Test Track 3.0 Review: Which Test Track Is The Best?

Disney invited me to ride the completely reimagined Test Track at Epcot before it reopened to the public. After experiencing Disney World’s fastest ride in its brand new form, I can definitively answer the question: which Test Track is the best track of all?

Let’s put the new Test Track to the test.

Video: Test Track 3.0 – Upgrade or Downgrade?

Test Track has been through three major iterations since replacing World of Motion in 1999. There’s the original 90s extreme version that ran from 1999-2012, the digital Tron-inspired 2.0 that ran from 2012-2024, and now the brand new Test Track 3.0 that just reopened in July 2025. I’ve ridden all three extensively, and I’m going to break down every aspect of the new experience to help you understand what’s changed and whether it’s an upgrade or downgrade.

A Quick History of Test Track

Before diving into the new version, let’s set the stage with some context. The Test Track building has quite a history – it originally housed World of Motion, one of Epcot’s opening day attractions in 1982. World of Motion was a classic Imagineering one-two punch: an Omnimover ride with tons of animatronics telling the complete history of transportation, complete with the theme song “It’s Fun to be Free” by Disney legends Buddy Baker and X Atencio.

When World of Motion closed in 1996, Disney planned to replace it with Test Track in 1997, but technical issues delayed the opening until March 1999. Those extra years in development really solidified Test Track as the quintessential 90s Epcot ride – complete with extreme marketing and that unmistakable 90s aesthetic.

The original Test Track cast you as a crash test dummy experiencing various automotive safety tests. You’d feel anti-lock brakes engage, experience extreme temperatures, and navigate hairpin turns before launching into that thrilling 65 mph finale loop. It was Epcot’s first real thrill ride, and the tactile experience was unlike anything else in the parks.

Test Track 2.0 arrived in 2012 with a completely digital overhaul. Car design and testing had gone digital, so Disney followed suit. Instead of being a crash test dummy, you became a car designer, creating your own vehicle in an interactive pre-show and then testing it on the “Sim Track.” The visuals were stunning – earning the nickname “Tron Track” – but the connection between your custom car design and the actual ride experience was tenuous at best.

Test Track 3.0: The Complete Breakdown

The Exterior / Queue: UPGRADE

The new exterior of the building and the rooms of the queue are a massive improvement, especially over Test Track 2.0’s sterile car showroom feel.

Disney removed the dated canopy from the building exterior, restoring views of the classic World of Motion architecture while adding a sleek new entrance design.

Inside, the queue is divided into two main sections. The first room, which Imagineering calls the “Legacy of Innovation,” is much larger and brighter than before, with natural light streaming in. You’ll see three concept cars representing different eras:

• The Astro 3 from 1969
• GM Autonomy from 2002
• The PEV 3 from 2024

The part of the queue also gives you glimpses of the ride in action – both at the beginning and during the high-speed finale – similar to how World of Motion and the original Test Track provided that anticipation.

This room covers automotive history from past to present. While the second section looks toward the future with exhibits about sustainability, electrification, and concept vehicles (that look like they came from the old Test Track car designer game).

The Music: UPGRADE

Previous versions of Test Track only featured music in the queue areas. Test Track 1.0 had a funky, percussion-heavy soundtrack that reminded me of Stomp or Blue Man Group. Test Track 2.0’s digital, ethereal music was actually really good – the type I could listen to on loop for hours.

The new version integrates music throughout the entire ride experience, creating memorable moments that weren’t there before. There are specific musical cues that feel optimistic and exciting, and you’ll even hear an arrangement of “It’s Fun to be Free” from World of Motion during the forest section. The overall use of music throughout the ride is a significant upgrade.

The Pre-Show: DOWNGRADE

This is where I have to be honest – there is no pre-show anymore.

Test Track 1.0 had one of my favorite pre-shows ever, featuring John Michael Higgins as Bill McKim guiding you through the experience from a control room. It perfectly set up the story and had genuine personality and humor.

Test Track 2.0’s interactive car design game was engaging in a guilty pleasure way – I always started trying to build the most aerodynamic vehicle possible and ended up creating some Homer Car monstrosity instead.

Now? Nothing. The story setup happens entirely in the queue. While the ride’s story holds up without a pre-show, going from memorable pre-shows to nothing at all feels like a step backward. Especially for someone who grew up with 90s Disney attractions, featuring a semi-recognizable actor who explained to you what you were about to experience.

The Story: MAJOR UPGRADE

The new story is about the history and future of mobility – how technology makes our cars smarter and our lives more fun. It’s like Spaceship Earth meets the old Innoventions, but much more forward-looking.

You start experiencing current automotive technology like LiDAR and inductive charging, then transition into the future with concepts like customizable vehicle appearances and smart transportation systems. Imagineering describes moving the attraction from behind-the-scenes automotive testing to something more thematic and inspirational about motion and how it improves our lives.

This feels timeless and very classic Epcot. Even though Disney doesn’t use the “Future World” name anymore, this attraction absolutely belongs there. It’s a huge upgrade from Test Track 2.0’s abstract digital testing concept.

The Ride Experience: Scene by Scene

Spoiler Warning: Skip this section if you want to experience the ride fresh

The track layout and vehicle movements are identical to previous versions – it’s the same ride system from 1999. But the visual and story experience is completely transformed.

Opening Hill and LiDAR Scene

The ride begins with your human guide and automated vehicle narrator introducing your “journey to the future.” The initial hill climb feels similar to Test Track 2.0, but there’s a fantastic music cue at the top that sets an optimistic, exciting tone.

The first major scene demonstrates LiDAR technology using projection mapping and 29,000 points of light to show how cars “see” the world around them. It’s classic Epcot edutainment, and the anti-lock brake sequence is now your car automatically swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle. Your automated car narrator even quips, “Whoa! Nicely done! Surprises, huh? I was built for this!”

Inductive Charging Scene

Next is a demonstration of inductive charging – roads that charge your car as you drive. This feels the most like Test Track 2.0 with dark spaces and bright lights, but it ties into real-world bleeding-edge technology. I wish they’d added a visual element showing your car’s battery charging as you drive through.

House of Tomorrow

This is where Test Track 3.0 really starts cooking. You drive through a garage where you can see how you might customize your car’s appearance at home through various projections. The effect works beautifully – the projected images move perfectly in sync with your vehicle. There’s even a fun Easter egg callback to the original Test Track’s yellow paint scheme.

The physical house setting makes this feel like a scene from Spaceship Earth, giving weight and reality to the future concepts.

Forest Section

The hairpin turn sequence gets a beautiful upgrade with three-dimensional trees, a gorgeous sunset backdrop, and that arrangement of “It’s Fun to be Free” playing. This section feels joyous and brings nature into the experience.

Future City

After the near-miss with a futuristic truck (which looks like something from 2050), you reach the ride’s biggest wow moment: a projection dome showing a fully futuristic city with flying vehicles, monorails, and advanced transportation systems.

This scene directly references Walt Disney’s original vision for EPCOT as an actual city focused on transportation and mobility. The tallest building in the skyline even resembles structures from Walt’s Progress City model. It’s the perfect lead-in to the high-speed outdoor finale.

Final Verdict: Test Track 2025 vs. 2012 vs. 1999

I can eliminate Test Track 2.0 immediately. While it had impressive visuals and I enjoyed the car design game, it was ultimately Test Track’s awkward adolescent phase – caught between the tactile reality of the original and something more sophisticated.

Comparing Test Track 1999 to Test Track 2025 is tougher. The original had fantastic tactile elements and that perfect pre-show setup. But Test Track 3.0 has beautifully realized scenes, dynamic visuals, personality in the narration, integrated music, classic Epcot edutainment, and much bigger wow moments.

Test Track 3.0 now feels like it belongs alongside Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land as a classic Epcot attraction that’s timeless, futuristic, and fun.

This is a major upgrade and the best Test Track has ever been. The ride finally honors both its past (with nods to World of Motion and the original Test Track) while looking convincingly toward the future of transportation and mobility.

The new Test Track successfully captures what made classic Epcot special: taking real-world technology and presenting it in an optimistic, inspiring way that makes you excited about tomorrow. It’s everything I hoped this reimagining would be and more.

Have you experienced the new Test Track? Which version is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!