors. That sponsor has every incentive to push for as tight of a turnaround time as possible. It probably goes without saying, but showcasing their vehicles outside a construction wall doesn’t have quite the same promotional value as the ride itself. Disney also has every incentive to move quickly, as it’s a big ride to have down and they’re not paying for it. (Even if they were, there is not currently the same desire to spread costs into multiple fiscal years.)
All of that means that Test Track 3.0 is going to take longer because it needs to take longer! That’s a good thing, because it means that the ride reimagining is ambitious. Unless you were a huge fan of the previous Test Track 2.0 aesthetic, it means we’re truly getting a fully reimagining ride, on par with the transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Okay, maybe that’s a bad example given how some of you feel about the outcome there. But you hopefully get what I’m saying in terms of the project scope and scale.
I assume most of you reading this are Walt Disney World diehards, which presumably means that, like me, you’re playing the long game. You will be visiting for years, if not decades, to come. If so, you should be fully on board with the project taking a few more months for a better end product that you will enjoy for years–probably at least the next decade–to come.
This also makes me more optimistic that maybe the World of Motion inspiration will be much more than just surface level. Honestly, I wouldn’t be the least bit upset if the date slipped into Late 2025 (no summer) or even 2026. Learn the right lesson from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and don’t rush this one.
The longer timeline shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. Just last week, Walt Disney Imagineering shared a new video on social media showcasing a first look inside the Test Track show building at EPCOT. The video highlights ongoing work as Imagineers prepare for the third generation of this iconic EPCOT thrill ride.
The video shared on Instagram follows show set designer Tessa, as she tours the active construction site. Based on what’s shown, many or most of the show scenes in Test Track have been totally gutted. The ride sets are currently full of scaffolding as crew members work on Test Track 3.0.
The scenes being completely replaced is what we expected given that the third iteration of Test Track is going in a completely different direction, but it’s nice to have confirmation via video. This corroborates what’s been revealed thus far by Disney, and what’s in the permits filed to date.
Prior to this, Walt Disney Imagineering filed a lot of construction permits since this project began over the summer. The latest is a permit for electrical work was assigned to third party contractor Pro Audio Video Inc. No other details are offered, but judging by this company’s track record, it’s probably AV work in the pre-show or within show scenes. (Hardly a bold guess–the only other option is the exterior!)
Prior to this, Walt Disney Imagineering filed a notice of commencement permit for electrical work to be carried out by Pro Sound & Video. This vendor has previously worked with Walt Disney World on a wide range of projects, including but not limited to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Spaceship Earth, and more.
The most interesting construction permit for the Test Track reimagining hit back in August. The scope of the work on this one is another for the installation of set elements, and it lists Pennsylvania-based Spitz, Inc. as the contractor. This isn’t a name we frequently see associated with Walt Disney World permits, so we took a look at their website.
Long story short, Spitz is the world’s leading supplier of planetariums and domes. The company’s last collaboration with Walt Disney World was a stone’s throw away on the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. It remains to be seen what, exactly, Disney is doing with a dome (or domes?) in Test Track. There’s no obvious location in the pre-show, attraction, or post-show that calls for one. Color us intrigued, though, as this should amount to a fairly consequential change one way or another in the attraction.
Before that, Walt Disney Imagineering filed its second permit, listing Jon Richards Company as the contractor, with the purpose of installing set elements at the address that corresponds with Test Track. Jon Richards Company is a frequent collaborator with Imagineering, working on projects ranging from Animal Kingdom to California Adventure to Tokyo DisneySea. Most recently, the group worked on Country Bear Musical Jamboree.
Walt Disney World filed the first construction permit for the Test Track reimagining, listing common collaborator Coastal Steel as the contractor and the scope of the work as “general construction.” This permit is noteworthy because it’s assigned to Coastal Steel, which generally works on ride systems or steel fabrication and erection. We’re not expecting a new ride system here–it’s the show scenes that are changing.
Coastal Steel is presumably doing maintenance or replacing specific components, rather than a wholesale ride system replacement. There are portions of the track that have gotten rough and could use a refresh (I’d be good losing the whole ABS section from the original Test Track). This could be similar to the treatment Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has received during its refurbishments over the last two springs.
Other than that, visible work can be seen outside the attraction. To date, the closure has revolved around demolition of existing sets and the queue. Large dumpsters are visible within the construction walls from the EPCOT monorail loop.
One of the biggest visible milestones of the project is that Test Track is officially canopy-free for the first time in over two decades! This sight is likely a joy to behold for fellow EPCOT Center old-timers, as this pavilion didn’t have the canopy during its World of Motion days. Unfortunately, that classic dark ride is practically ancient history–a “relic” of the good ole days that has been gone since the mid-1990s.
Other than that, we’ve seen and heard a lot of work on Test Track during our visits to EPCOT (and rides aboard the Highway in the Sky). From everything we’ve heard, this is a rather ambitious project with an aggressive timeline, but it still could take over a full year to finish.
To that point, I would hazard a guess that the target opening date for Test Track 3.0 is around Memorial Day 2025. That doesn’t mean it will open then–it could occur earlier or even later. After all, absolutely no timeline has been given. Even once one is, there’s always the possibility of work being completed ahead of schedule or delays occurring. But my educated guess is that we’re looking at a late spring or early summer opening. Spring Break 2025 being the absolute earliest and July 4th being the latest.
For reference, Test Track closed in mid-April 2012 and reopened in early December 2012 when it was last reimagined. Although that was only a decade ago, it seems like an eternity ago. Due to labor and everything else shortages, construction projects tend to take longer now. (Although crews will soon be freed up from TBA, not to mention Epic Universe.)
At least 9 months sounds about right for the minimum timeline here. I think 10-12 months is even more reasonable, even without knowing more about its scale or scope. It’s possible that the project could take even longer, especially if it involves a refurbishment of both the ride system and new show scenes. That could mean a closure of 16-18 months, which would put it in the ballpark of Frozen Ever After and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. (We do not expect as elaborate of show scenes in Test Track as those boat rides.)
I would also hazard a guess that no other EPCOT attractions will go down for reimaginings until Test Track 3.0 debuts. In a perfect world, Test Track would close and the Play Pavilion would open shortly after that. Maybe not as originally envisioned, but as something to help absorb crowds on this side of the park. Even if it’s just temporary and basic stuff in there.
There’s not any actual chance of that happening. The Play Pavilion hasn’t just been paused, it’s been stopped. That building will eventually be used for something again–Walt Disney World did spend a lot of money on refurbishing and extending its useful life–but that doesn’t seem likely anytime soon.
Accordingly, EPCOT can’t really afford to close any other attractions–namely, Spaceship Earth or Journey into Imagination–while Test Track is down. While it is possible that they expect CommuniCore Hall to pick up some slack, that’s not a bona fide attraction, so it’s not the same.
One thing we’ve observed time and time again is that when Test Track is down, the other rides in the former Future World have longer waits. This is true even of Journey into Imagination, which goes from being underutilized capacity (e.g. is often a walk-on) to having a measurable wait time without Test Track.
EPCOT has been busier since the overhaul started wrapping up last December, and we’d expect that trend to continue with the debut of CommuniCore Hall and whatever else happens this summer and beyond. Basically, it’s hard to imagine another ride going down for a long closure at the same time as Test Track. But that was probably always going to be the case.
On the plus side, knocking out this ride reimagining sooner also means that Spaceship Earth and/or Journey into Imagination can be on the clock sooner. It’s probably wishful thinking, but I’d love to have reveals for one or both at the 2025 Destination D23, and this does line things up for an announcement then followed by early 2026 closure(s).
My next thought is that the concept art looks like a massive upgrade as compared to the current exterior of Test Track. Ditching the permanent canopy that looks temporary (and industrial) is a huge win. While that serves a practical purpose (shade and cover from the rain), it’s also a bit of an eyesore. We’ve all just sort of collectively gotten used to it as fans as it’s been there for so long.
That’s why I’m sharing the above concept art of the original World of Motion, and how sleek and futuristic that looked. Or rather, looks. To be perfectly honest, I think World of Motion was the blandest of the OG Future World pavilions–but the competition was also staunch, and the architecture on all of them was or is stunning. World of Motion was simpler and more elegant as a result–definitely better than how Test Track looks.
The thing is, Test Track still largely looks like World of Motion. Sure, there’s the track around the outside and the cylinder’s cutaway to the dark ride is gone, but the sleek wheel-shape of the pavilion is largely intact. Ditto the General Motors lounge above the entrance. Creating a new permanent entrance awning that’s smaller and lower than the current canopy is a great move. It looks fantastic, and will allow the elegant architecture of World of Motion to shine through. I really love this move. This reimagining is already off to a fantastic start, and it hasn’t even begun!
Oh, and it’s probably a weird “me thing” but I’m also happy to see the current marquee go. It looks like a mushroom.
Ultimately, I’m really excited for the Test Track overhaul and everything (which admittedly isn’t much!) that we know about it thus far. While this wouldn’t have been on top 10 or 20 lists in terms of my priorities for Walt Disney World if asked prior to the announcement at Destination D23, I actually think it makes a ton of sense. And, again, it’s largely funded by General Motors. It isn’t like they’re going to pay for a trackless reboot of Journey into Imagination with Figment and Dreamfinder. (But if they would, I’d promise to buy a Chevy!)
I’m not going to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, with further commentary here. For that, see our previous post about the Test Track 3.0 Ride Reimagining. I love that this seems to be ditching the TRON-inspired aesthetic, and instead will harken back to World of Motion. I hope that’s done earnestly and sincerely, not just as little Easter Eggs or fan service.
I’ve really come to appreciate Walt Disney World attractions with personality, and think that’s one thing absent from the current version of Test Track. It just feels too cold and sterile, and there’s nothing memorable about it. Even as someone who thought the original Test Track was overdue for an update, I appreciated its personality and we still quote some of the quirky pre-show lines. I don’t think the current version has anything that fans will be quoting 10 years from now.
Suffice to say, I’m really looking forward to Test Track 3.0 and hope it pulls from the best aspects of all its predecessors. It seems like Disney and Chevrolet are positioned to learn from past successes and failures, making improvements in Test Track 3.0 on those bases. I just hope Imagineers have enough time, creative freedom and Chevy Bucks to complete a high-quality ride reimagining. Obviously it’s a very different attraction, but seeing the incredible and quick turn-around on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is very promising!
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the Test Track reimagining announcement? Happy that Imagineering is being given an extra couple of months to work on the reimagining (as opposed to a spring or early summer reopening date) or disappointed it’ll be down during your trip? Excited for Test Track 3.0, or will you miss the current version? Think it’s time for a replacement to TRON Track now that TRON Lightcycle Run exists in Magic Kingdom? Which version of this ride is your favorite? Hopeful that World of Motion inspires more than just a sense of optimism in the new ride? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
