Test Track now closed for reimagining at Epcot

Temporary, but Extended, Closure for Test Track

Upon the conclusion of the June 16, 2024 operating day, Test Track “2.0” drove into the sunset at Epcot in Walt Disney World. When the thrill ride reopens at the Florida resort, it will embody a “spirit of optimism” harking back to World of Motion, the defunct Epcot attraction that Test Track replaced.

The temporary closure, announced several months ago, comes into effect six days after Disney personnel dubbed the multi-year transformation of Epcot “complete.” Disney has not announced when Test Track will reopen.

Test Track 1999 vs. Test Track 2012

Test Track opened in 1999, at which point the attraction was sponsored by General Motors and focused on safety tests during cars’ manufacturing stage. Come 2012, Chevrolet stepped in as Test Track’s new sponsor and partnered with Disney to revamp the experience, adding the ability for guests to customize their ride vehicle’s imagined design. (Chevrolet will remain the sponsor in the ride’s future version.)

Take a look at our side-by-side comparison POV video of both versions of Test Track to see how they differed:

Test Track’s ride system and vehicle design was repurposed for Radiator Springs Racers, which opened in 2012 at Disney California Adventure Park as part of Cars Land.

For archival preservation purposes, here’s how Disney’s official Test Track landing page (which will likely change soon) currently describes the ride:

Take the Ultimate Test Drive:

Cruise over to the gleaming Chevrolet Design Center to create your own virtual concept car. When you’re done, buckle up in a six-passenger “SIM Car” and take it for an exhilarating spin on the test track. 

Rev through rough terrain and obstacles along the winding circuit. Accelerate through straightaways, maneuver switchbacks through inclement weather, hug curves banked at 50-degree angles, and scale hills up to three stories high. 

Reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour as you put your car through its paces. After each test, check the scoreboard to see how your vehicle performed!

After the Test:

Make and share a commercial for your design, race your car again on a miniature virtual test, or pose for a picture with your vehicle against a dramatic backdrop for a souvenir of your supercharged day.

Walt Disney World

Former Imagineer Kevin Rafferty detailed the creation of the original 1999 version of Test Track at length in his 2019 book “Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career.”

What was World of Motion?

The upcoming overhaul of Test Track will possess a similar tone as World of Motion, but what exactly does that mean? We explored the history of World of Motion and how it might influence the future of Test Track in a previous story:

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