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Remembering Test Track (Presented by GM)

Hello Disney fans, Collins here.  If you've been on this site in the past, you know that this summer I visited Walt Disney World in July.  One of the things I was most anticipating on the trip was riding the new Test Track "2.0", a refurb of the original Test Track which operated from 1999-early 2012.  Aside from the track layout, which hasn't changed from the original attraction, the new Test Track is a totally different ride.  Instead of testing a test car in real test scenarios, you now test your custom-made "SimCar" in a virtual "SimTrack" (which is actually physical), putting it to the test of "simulated" scenarios including slippery road surfaces, responsiveness, off-road handling, and of course the high-speed loop.  While the new incarnation of Test Track is obviously cool and very futuristic, I can't help but miss the old ride which was my favorite in WDW.  So today I wanted to give you a side-by-side look comparing the old to the new, so you can see what the old World of Motion has undergone in it's most recent update.  Below is a video by Inside The Magic comparing the two rides side-by-side.  You'll see a lot has changed!

So what do you think of the changes? Are you like me and wish you could have the original ride back or are you more of a fan of the new attraction? Let me know in the comments! Thank you so much, and as always, have a magical day!

-Collins

Rumor: Truth, or just your Imagination?

Hello Disney fans, Collins here.  I feel like I say this at the beginning of every post, but sorry for leaving you hanging for such a long time.  Between homework and life in general, I haven't really had time for the blog, but now that I have a free moment, I wanted to share with you a rumor that ignited "one little spark" (see where this is going) of excitement in me.

I think all of us who have been to Epcot, or even Walt Disney World in general, have either heard of or seen the lovable, purple dragon, Figment.  Recently, he's been appearing on lots of Walt Disney World merchandise including scrapbooks, snow globes, and even has his own line of merchandise that you can find throughout the resort.  And if you were at the 2013 D23 Expo in August (which I couldn't attend :(  ), you even saw Figment and Dreamfinder at a meet and greet in the Journey into Imagineering exhibit.  All of this buzz about Figment is really rather sudden, as Figment hasn't been incredibly popular since the late 90's.

You see, the ride we know today as "Journey into Imagination with Figment" was a totally different thing up until 1998.  The ride, originally "Journey into Imagination", was an attraction which took guests through the thought process with a friendly older man named Dreamfinder, who, "searched the universe for sounds, colors ideas - anything that sparks the imagination", and his favorite creation of his imagination, Figment, a purple dragon with two tiny, orange wings, and "eyes big and yellow".  Dreamfinder and Figment lead the guests through the worlds of the Dreamport (place where Dreamfinders creations and ideas were stored), Art, (horror) Literature, Acting, Science, Technology, and a finale with Figment imagining himself in all of the worlds guests had previously traveled through.  Once you exited the ride, you were welcomed to the second story of the Imagination Pavilion, Imageworks, which was in the now vacant glass pyramids of the pavilion and offered interactive technologies and exhibits to spark the guests Imagination even further.


Dreamfinder introducing the guests to Figment and himself in the first scene of the ride.
(Property of JWL Media)

Dreamfinder painting with a giant brush in the Art section of the ride.
(Property of JWL Media)

Sounds pretty amazing compared to the much less exciting Journey into Imagination with Figment, which takes us on a tour of how our senses affect our Imagination followed by a brief stop through Figment's upside down open house and a much less fun Imageworks, right?  Well, its return may be on the horizon (another Epcot reference for another post ).  Many rumors, even from CMs of the Imagination Pavilion themselves, have said that the pavilion will close on January 2nd, 2014 to remain closed for a major refurbishment for about a year or year and a half.  What will happen in this 12-18 month closure? Well, here's what many, including myself think.

First the obvious.  If the pavilion does close, we can more than likely expect to see the Captain EO 3D show gone when it returns.  No one knows or can guess what will replace it, but many are pointing to a 3D show including Dreamfinder and Figment.  Which leads me to the elephant in the room.  What will happen to Journey into Imagination with Figment? Well, currently there two very likely rumors.

One rumor (which I REALLY hope doesn't happen) is of a Phineas and Ferb, the currently popular Disney Channel/Disney XD show, ride.  Like I said, I really don't like this idea.  EPCOT in its prime was unique in that everything in the park was original.  The only characters not original to the park were of course Mickey and Minnie Mouse, along with some other members of the fab five.  However, the originality of EPCOT and it's ideas confused children, and as a result the park's attendance declined in the mid 1990's.  To change this, Disney has taken out or changed many of Epcot's rides to appeal to a wider and younger audience.  Epcot has lost its luster! And taking away Figment for a ride about a show that probably won't be popular in a year or two infuriates me.  Sure, the kids in the show use their imagination in everyday life, but the idea just isn't Epcot.  Luckily, though, this is just one of two rumors.  Here's the rumor I'm most excited about. 

The second rumor is of a return of Dreamfinder and the classic Figment in a restore to the original Journey into Imagination, and a reopening of the upstairs ImageWorks.  The ride would be brought back with its original story, along with new technology which was non-existent in the 80's, including a possible trackless ride system which Disney has implemented in Tokyo Disneyland's "Pooh's Hunny Hunt" and the newly opened "Mystic Manor".  Talk about imaginative! There is so much potential for a return of the classic ride, and this is the rumor I'm rooting for.

But what do you all think?  What would you all like to see happen if the pavilion closes? Or do you think it will even close at all? Leave a comment and tell me your thoughts.  Thanks for reading, and have a magical day!

-Collins

PS: Here is a tribute and ride through of the original Journey Into Imagination (1983-1997) done by the amazing Martin Smith.  Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyUNTuvH6I8