Experience the Heart-Pumping Excitement of Test Track: Rev Up Your Adventure at EPCOT’s Electrifying Attraction!

If you’re an active participant in the legendary Ford vs. Chevy debate and come down on the Chevy side, then you’re going to love EPCOT’s Test Track! (If you’re a Ford person, let me offer you a trip to Henry Ford’s winter home in Fort Myers, FL, instead!)

All joking aside, this ride is enjoyable for anyone who simply gets a kick out of going fast. And it’s hard to get zippier than this because Test Track is the fastest ride in EPCOT! You’ll get to design your very own car and then put it through the paces on a crazy obstacle course. Are you up for the challenge?

Just remember what Lightning McQueen always says (besides “ka-chow”). I am speed.

Testing, 1, 2, 3…

While not as old as some Disney rides, Test Track has been an EPCOT staple for over 20 years.

To the chagrin of diehard fans, it replaced an EPCOT original attraction called World of Motion, which took guests on a journey through the history of transportation. Sponsored by General Motors, the educational (and entertaining) ride showed scenes of wagoneering, bicycling, driving, and even a prediction of what future transportation might look like. This theme of past and future meshed incredibly well with that of EPCOT’s signature attraction, Spaceship Earth. However, despite fitting into the EPCOT mold, World of Motion closed in 1996 to make way for Test Track, also sponsored by GM. Perhaps the upgrade in ride transportation was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Although folks were sad to see World of Motion come to a stop, Test Track was highly anticipated. It was set to open in 1997, but delays led to a later – though still grand – opening in 1999. A fun and futuristic ride, GM’s Test Track was a big change of pace for EPCOT! Far from leisurely drifting by story-telling scenes, Test Track was a certified thrill ride. (Although, the pre-ride bits discussing the creation and testing of cars could still be considered informative!)

The ride put guests in the shoes of a crash test dummy, zipping around a Top Gear-style course in a snazzy yellow concept car. Thankfully, crashing was not part of the ride, although the speeds could certainly be considered “breakneck!”

Design on a Dime

In 2012, Test Track received a substantial refurbishment and rebranding. Now carrying the Chevrolet name (a subsidiary of GM), this speedy experience has become a surprisingly personalized ride, as guests now have the chance to design a customized car while waiting in the queue. While previously focused on safety testing, this version of Test Track emphasizes the design process, from sketch to showroom!

After you design a car, your prototype will carry over to the ride with the use of a memory card, and you’ll be able to view on-screen stats of how your vehicle performs on the track! Once the ride is over, there’s an area where you can race your custom car in a simulator and even have a photo-op with it.

The car creation process is unique and fun, but for guests who strive for high scores in everything from math tests to Toy Story Mania, you might be wondering: how do you make the best car in Test Track EPCOT?

According to a guide by Kurt Schmidt for Inside the Magic, the key to making the highest-performing car is to focus on the right things. Paint, face, and – surprisingly – the engine don’t really matter. Use your limited design time to pick out the highest point-value sculpt, wheels, and accessories. Schmidt points out that this won’t necessarily result in a great-looking car, but it often creates an incredibly efficient, top-scoring one.

That being said, if trying to get first place in points isn’t your main concern, then the best car is definitely the one you think looks the coolest! At the end of the day, Test Track is about having fun!

Note: Test Track has standby, single rider, and Lightning Lane queue options! As of writing, guests who use Lightning Lane still go through the design process. However, single riders bypass car creation.

Test Track at EPCOT – Epic Overdrive!

Don’t let the intellectual design process lull you into thinking this is simply a relaxing art class. There is a serious adrenaline rush on this ride!

Test Track isn’t meant to be scary, but it can be intense, as it reaches top speeds of 65 mph! You’ll rev through rough terrain, blast through straightaways, tilt along tight turns, and scale hills that are three stories high. A Chevy can handle it all!

While I personally think the most stylish of Chevies is a bright red 1966 C10, the ride vehicles are a shade of electrifying blue and in the shape of a sedan. However, seating capacity exceeds your typical sedan with six spots per car (but no cup holders). Going full sportscar mode, your test vehicle is also a convertible!

The EPCOT Test Track height requirement is only 40 inches, making it a really fun ride for both younger kiddos and anyone who enjoys the excitement of acceleration! Plus-size and taller riders may wish to try out the seats before riding, using the mock car (located in a private area). The ride’s seat belts work just like those in regular cars, so the main problem guests have expressed is the lack of legroom.

As a general rule, because Test Track is so similar to highway driving, motion sickness shouldn’t be a problem for anyone who does okay on actual roads. If anything, you’ll probably feel more jostled than dizzy. Oh, and speaking of driving, did you know each Test Track car will rack up 50,000 miles each year? I hope they got a good deal on tires!

Test Track brings an awesome bit of pep to a park that’s known to be more lowkey. If you’re looking for thrills during your EPCOT adventure, checking out Test Track is an absolute must! (It’s also super fun to pretend you own a Corvette for five minutes.) This high-octane ride is in league with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Mission: SPACE, and Soarin’ as one of EPCOT’s most exciting attractions, and in fact, many guests will often rank it in the top 10 most thrilling rides in all of Walt Disney World!

Now, the real question is: when are we getting a Studebaker-themed ride?? Disney, I’m waiting…

Have you ridden Test Track at EPCOT? Did your custom vehicle pass the test? Let us know in the comments below!

Featured photo: Josh Hallett via Flickr