7 BIG Changes We Noticed at Test Track in Disney World

We’ve OFFICIALLY gotten to ride EPCOT‘s new version of Test Track!

The new version, which is the third total version of the ride, opens on July 22nd, but Cast Members, Annual Passholders, DVC Members, and other groups are able to preview the ride before its official opening. Now that we’ve gotten to ride, we’ve been able to notice some BIG changes with the ride — here’s what to be on the lookout for when you ride!

Going into our ride, we knew that the design of the new attraction took inspiration from the original ride, World of Motion. Disney also revealed ahead of time that we’d hear an all-new musical score, and we’d see new scenes that highlight the technology that is “making our cars smarter and our lives more fun.”

The queue now has a more cohesive theme, too — instead of just “Chevrolet,” the theme now allows you to look into the history of moving vehicles as an homage to the original World of Motion attraction. It goes from the 1900s to the present day as a look back in time while always dreaming of what the future holds!

One of the biggest changes is that there’s no more “design your own car station!” We know this is a bummer for many, as it takes away some of the interactability of the ride, but for others, it’s a relief. Regardless, now you just move through the queue and head straight to the loading dock.

When we got on the ride, one of the first things we noticed was that new soundtrack — the song “It’s Fun to Be Free” plays as an instrumental track after the narrator says the words “It’s Fun to Be Free,” but the original lyrics are not performed/heard. There’s also a new ride smell that is similar to Spaceship Earth and Soarin’ — it’s a very pleasant pine smell, so consider us big fans!

One of the six new scenes depicts how cars can use enhanced cameras and sensors to “see” the world around them, and Disney made that come to life with over 29,000 points of light in one scene. Trust us when we say that this was breathtaking! We also loved all the greenery that’s been added — it makes it feel like you’re really driving outside at night…as long as you don’t look at the roof above your head.

In the large dome scene, we even heard a mention of the”horizon,” which we’re taking as an homage to the former EPCOT attraction. We did speak with a Cast Member who helped produce the ride, and she did confirm it wasn’t an intentional Easter Egg from Imagineering, but we can still pretend, right? Maybe the scriptwriters meant it to be an homage!

Overall, we’re fans of this new version! Members of our team who got to experience the original World of Motion attraction still find that one superior, but most of our team is in agreement that this version is better than the previous edition. It’s especially an upgrade for the technology represented and the narrative shown, and we’re looking forward to more people getting to experience it!

Expect larger crowds in EPCOT around the reopening of this beloved attraction, and stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney World news and updates!

The Summer Must-Have for Disney World Lines

How are you feeling about this new version of Test Track? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: We were invited by Disney to attend the Test Track Preview. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.