One of the best loved, most popular and fastest rides in all of Walt Disney World is Test Track, found in Future World of Epcot. This unique experience puts guests in the “driver’s seat” of a test vehicle.
Originally opened on December 19, 1998, the attraction sponsored by General Motors replaced the previous World of Motion in the same basic structure. Many delays were experienced before the ride became operational owing to its complex nature and troubles encountered before it went live.
With one of the more elaborate queue lines in Disney, those waiting are given an indication of some of the testing that is done on vehicles and their parts before they are put in to use. Examples include electric windows, seat wear, tires, braking systems, drive-trains, etc. [click to continue…]
One of the more quirky but still entertaining attractions to be found in Walt Disney World is Journey Into Imagination With Figment, located in the Imagination Pavilion of Epcot.
“Journey” has actually been through three major incarnations since it first appeared in Epcot in 1983, just months after the theme park opened itself. The first version involved guests in an omnimover ride system which took them on a trip with an old man named Dreamfinder. Dreamfinder collected dreams and ideas and uses them to create new things. He did this along with the help of a “figment of his imagination” which resembles a winged dragon or alligator.
The original attraction was around for many years but closed in 1998 to allow for a major renovation which introduced the second version of “Journey.” Known as “Journey into YOUR Imagination”, the re-imagined attraction was based on the new 3-D film/show playing next door called Honey: I Shrunk the Audience. Accordingly, guests were now “touring” the Imagination Institute from the “Honey, I Shrunk…” world and served as test subjects for new inventions. [click to continue…]
Just like the Seas pavilion itself, attractions inside the pavilion have been added or modified to reflect the wildly popular Pixar blockbuster movie Finding Nemo. One excellent example of this is the Turtle Talk With Crush attraction which opened at the Seas on November 16, 2004.
In fact, when the attraction first opened, it was so popular that plans were almost immediately drawn up for it to be moved to a larger section of the pavilion to allow for additional crowds. This switch occurred a couple of years later when the pavilion officially opened as the Seas with Nemo and Friends.
Guests to the attraction are usually amazed by the comedy and technology involved with the show. Upon entering, guests are seated in a movie theater style room with a large screen (pretending to be a window into the sea) in front of them. Children are asked to sit on the floor in front of the screen “so that they can see the show better.” [click to continue…]
The Seas with Nemo & Friends is a relatively new take on a pavilion that has been a part of Epcot’s Future World since 1986. It was updated to include the theming and characters of the Pixar blockbuster Finding Nemo.
When the original pavilion opened, it was known as The Living Seas. It invited guests to a short theater presentation called “The Seas” which showed how the world’s oceans were created. From there, guests went into hydro-laters which took them to “Seacabs”, small ride vehicles which moved guests under the large aquarium giving them a view of it the entire way. [click to continue…]
Providing an almost ever-changing experience, Innoventions of Epcot in Walt Disney World is an under-utilized retreat from the hustle and bustle of the typical Disney crowds.
Housed in Future World, but separated into East and West sections, Innoventions offers several different exhibits to pass the time as well as educate and amuse oneself. The main theme behind all of the presentations is technology and how it is or will be used in everyday life.
As you can imagine, the exhibits change often to keep up with technology and sponsors, but some of the more recent experiences include: [click to continue…]
Few structures in Walt Disney World are more misunderstood or named incorrectly more often by park goers than Spaceship Earth located in Future World of Epcot. This is a strange phenomena, especially when you consider that Spaceship Earth is the icon for the entire park.
Many newcomers to Disney (and even a few veterans) do not even know that Spaceship Earth is actually a ride. Sure, the exterior is impressive and leads people to believe that it is more decorative in nature, but they would be mistaken. Inside the geosphere (not a golf-ball as some call it) is a slow moving ride that takes guests back in time to visit the advances man has made in the area of communication.
Construction on the attraction began over two years before the park in which it is hosted even opened. Disney needed this much time to complete the icon as well as the ride located within it. The structure itself is supported by six legs that were driven deep into the ground. So much thought went into the details of even the exterior that rain water hitting the structure does not fall to the ground around the edges, but gets collected in a series of gutters on the surface of the exterior that channels it all into pipes leading to the World Showcase Lagoon. [click to continue…]
Few Walt Disney World attractions are more under appreciated by the common Disney guest than Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress located in Tomorrowland of the Magic Kingdom. The Carousel not only provides a welcome air-conditioned respite from the hustle and bustle of the crowds, but also provides a glimpse into the mind of the man [...]
Like many of the Magic Kingdom’s original rides, the Tomorrowland Speedway was also based on an existing ride located in the prototype Disney park, Disneyland. In this case, the Speedway was modeled after Autopia.
Autopia was designed with the cars and travel of the future in mind. It utilized multi-lane roadways, a concept which had yet [...]
Space Mountain is a fan favorite among many of the guests who pass through the gates of the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Located in Tomorrowland, the classic attraction is a dark coaster ride that features thrills from beginning to end.
It first opened in 1975 after really being years in consideration. Walt Disney himself [...]
The Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland provides one of the best and highest views that you can find in the Magic Kingdom. Located atop the same structure where you board the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, this ride is one of many kids and adults favorites.
The central design that Astro Orbiters is based on has been around for [...]