Difference between revisions of "Test Track (Pavilion)"

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==Pavilion History==
 
==Pavilion History==
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In 1977, General Motors signed on as the sponsor of a Transportation pavilion for the as yet unbuilt EPCOT Center. After seeing the success that Ford had in partnering with Disney at the 1964 World's Fair, GM agreed to 15 year contract, becoming the first of EPCOT Center's many sponsors. Taking its inspiration from Ford's World's Fair pavilion, the original plans for the Transportation pavilion called for a journey through a futuristic city, and a raised track located outside of the building (similar to Ford’s Magic Skyway).
  
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Test Track opened as the World of Motion pavilion in 1982 with the rest of EPCOT Center. The pavilion was sponsored by General Motors, the first company to agree to sponsor an Epcot pavilion. The World of Motion pavilion was shaped like a large, chrome wheel. The pavilion only featured one attraction, also called the World of Motion, which took guests through the history of human transportation. The attraction featured 30 different scenes which showed transportation advance, from the invention of the wheel, all the way to the modern highway system. The World of Motion even predicted what the future of transportation would be like, by showing guests  CenterCore, a futuristic metropolis where everything seemed to be in motion.  The ride specifically focused on how advancements in transportation have made our lives more fun and free.  Unlike the other Epcot pavilions, The World of Motion took a humorous approach to its subject. Imagineer Ward Kimball helped create the attractions storyline, while Imagineers X Atencio and Buddy Baker penned the attractions theme song "It's Fun to Be Free". After exiting the attraction, guests would enter General Motors' TransCenter. Here guests could see new prototype transportation methods, and even watch automated robots assemble various vehicles.  
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By 1978 as the designs became more defined, the Transportation pavilion began to take form. Inside of the pavilion was to be a dark ride (which would eventually also bet titled the World of Motion) which took guests through the history of transportation- beginning with man walking and ending in a large futuristic model city. Following the attraction, guests would be able to visit a series of interactive, transportation themed exhibits. The pavilion itself was designed to look like a large wheel (albeit one that was 65ft high and 320 feet across), with guests entering through a “wedge” that had been removed from the wheel.  
  
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In 1992 General Motor's ten year sponsorship of the pavilion ran up, and General Motors was unsure if they wanted to renew it. Due to the slumping economy, GM was facing large cutbacks and layoffs, and the company was not sure how beneficial their Epcot sponsorship was. If General Motors was to renew their sponsorship, it would require them to perform major renovations or even develop and new attraction altogether (as Disney wanted). GM eventually decided to renew their sponsorship for one year. The stop-gap sponsorship allowed the company to determine how beneficial their sponsorship was, while also protecting the pavilion from a rival sponsor. The one year sponsorship also gave GM time to see if the economy would recover. At the end of the year GM decided to re-up their sponsorship for (presumably) ten years. With the signing of the new sponsorship, GM and Disney decided to create a new attraction for the pavilion. It was also decided that the World of Motion attraction would remain open until the new attraction was developed.  
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The Transportation pavilion was eventually named the World of Motion, and the pavilion along with its title attraction and the interactive TransCenter opened with the rest of EPCOT Center on October 1, 1982.
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By the end of GM's original contract in 1992, the popularity of the World of Motion had declined. With this is mind General Motors was hesitant about continuing their sponsorship of the pavilion. After 1992, GM sponsored the World of Motion on a year to year basis, in order to reevaluate the benefits of their sponsorship, while also protecting the pavilion from a rival sponsor. Eventually, General Motors decided to renew, but with the understanding that the World of Motion would be updated. Instead of renovating the existing attraction however, Disney and GM decided to create a new attraction for the pavilion all together.  
  
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[[Image:Worldofmotion.jpg|thumb|The World of Motion pavilion, which was open from 1982 until 1999.]]
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With instructions from GM to narrow the focus the new attraction to automobiles, Walt Disney Imagineering decided to revisit one of the original ideas for the pavilion- an attraction that let guests experience how cars were tested before they became available to the public. After getting inspiration from the General Motors proving grounds, Imagineering pitched the idea of Test Track, an E ticket attraction that would take guests through the rigorous testing that GM cars put through.  
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When designing the new attraction, General Motors decided that they wanted to the new attraction to focus on the automobile side of transportation. Walt Disney Imagineering decided to revisit one of their original ideas for the pavilion, an attraction that would let guests experience how cars were tested before making in to the lot. Disney and GM engineers then visited the GM's proving grounds, to get ideas for the new attraction. It was eventually decided that the attraction would be called Test Track, and that it take guests through the rigorous testing that GM cars are put through.  On January 2, 1996 the World of Motion was permanently closed. Later in the year, the GM Test Track Preview Center opened giving guests an idea of what the new attraction would be like. Although Test Track was supposed to open in the spring of 1997, problems with the ride vehicles plagued the attraction. Due to the delay, Test Track officially opened on March 17, 1999. Test Track took guests through the various training exercises that crash test dummies usually go through. When it opened, the attraction was the fastest in Walt Disney World, with speeds reaching 65 mph.
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In Test Track's post show, guests can see General Motors newest cars up close and personal. They can also learn about the newest technology in the automotive industry.
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With plans for Test Track underway, on January 2, 1996 the World of Motion pavilion closed for renovations. On February 13, the GM Preview Center opened in front of the closed pavilion, featuring concept art for Test Track, and a large mural painted by Catherine Feff (which was installed in order to hide the pavilion during its construction). Due to a series of delays related to both Test Track's ride system and ride vehicles, the attraction was not ready for its May 1997 opening. Instead, in 1998 the GM Preview Center was updated to feature new attraction artwork. Finally, in late 1998, the Preview Center was removed and the attraction opened to guests on December 19, 1998.
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On January 6, 2012 Disney announced that Test Track would be closing for a refurbishment. Although the track and ride vehicles remained, the theming of the attraction was altered. As opposed to showing guests how cars were made, the new version of Test Track focused on the testing of cars. In Test Track 2.0, guests design their own ride vehicle in the queue before testing its capability, efficiency, responsiveness, and power in the attraction itself. Following the attraction, guests now receive a card with their car information on it, which they can use to play various interactive games. Since the 2012 refurbishment, Test Track has been sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet as opposed to the parent company GM.
  
 
==Attractions==
 
==Attractions==

Revision as of 14:56, 15 May 2014

Test Track is a pavilion located in Epcot. The pavilion was known as the World of Motion pavilion from 1982-1996. For the attraction see Test Track (Attraction)

Test Track (Pavilion)
Testrack.jpg
The entrance to the Test Track pavilion.
Epcot
Land Future World
Theme Transportation
Opening date October 1, 1982
Number of Attractions 1
Formally Known As World of Motion (1982-1999)
Sponsored by GM (1982-Present)


Pavilion History

In 1977, General Motors signed on as the sponsor of a Transportation pavilion for the as yet unbuilt EPCOT Center. After seeing the success that Ford had in partnering with Disney at the 1964 World's Fair, GM agreed to 15 year contract, becoming the first of EPCOT Center's many sponsors. Taking its inspiration from Ford's World's Fair pavilion, the original plans for the Transportation pavilion called for a journey through a futuristic city, and a raised track located outside of the building (similar to Ford’s Magic Skyway).

By 1978 as the designs became more defined, the Transportation pavilion began to take form. Inside of the pavilion was to be a dark ride (which would eventually also bet titled the World of Motion) which took guests through the history of transportation- beginning with man walking and ending in a large futuristic model city. Following the attraction, guests would be able to visit a series of interactive, transportation themed exhibits. The pavilion itself was designed to look like a large wheel (albeit one that was 65ft high and 320 feet across), with guests entering through a “wedge” that had been removed from the wheel.

The Transportation pavilion was eventually named the World of Motion, and the pavilion along with its title attraction and the interactive TransCenter opened with the rest of EPCOT Center on October 1, 1982. By the end of GM's original contract in 1992, the popularity of the World of Motion had declined. With this is mind General Motors was hesitant about continuing their sponsorship of the pavilion. After 1992, GM sponsored the World of Motion on a year to year basis, in order to reevaluate the benefits of their sponsorship, while also protecting the pavilion from a rival sponsor. Eventually, General Motors decided to renew, but with the understanding that the World of Motion would be updated. Instead of renovating the existing attraction however, Disney and GM decided to create a new attraction for the pavilion all together.

With instructions from GM to narrow the focus the new attraction to automobiles, Walt Disney Imagineering decided to revisit one of the original ideas for the pavilion- an attraction that let guests experience how cars were tested before they became available to the public. After getting inspiration from the General Motors proving grounds, Imagineering pitched the idea of Test Track, an E ticket attraction that would take guests through the rigorous testing that GM cars put through.

With plans for Test Track underway, on January 2, 1996 the World of Motion pavilion closed for renovations. On February 13, the GM Preview Center opened in front of the closed pavilion, featuring concept art for Test Track, and a large mural painted by Catherine Feff (which was installed in order to hide the pavilion during its construction). Due to a series of delays related to both Test Track's ride system and ride vehicles, the attraction was not ready for its May 1997 opening. Instead, in 1998 the GM Preview Center was updated to feature new attraction artwork. Finally, in late 1998, the Preview Center was removed and the attraction opened to guests on December 19, 1998.

On January 6, 2012 Disney announced that Test Track would be closing for a refurbishment. Although the track and ride vehicles remained, the theming of the attraction was altered. As opposed to showing guests how cars were made, the new version of Test Track focused on the testing of cars. In Test Track 2.0, guests design their own ride vehicle in the queue before testing its capability, efficiency, responsiveness, and power in the attraction itself. Following the attraction, guests now receive a card with their car information on it, which they can use to play various interactive games. Since the 2012 refurbishment, Test Track has been sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet as opposed to the parent company GM.

Attractions

Test Track- This high speed attraction lets guests experience first hand, the rigorous testing that General Motors vehicles go through. On this attraction, guests will board futuristic ride vehicles and travel through, the brake room, the hot and cold room, and a handling test room. The finale of the ride takes guests on a thrilling 65 mph loop around the pavilion.

Former Attractions

World of Motion- This dark ride attraction took guests through 30 different scenes, depicting the history of transportation. The ride concluded by showing guests the future of transportation in CenterCore, a futuristic metropolis.

General Motors' TransCenter- The General Motor's TransCenter allowed guests to watch automated robots assemble GM cars. Here, guests could also see prototype vehicles from GM.

Shopping

Test Track Giftshop- At the Test Track Giftshop guests can purchase Test Track ride photos, General Motors merchandise and other Epcot souvenirs. Located just outside of Test Track.

Fun Facts and Triva

  • The closure of the World of Motion Pavilion, led to Horizons being briefly reopened in 1997. This was done to make sure there were enough attractions for guests to experience in Future World.
  • General Motors is the only sponsor that the pavilion has ever had. This makes it unique among Epcot pavilions.
  • The third floor of the pavilion holds GM offices and the GM VIP lounge

References

http://www.intercot.com/edc/Motion/facts.html

http://www.lostepcot.com/worldofmotion.html

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/test-track-pavilion/

http://www.guide-to-disney.com/epcot/future-world/test-track/inside-track-shop.php

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