Walt Disney World's Test Track to close June 2024 to begin reimagining

gerarar4 minutes ago

Queue signs have been added to the entrance. Source and more:

DCBaker4 minutes ago

Disney has announced the reimagined Test Track is set to reopen July 22. Disney says there will be previews for cast members, Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club Members, Golden Oak residents and Club 33 Members. More at the link below: https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/test-track-reopening-date-july-22/

Ayla16 minutes ago

Understanding context in the written word is truly a lost art.

Kamikaze22 minutes ago

I know you weren't. I only quoted you because goofball @Castle Cake Apologist was misquoting you. And again, the reputation of Disney was built before any of those attractions existed. They wouldn't have the money or the partners to build Disneyland if Walt's reputation wasn't already built. I don't think its fair to say 'Disney's reputation was only built on these attractions, which didn't have IP' when those non-IP attractions wouldn't have existed if not for what Disney did before that point.

Animaniac93-9856 minutes ago

It's important to note that what opened at Disneyland in 1955 was not only impacted by time and budget constraints, but just as importantly, Disney's lack of industry knowledge, resources and experience. Both with operating parks and understanding their potential. Most of Disneyland's opening day rides were either transportation rides (trains, boats, cars...mules), or off the shelf flat rides and bus bar dark ride tech given a Disney character dressing. Jungle Cruise is significant because it's the first true Disney attraction in terms of how we understand them today. A long form experience with custom sets and figures that uses ride vehicles, track layout, pacing and scenic design and blocking to create a sense of time and place. The Jungle Cruise of 1955 may not have been the ride we know of today, but it laid the groundwork for everything since. It's telling that as time progressed Disney moved away from stock rides and towards greater customization and elaboration of their attractions. Originality in both design and subject matter. As @Casper Gutman explains, the rides that came to define Disney by the late 60s were things like Pirates, Mr Lincoln, Small World, etc, not the C-ticket dark rides and B-ticket flat rides of Fantasyland. They were part of the experience, but not the whole experience, and certainly not the main draws or the ones that commanded higher ticket prices.

Casper Gutman1 hour ago

I genuinely don’t know what you’re talking about. Neither Penguin or I mentioned “themed design.” You’re stretching the definition of IP to the point of absurdity in your claims about Disneys opening day. Jungle Cruise, for instance, is not IP based, even if certain pre-existing pieces of anrt inspired it (as they inspire every artistic endeavor ever undertaken). Other posters have explained the story behind Davy Crockett, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, etc. This is all beside the point, because your “opening day” framing is entirely arbitrary - the attractions that, as I said, built Disneys reputation were ones like Pirates and HM.

Kamikaze2 hours ago

Jungle Cruise's IP was True Life Adventures. It was much more serious in tone originally.

Kamikaze2 hours ago

My guy, that's not at all what he was referring to. He makes no mention of 'themed design'. The specific call out of Universal is also proof that there is no reference to 'themed design', but of the company's overall procedures and processes. Saying how a theme park can 'launch' franchises and then immediately talking about how the company's reputation was built on it is not discussing 'themed design' in any way. Even if we suppose that you're correct and thats what he was talking about - their reputation on 'themed design' wasn't built on new IP either. The opening day attractions at Disneyland, if you're going to say thats when they built their 'themed design reputation' were nearly all IP. The railroad, Autopia, and the films in Tomorrowland are the only attractions not tied into an IP.

DisneyCane1 day ago

We need a team with someone stationed on every monorail to Livestream as much as possible! If I trip over it I'll settle with Disney for a lifetime annual pass and a yearly LL stipend.

sedati1 day ago

The pre-show as thinly veiled commercial- now that is vintage EPCOT Center! And seeing as the Post-show is a massive commercial as well then I hope Disney got double corporate sponsorship money on this one. But thank god no IP!

ChrisFL1 day ago

if, by some insane reason they open with that still there, I really wish there was a 24/7 webcam right above so I could see what happens 🍿

Castle Cake Apologist1 day ago

Yes, Disney's reputation in themed design. That was clear from the context of his post, and the fact that we are actively participating in a discussion forum dedicated to Disney's work in themed design. I would imagine that he's familiar with the fact that Disney as a company didn't suddenly exist upon the opening of Disneyland. Do you really need people to constantly point out to you when they're specifically talking about the theme parks and not the media conglomerate when they mention Disney here on the Disney theme park website? Like, come on.

Vinnie Mac1 day ago

Interesting....

Rteetz1 day ago