Latest news with #Epcot
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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
This Iconic Disney World Attraction Just Reopened With New Tech, Scenes, and Thrills—What to Know
Following an extensive refurbishment, Walt Disney World's Test Track has reopened with all new show scenes, on-board narration, vehicles, and queue. The high-speed thrill attraction has been an Epcot staple since 1999, and one of the Orlando destination's most popular rides. And now park goers can race to what Disney has called an all-new 'reimagined experience' that celebrates 'today's innovation while highlighting the past, present, and future.' The new Test Track is a collaboration between General Motors and Walt Disney Imagineering. Riders will first walk through a queue featuring six distinct exhibits that 'celebrate the vehicles—and people behind the vehicles—that push the envelope and help get people to our next chapter in our motion journey.' On display are futuristic, concept cars. Once on board, riders will journey through various show scenes that depict 'technological advances and how our lifestyles and relationships to mobility connect everyone.' The attraction taps into the spirit of the open road while showcasing the unique vantage point of how vehicles 'see' the world around us. To create this effect, Walt Disney Imagineering utilized over 29,000 points of light. And fans need not worry: The popular scenic outdoors portion where riders are thrust to an exhilarating 65 miles per hour remains. Guests will then exit into a sprawling Vehicle Showcase displaying the latest innovations from General Motors. The newly-refreshed ride also pays tribute to the early days of Epcot and its legacy. Longtime visitors will notice an all-new musical score featuring the 'It's Fun To Be Free,' theme song for World of Motion, the attraction that once occupied the space where Test Track sits today. And its exterior has also been given a refresh, inspired by the original pavilion's design. Test Track will operate with a standard queue and a single rider line. The attraction is also available to book through Disney World's paid expedited line system, Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Walt Disney World is currently celebrating 'Cool Kid Summer' with new experiences that include two all-new stage shows at Disney's Hollywood Studios, 'The Little Mermaid—A Musical Adventure' and 'Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After,' and a brand-new evening parade at Magic Kingdom Park, 'Disney Starlight: Dream The Night Away.' And later this year, guests can look forward to a brand-new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed tavern, The Beak and Barrel, at the Magic Kingdom Park.
The Sun
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
We were banned from entering Disneyland because of our ‘offensive' T-shirts, but our replacements were so ridiculous
GOING to Disneyland is a dream for many. But one couple was stunned when they were banned from entering the theme park because of their outfits. 3 3 The pair headed for their day of fun wearing matching couple shirts. The black T-shirt worn by the woman featured the hair of Princess Leia from Star Wars with the words 'I love you.' The shirt worn by the man was also black and featured a gun and read 'I know.' The shirts are in reference to one of the most iconic scenes of the franchise where Han Solo and Princess Leia kiss before he is dragged off by Storm Troopers. However, according to the post the T-shirt designs were deemed inappropriate for Disneyland. The poster wrote: "My friends were forced to change out of their "offensive" shirts at Disney." The pair then went to the gift shop to pick out some new T-shirts to wear for the day and what they found was shocking. "Look what they picked out as replacements in DISNEY'S GIFT SHOP!" the user continued. The picture then saw the couple hold up two shirts, one with a larger picture of Princess Leia with the words 'I love you.' The next shirt featured an image of Han Solo holding a gun with the words 'I know.' 3 Trolls branded my kids' uniforms 'inappropriate' but THEY'RE the real problem It's not the first time people have been dress-coded at Disney parks. Nicole DeLosReyes visited Disney World in Florida, and she opted for a pair of black jeans and a white knotted crop top. But as she tried to enter Epcot theme park within the Disney World complex, Nicole was told her top violated the park's dress code policy. In a viral video that's racked up over nine MILLION views, the star filmed herself hunting down the nearest gift shop for something to cover up with. She said: "Guys it happened. I got dress-coded at Disney. "I was told to leave or get a shirt. So now we're getting a shirt." According to Disneyland's website, the dress-code bans clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics, excessively torn clothing or loose fitting clothing which may drag on the ground and create a potential trip hazard, clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment and clothing with multiple layers are subject to search upon entry.
Buzz Feed
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Buzz Feed
Disney Changed One Of The Most Popular Rides At Epcot And I Rode It 10 Times In One Day To Give You My Honest Review.
Background Test Track, an attraction that opened in March of 1999, has been on of the Epcot's most popular rides since it opened. When it opened the theming of the ride was that you were in a test car, acting sort of a as a crash test dummy, going through trials cars would need to pass before being put on the market. In April of 2012, the original Test Track closed for a re-theme and reopened in December of 2012. This re-theme was focused more on attributes cars could have and how to strike a balance between them. Riders could build custom concept cars on tablets before entering the ride and tap their ticket or Magic Band to touch points just before boarding the cars. The car concepts would then be displayed thought the ride to see how they did on tests. The concept cars, along with the car you were in, were tested on the car's speed, capability, efficiency, and responsiveness. The scores of every vehicle in the car would be displayed in ranked order of how they did on the given test. After getting off the ride, there were cars to see (and even purchase if you wanted) just like in the first version (the ride is sponsored by General Motors), but this iteration also had interactive areas to see who designed the best car of the day, tweak your car's design, and make a car commercial to email to yourself or a friend. This version of Test Track closed in June of 2024. Test Track 3.0 Before the ride I joined the virtual due on the My Disney Experience app at 7:00 am and got a spot in group 29 for the day. I went to Epcot and my group was called to ride around 10:45 am, I headed over as soon as I was called. The exterior had a new Test Track sign outside as each previous iteration had. I scanned my Magic Band and entered the line. The first room the line was in looked mostly the same, except it had new concept cars in place of the old ones, and a small window at the top of the room where you could see cars going up to the seatbelt check for the ride. The room you enter next, previously had the tablets to create your own concept car, but that feature is no longer a part of the ride. It is now a room themed to General Motors (still sponsoring this iteration of the ride). It features some of the eco-friendly initiatives of the company, as well as some smaller concept cars. Then you just have one more hallway before you reach the loading dock, and this looks the same as all the versions that had come before. On the Ride The ride vehicles look pretty much the same and the seatbelt check is also the same. My first ride was a bit of a let down, however, upon a second ride I realized the ride had an audio track that your car was meant to play, and my car's audio was off. The track for the ride was identical to the previous version so fans of the old version will know the car's next move, but the inside theming was totally different. Riding again After the first ride guests were invited to re-ride as long as they used the single rider line. I did this nine times. All ten rides took me about two hours, and many of my re-rides were essentially a walk on. I will, for say my first three rides I was in the back row, and then for my fourth ride I was sat in the front. I felt that it really improved my experience a pretty significant amount to be placed there. I am on the shorter side, but I felt it was harder to see in the back row than it was in pervious versions. There were little Disney touches that could be spotted by eagle eyed fans thought out the ride, but for the most part it was pretty devoid of Disney touches as previous versions were. So how was it? The ride updated ride was very similar to previous versions, and as someone who has ridden all three versions, and rode 2.0 with some frequency, it did feel very familiar due to the track being the same. I did miss the interactivity of the custom concept cars that were introduced in Test Track 2.0 in this version, but the new interior scenes were quite cool. To me, this version felt a little more like an ad for GM than previous versions did. It felt that the ride was an ad for the future of the company and their tech, rather than cars in general. This wasn't necessarily a negative for me, just an observation I had. The final room was quite cool with a large overhead screen you saw right before you exited to the outdoor track. I will say I miss the doors that used to open to take you outside, now there is just an opening the you go though, which takes the suspense out of what's to come. The audio track was fun and having ridden with and without it, I can say it is definitely a vital part of the ride. After the ride, the area to get your ride photo is the same, but the fun interactive parts of the rooms after the ride are gone. I think this will be sad for many, especially those with children. I used to see people in there with kids even without riding. I believe it was a popular spot for non-riders to wait with kids while the rest of their party rode. The cars on display are still there (as are the car salespeople), with a lovely sports car being the first you see post ride. I did miss the interactive parts of the exit queue as I'm sure will be a common consensus. My final thoughts I talked to many other guests about what they thought and the overall consensus was that this was not an upgrade. I don't know if it is just people being sentimental for what used to be there. I suspect this may be the case as many I talked to still said how they missed Test Track 1.0. I would agree with the majority, however, that this is not my favorite version of the ride. It did grow on me the more I rode it, but as of right now I would not consider this to be my favorite of the Test Track versions. Overall, I was just happy to have Test Track back! Even though so far this isn't my favorite version of the ride I can't wait to ride it more and try to notice even more details. The ride felt like it was a good blend of elements of what I knew and loved, and new innovation. If you have a trip to Epcot planned soon I would say Test Track remains a must do!
Business Insider
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
I did the cheapest tour at Disney World. At just $39 a person, it was worth every penny.
Epcot's Behind the Seeds Tour starts at $39 a person, making it the cheapest tour at Disney World. This one-hour tour takes guests on a tour of Epcot's greenhouses with a knowledgeable guide. We learned about innovative food-growing techniques at Disney and got to sample fresh produce. If you go to Disney World a lot, it's easy to feel like you've seen and done it all. However, you can see a whole different side of the parks by taking one of its special tours. On a recent trip, my husband and I booked Disney World's cheapest tour, the Behind the Seeds Tour, for a chance to explore Epcot's greenhouses with an expert guide. The Behind the Seeds Tour is fairly affordable. The Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot's Land Pavilion costs $39 to $45 per person (depending on the day), plus tax. That makes it the cheapest tour at Disney World, tied with Caring for Giants (which lets you see elephants at Animal Kingdom up close-ish). That price point is a steal at Disney. Other tours cost considerably more: The Segway tour of Fort Wilderness costs $90 to $99 per person. Keys to the Kingdom, which takes you backstage at Magic Kingdom, starts at $149 a person. The SCUBA diving tour of Epcot's Seas Pavilion costs $229 or more. And don't get me started on VIP Disney Tours, which cost between $450 and $900 per hour, with a minimum of seven hours required. For those without a calculator, that's over $3,000 for seven hours — and that doesn't include park tickets or guide tip. (And yes, the 20% tipping rule is fairly standard for tours.) It's cool to see so many plants and the growing process up close. Living With the Land is one of Disney World's most underrated attractions. The slow-moving boat ride takes you through a tour of Epcot's innovative greenhouses, which use unique growing methods as a test case for how we can more efficiently grow food to feed the world. The Behind the Seeds Tour builds on that experience: You actually get to walk through those greenhouses with an expert tour guide, who lets you look at the plants, fruit, vegetables, and fish up close. There's a lot to see in the greenhouses. We got to peek into the aquaponic tanks, come face-to-face with massive gourds, and walk through the Living With the Land ride's famous "salad spinners" and conveyor belt-esque hydroponics system that grows plants without any soil. The guide can share so much more information than what you learn on the ride. Our guide was full of fun facts and able to answer all our wildest questions about why they grow tomatoes vertically or how they use parasitoid wasps to manage pests like leaf miners. They shared some incredible facts with us, like how saffron is harvested (and why it's so dang expensive) and how we can reduce water usage when growing produce with specific techniques. But by far the most impactful thing I learned is that it can take 1 pound of feed to yield 1 pound of fish, while it takes up to 8 pounds of feed to yield 1 pound of beef. That can make fish significantly more environmentally friendly to farm than cattle. Although we still eat beef, my husband and I have specifically made sure we eat fish at least twice a week now, when we'd otherwise eat red meat. Meeting Stanley the plant and sampling a fresh cucumber were among the highlights. The Behind the Seeds Tour wasn't all facts and figures. We also got to sample produce harvested that morning — and it was the freshest, tastiest cucumber I've ever had. Though we weren't allowed to physically touch any of the plants and trees growing in the greenhouses (for their safety), our guide made one exception: Stanley, the most sensitive plant at Epcot. Stanley is a Mimosa pudica, a plant that can close its leaves when you touch it, as a defense mechanism. Each member in the group got to "pet" Stanley and watch his leaves close up quickly in response — it was a cool experience that made me feel more connected to the living world around me. The tour isn't a huge time commitment, but it may be the highlight of your day. The Behind the Seeds Tour only lasts an hour, which means there's plenty of time to enjoy Epcot for the rest of your day, whether you want to ride the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster or down a couple of margaritas in the Mexico pavilion. But in my experience, it will be the best hour you spend in the park. It may even be the highlight of your whole trip. And at $39, I also found it to be well worth the cost. Although I may not be ready (or able) to fork over thousands for a VIP Tour, this positive experience motivated me to try others, like the Wild Africa Trek, during my next trip.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
An Epcot Guest Fell In The Water On Living With The Land, But It's What Happened Next That Has Us Furious
Walt Disney World is a place where they say anything can happen, and guests routinely prove that statement true by getting up to some of the wildest stuff that you can imagine. This includes one guest who was caught on video getting soaked on one of the rides where that isn't supposed to happen: Epcot's iconic Living with the Land. Living with the Land is a favorite attraction at Epcot for a lot of people. It is also a unique attraction in that the boat ride has no restraint system, and no on-board Cast Member, meaning riders have to be on their best behavior. Unfortunately, sometimes they are not, as guests showed in a TikTok that's gone viral, revealing somebody getting out of the water.
