Redesigned ride replaces GM Test Track attraction
Boy I absolutely love theme parks!
I have to say that after years of being a theme park
geek, I can finally admit that I am, and have always been, “that guy” at the adventure
park.
So who exactly is “that guy”? You know the one: It
is the first person into the park and the last person out, the guy who needs to
get a million souvenirs and try all the food places available. The guy who must
ride every single ride in the park (yes, even the kiddie ones) just because he
doesn’t want to waste any possibility of fun available to him, and the guy who
will not hesitate to jump in the water park, despite several hygiene warnings
from family and friends alike. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, as much as I
hate to admit it, I am “that guy”.
However, just like there are people like myself who
can’t get enough of what a theme park has to offer, there are people who
absolutely loathe them, and if you were at least a car fan in Disney World, GM
had you covered.
Since 1999, car nuts stranded at Walt Disney World
knew they could find relief from the Small Worlds and Magic Kingdoms at Epcot's
GM Test Track. Sadly for those people however, the sanctuary protecting them
from magical happy people disappeared when the ride was
shut down this past April.
Fortunately, GM and Disney have revealed that the
attraction is making a grand comeback, and that a team of GM designers and
Disney Imagineers (Imagination + Engineer, you get the idea) have been laboring
to redesign and rebuild the ride as the new Chevrolet Test Track. The new and
improved Chevrolet Test Track is set to open on December 6th.
As you could have guessed by the name change, the
new Test Track will focus exclusively on Chevrolet vehicles.
Under the new concept, ride goers will be able to
create their own virtual concept car that will then come along for the ride.
Users can customize and tweak their concept car as they wish by choosing
between 4 different performance attributes to give specific strengths to the
vehicle: capability, efficiency, responsiveness and speed.
After designing a rough version your own vehicle, the
use of special software and a little “Disney magic” fills in the gaps and turn your
design into a brand new Chevrolet concept car.
Fans of the original GM Test Track will be happy to
find out that the ride remains mostly unchanged, taking guests up to speeds of
65 mph. The scenery, however, has received a substantial makeover, upgrading
their old ‘Crash Dummy’ style carts to vehicles decorated with fluorescent paint
and a prominent Chevy logo. The ride will also feature glowing panels around
the track, giving it a futuristic, virtual-reality feel.
Once the track portion ends, guests will see how their virtual car performed in a series of equally virtual tests that occurred during the ride. Attendees can pit their concepts against each other on video game-like simulation tables and create digital advertisements for their fantasy rides.
Those curious about the revamped attraction or eager
to try their hand as a car designer will have to wait until the Chevrolet Test
Track grand reopening on Dec. 6. Details can be found at the Walt Disney World
Web site (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/test-track/)
Like what you read?
Follow us on Twitter at @jerryschevybalt and @jerrysitsaboutu for blog updates
For more
information on Chevy products including pictures, videos, car battles and
specials like our Facebook at http://facebook.com/jerryschevrolet
No comments:
Post a Comment