Last week, I gave a tour of the new "make your own car" feature in Test Track.  Once you are finished designing your car, you wait for your ride vehicle.  As you walk up to the boarding area, you tap your white card against a glowing circle to link your car with your ride vehicle.  As you do so, others in your vehicle will do the same.  Then, you board your vehicle and go for a ride around the track.

The ride is very much like the old Test Track, except much more futuristic looking.  There are tests such as braking and steering.  There’s a wind tunnel where a stream of "colored air" goes above you as you view yourself in a mirror.  As each series of tests is completed, a ranking of the linked cars is displayed.  Your car may take the top spot in one test only to fail miserably in another.

At the end of the sequence, like in the old Test Track, you go into a "crash test" where the wall moves out of the way at the last second.  Instead of smashing into a wall, you go zooming along a track outside.  Here’s a video I made during the Grand Opening.  (NOTE:  It’s very dark and shaky, but was the best I could do.  The actual ride is much, much cooler than this video shows.)

Perhaps the coolest change, however, comes after the ride is over.  Instead of just exiting outside or going into the standard store-after-the-ride, Test Track lets you out into a series of rooms where you get to do even more with your designed cars.

First, you can see how your car ranked against other cars designed that day.    Next, you can design some car commercials starring your vehicle.  After this is an area where you can take your photo with some real cars.  (This area wasn’t completely functional when we went so, unfortunately, I didn’t get to try it.)

Perhaps the coolest post-ride feature, though, is the racing game.

That’s ten controller areas around a "race track."  The track is, of course, a video game screen.

See that circle to the left of the steering wheel?  Simply touch your card against that and your car will appear on the track.  You then use the lever to the right to go forward or backward and faster or slower while you steer with the steering wheel.  Loop your way around the track, avoiding obstacles, and without crashing into the other players’ cars.  (Or crash into them and try to knock them aside.)

With all of these fun things to do, Test Track is going to be a fast favorite with my boys.  In fact, I think we’ll have our work cut out for us when we need to drag them out of the post-ride fun to go see other sights.

Disclosure: I was invited to the New Fantasyland media event December 5th through 7th. Disney paid for my travel, our park tickets, room, and a few other items. I was able to take B along as my guest, but we paid for her own travel as well as an extra night in the resort. The opinions expressed above are my own. – See more at: http://www.techydad.com/2013/02/designing-a-car-on-disneys-test-track/#sthash.X23OoG2W.dpuf

Test Track has long been a favorite of mine.  I always loved riding in the car as it got put through the paces of testing.  Then, at the end, it would zoom outside for a fast loop around the track.

When they closed it down for revamping, I was intrigued.  Then, I heard that the new Test Track would let you design your own cars.  I wondered how they would do it.  Then, in December, I got to find out.

When you first enter, the change is immediately apparent.  Instead of a "factory testing grounds" atmosphere, Test Track now seems futuristic with many types of concept cars.

You are given a white card.  These are tapped against a small glowing circle to link the station you are at with your car design.  If you take the Fast Pass line, you will be given thirty seconds to customize some pre-built car templates.  However, if you go on the regular line, you get five minutes.  That might seem like a lot of time, but there are a lot of options.

First you select your vehicle type.

Next, you draw the outline of your car.

You can then refine it to maximize capability, efficiency, responsiveness, and/or power.  (This is a recurring theme.  Nearly everything you do affects those four variables.)

Next, you further customize the sculpt.

Then, you drag the wheels together or apart to adjust the length.

You drag the headlights apart or together to set the width to your liking.

And you choose your engine.  (I went for the power-filled Plasma Burner.)

You can customize the face of the car by dragging elements of it around to reshape the car.

You can paint it any color you desire.

And even add graphics.  (Flames make cars go faster, right?)

Next, you get to choose which wheels you want to use for both the front and back.  You can even resize them to your liking.

Finally, it’s time to accessorize the front, hood, side, top, and rear.

At last, your vehicle is ready!  (Tip: You can spin it around to see all sides.)

The design possibilities are endless!

With your car designed, it’s time to ride on Test Track.

Disclosure: I was invited to the New Fantasyland media event December 5th through 7th. Disney paid for my travel, our park tickets, room, and a few other items. I was able to take B along as my guest, but we paid for her own travel as well as an extra night in the resort. The opinions expressed above are my own.

When you go on the new Test Track ride, you get to design your own car.  However, when you get off the ride, the run doesn’t stop.  There are many activities to pursue, including designing your own car commercial starring the car that you put together, in scenes of your choosing, with announcers of your choosing, and spotlighting features of your car.  Here are three commercials that I made.

Disclosure: I was invited to the New Fantasyland media event December 5th through 7th. Disney paid for my travel, our park tickets, room, and a few other items. I was able to take B along as my guest, but we paid for her own travel as well as an extra night in the resort. The opinions expressed above are my own.

Disclosure: I was invited to the New Fantasyland media event December 5th through 7th. Disney paid for my travel, our park tickets, room, and a few other items. I was able to take B along as my guest, but we paid for her own travel as well as an extra night in the resort. The opinions expressed above are my own.

Lately, I’ve been stressing about a topic which, unfortunately, I can’t blog or tweet about.  (There go my primary methods of getting things off my chest!)  At times like this, I wish I could just magically transport myself to Disney World for a few much-needed laughs.  In fact, I think the clowns of Storybook Circus’ Giggle Gang would be just the cure.  Since they are oh-so-far away, though, I’ll just look at these photos and laugh at the funny memories of them.

First, the Giggle Gang arrives:

They’re not just there to entertain, though, they’re there to educate.  Yes, this is Clown University:

Today’s lesson: What do you do when you reach the end of your rope?

Answer: Seek out some friends to help you unwind!  (Preferably at Disney World.)

Thanks for the lesson (and the laughs), Giggle Gang!

Disclosure: I was invited to the New Fantasyland media event December 5th through 7th. Disney paid for my travel, our park tickets, room, and a few other items. I was able to take B along as my guest, but we paid for her own travel as well as an extra night in the resort. The opinions expressed above are my own.