Description And Comments

Test Track underwent a major refurbishment throughout most of 2012. Now sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet brand, Test Track's new presentation takes guests through the process of designing a new vehicle then "testing" their car in a high-speed drive through and around the pavilion.

Guests entering the pavilion walk past displays of sleek, futuristic concept cars. Throughout the queue's walls are glossy video screens where engineers discuss the work of car design and consumers explain the characteristics of their "perfect car."

After hearing about automobile design, guests are admitted into the Chevrolet Design Studio to create their own concept car. Using a large touch-screen interface (like a giant iPad), groups of up to 3 guests drag their fingers to design their car's body, engine, wheels, trim and color. The computer screen reflects each design decision's impact on four performance characteristics: capability, efficiency, responsiveness and power. For example, designing a large truck with a huge V-8 engine increases the car's capability and power but drastically reduces its efficiency. A clock on the computer screen indicates how much time is remaining to finish each step in the design process, and the entire experience takes between 5 and 8 minutes.

Next, guests board a 6-seat ride vehicle, attached to a track on the ground, for an actual drive through Chevrolet's test track. The idea here is that guests are taking part in a computer simulation designed to evaluate their vehicle’s performance characteristics. (If you remember the Disney film Tron, where people are transported inside computers and see how they run, this is a similar concept.) The vehicle's tests include braking maneuvers, cornering, and acceleration, culminating in spin around the outside of the pavilion at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour.

The new ride visuals are sleek and eye-catching, but attempting to understand them as a coherent narrative is pointless – like fuzzy dice and reality TV contestants, they're there to look good, not be useful. Also, at various points during the ride, video screens show the virtual cars designed by the guests who are on board each ride vehicle and a status update on how their vehicle's tests are progressing.

Most guests figure out quickly that absolutely nothing in their car's design has any effect whatsoever on their ride experience: designing a fuel-sipping electric hybrid results in the exact same sensations as a monster truck with huge tires. Epcot veterans who remember the old Test Track experience will also note that the new ride is almost exactly the same, room for room, as the old.

Test Track's post-show area continues the design process by allowing guests to create commercials for their concept cars. Farther into the pavilion are displays of actual Chevrolet cars, many of which can be sat in. We've never heard of anyone attempting to buy a car from Test Track, but let us know if you have.

Touring Tips

Some great technology is at work here. Test Track is so complex, in fact, that keeping it running is a constant challenge. When it's working properly, it's one of the park's better attractions. But as a London, Ontario, mom reports, "working properly" seems to be a challenge:

Test Track breaks down more than any other ride I've ever seen. We went back there over and over again, got FASTPASSes, got in line, and then had to get out. Fastpass lines would have a 40-minute wait because no one got to ride at the proper time. What's wrong with that ride?

If you use Fastpass, be aware that the daily allocation of passes is often distributed by 4:30 p.m. If all the Fastpasses are gone, another time-saving technique is to join the singles line, a separate line for individuals who do not object to riding alone. The objective is to fill the odd spaces left by groups that don't fill up the ride vehicle. Because there are not many singles, and because most groups are unwilling to split up, singles lines are usually much shorter than the regular line.

Test Track Wait Times

This chart shows you roughly how long you'll wait for Test Track when you visit on a day with a given Epcot Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average "peak" wait time (that is, how long the line will at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it's the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Test Track Wait Times.

Attraction Photos

Special Comments

40" minimum height requirement.

Special Needs

Other Attractions in Future World

Touring Plans with Test Track

What is a Touring Plan?

Lands