Test Track

Future World, Epcot

As one of Epcot's most popular attractions, Test Track takes you through a simulated ride through the testing procedures used on cars. 

You enter the ride into a large, long queue area which features a number of car related test demonstrations. The queue area is designed to look a bit like a car test lab, and includes a number of test dummies and damaged test cars. Once you've moved through the queue area, you enter one of the 'holding area' rooms for the pre-show, a four minute video overview of the attraction where two test employees explain what you'll be doing, and build a plan for your test drive with an unexpected surprise thrown in last minute.

After you leave the pre-show area, you continue along a shorter boarding queue to your ride car. Once in the car it takes up a short hill where a cast member makes sure you've buckled up your seat belt before continuing you on your way.

Your first test is the suspension test. Your car will pass over a number of different hard road surfaces such as Belgian blocks and cobblestones to test its suspension - its too hard in our view!

Next up is the brake test. Your car will first speed up towards a sharp corner before braking without anti-lock brakes. The car skids off the track due to the brakes locking up. After this, the same test is performed again with ABS turned on, and the car handles the corner perfectly. A video shows you the difference, recorded on a camera overhead.

The third part of the test takes you up a twisty hill and then through the Environmental Chamber, which simulates extreme heat (110F / 43C), extreme cold (10F / -13C) and a 'corrosion chamber'. 

Next, the handling of the car is tested on a number of hills with blind turns. The speed of the car increases at each corner and you narrowly avoid a collision with a semi-truck before swerving out of the way.

You now enter the 'final' test. Your car lines up facing a wall with a target on it - this is it, the impact test. The car races forwards before the entire wall opens up to reveal the test track, a steep banked outdoor track where your car will go up to 65mph (note: on very quiet days if you've only got 2 or 3 people in the car, it can hit 70mph) around the building and through a back-lot area (you can see the Epcot cast member car park area). The car then slows down and shows a thermal image of the heat of you and the car before descending back down to the loading area.

Your test is then over. You'll want to head to the photo booth to see how you look in the photo they took just as you were about to hit the wall!

You exit through the "Driver's Technology Laboratories", which is basically a showroom full of GM cars that you can sit in. You can also purchase Test Track merchandise from the store.