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One of Disneyland's Longest-Running Attractions is Ditching Fossil Fuels (reviewjournal.com) 99

Posted by EditorDavid from the Tomorrowland dept.
When Disneyland opened in 1955, its car-themed attraction Autopia "represented the future of what would become America's multilane limited-access highways," according to Wikipedia, " which were still being developed. President Eisenhower had yet to sign the Interstate Highway legislation..."

Wikipedia adds that the cars "generate a moderate level of exhaust from the Honda GX gasoline engines that propel the cars." But that may change, according to a climate-oriented newsletter from the Los Angeles Times: If anyone could get away with defending the toxic odor, it might be Bob Gurr. He designed the original Autopia cars in the mid-1950s, working closely with Walt himself. He's proud of what they built together. But today the 92-year-old Disney legend says the polluting motors need to go. "Get rid of those God-awful gasoline fumes," he told me.

Disney is finally preparing to do just that. In news shared exclusively with The Times ahead of this column's publication — after several weeks of my prodding the company for answers on the future of Autopia — Disney officials revealed that pure gasoline engines are on their way out... "As the industry moves toward alternative fuel sources, we have developed a roadmap to electrify this attraction and are evaluating technology that will enable us to convert from gas engines in the next few years," spokesperson Jessica Good said in an email. Good wouldn't confirm whether that means electric vehicles, or if hybrids are a possibility...

[Gurr] also expressed a grander vision for Tomorrowland as a hub for stories about renewable energy, public transit and other sustainable technologies that will help us create a better tomorrow... [H]ow about using the former Innoventions building, which once displayed futuristic technologies but is now closed to most guests, to showcase solar panels, lithium-ion batteries and other clean energy devices that guests might want in their homes...? Why not switch to electric cooking at the Alien Pizza Planet restaurant, and offer induction stove demos for diners? Maybe start screening some National Geographic films (Disney owns NatGeo) at the largely unused Magic Eye Theater...? Add some infotainment-style signs and voice-overs about the wonders of clean energy and public transit, and boom, you've got a Tomorrowland that should leave kids and their parents excited to help build a safer, happier, more sustainable world...

[Gurr] told me that if he could, he'd tear out everything in Tomorrowland except the Monorail and rebuild it as a version of the public transit-oriented futuristic city that Walt once planned for Florida — only with clean energy at the core of its storytelling... At the very least, he said it's time for an Autopia where guests "don't smell the fumes, don't hear that racket of the little motor going putt-putt-putt."
The newsletter agrees electric vehicles for Autopia are "the obvious starting point" for remodeling Tomorrowland with "a buzz of optimism and futuristic energy." ("Solar-panel shade structures over the line would be great too.") They even add that "it's not that it's my job to make money for Disney, but I'm sure the company could find sponsors for this vision of Tomorrowland. There are plenty of renewable energy companies, electric utilities and environmental groups eager to tout their causes and their credentials."

And it shares this observation from climate scientist and communicator Katharine Hayhoe (paraphrasing another scientist who studies climate communications): "Showing people what climate solutions look like is one of the most effective ways to get them to support action." The newsletter's conclusion? "This is where Tomorrowland could prove especially valuable in the fight to save the planet."


Some additional context... Disney's current CEO once said he was "particuarly proud" of the 270-acre, 50+-megawatt solar facility the company brought online in Orlando." And the Washington Post reports that Disney's plans to electrify Autopia "comes as the park is taking steps to decarbonize as part of an effort to reach a goal of net-zero emissions by 2030."
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One of Disneyland's Longest-Running Attractions is Ditching Fossil Fuels More

One of Disneyland's Longest-Running Attractions is Ditching Fossil Fuels

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  • Why on earth do they need a roadmap? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by shilly ( 142940 ) on Monday April 08, 2024 @03:55AM (#64377648)

    This story reminds me of those stories of British councils doing lengthy evaluations of the suitability of EVs to replace their ICE vehicles for council staff. It just seems so pointless and over-complicated. Disney must have replaced its Autopia fleet dozens of times over the decades. How difficult can it be to include a requirement in the next procurement for electrification? The cars go at 7mph max! Back in 1955, they weighed less than 500lb. This is not a challenging engineering task, you could get like 10mpkWh for something that size and speed, and run it all day without needing to charge it with something like a 10kWh battery. If you really want to be fancy, build a battery bank, put a solar canopy over the parking area (or the line), charge the battery bank all day, discharge it all night. There's about 120 cars to charge -- maybe 1200kWh of power over say 10 hours, so 120kW an hour, ie about as much as a not particularly impressive fast charger delivers.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      I'm a little surprised that even back in the 1950s they didn't make the electric, given that they run on a track. Why bother with all the maintenance and fuelling overheads of an ICE when they could just make larger versions of slot cars?

      Given it's supposed to be the future, even back in the 1950s, what amounts to a lawnmower engine isn't very futuristic.

      • Probably because in the 1950s, internal combustion engines were the modern futuristic thing and electric was old technology. Electric cars peaked in the 1930s when they were mostly competing with steam and horse powered vehicles.

      • >> I'm a little surprised that even back in the 1950s they didn't make the electric
        It was sponsored by Chevron.
        Electric HAHAHA.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          Not a great ad for combustion engines. Little putt-putt lawnmower engines that exhaust the fumes right into your face.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by JBMcB ( 73720 )

        I'm a little surprised that even back in the 1950s they didn't make the electric, given that they run on a track.

        Most of the track-powered rides are indoors, so the live rails don't get wet. They solved it on Test Track by mounting buss bars underneath the track surface. I'd imagine this is what they'll probably do with Autopia, so it's going to involve digging down and building a platform for the whole ride.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          That's a good point. Still, given the available motor technology in the 50s, i.e. decent enough performance at lower voltages where moisture isn't a problem, it still seems like less of an issue that having internal combustion fumes blown right into the faces of the riders.

          • That's a good point. Still, given the available motor technology in the 50s, i.e. decent enough performance at lower voltages where moisture isn't a problem, it still seems like less of an issue that having internal combustion fumes blown right into the faces of the riders.

            In the 1950s, that was the smell of the open road. The attraction was about getting kids hooked on American car culture when they're young. Judging by the fact I live in a neighborhood where most people take their cars just to pick up their mail, it obviously worked.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by hawk ( 1151 )

        >given that they run on a track.

        but they're *not* on a track, the way some other rides are.

        There is a road, and a limiter for how far the car can go. The car isn't usually in contact with the limiter.

        To use it as an electric source would require some kind of flexible arm, which would make it a much more complicated system.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      This story reminds me of those stories of British councils doing lengthy evaluations of the suitability of EVs to replace their ICE vehicles for council staff. It just seems so pointless and over-complicated. Disney must have replaced its Autopia fleet dozens of times over the decades. How difficult can it be to include a requirement in the next procurement for electrification? The cars go at 7mph max! Back in 1955, they weighed less than 500lb. This is not a challenging engineering task, you could get like 10mpkWh for something that size and speed, and run it all day without needing to charge it with something like a 10kWh battery. If you really want to be fancy, build a battery bank, put a solar canopy over the parking area (or the line), charge the battery bank all day, discharge it all night. There's about 120 cars to charge -- maybe 1200kWh of power over say 10 hours, so 120kW an hour, ie about as much as a not particularly impressive fast charger delivers.

      It's probably got far more to do with PR research, polling and psychoanalysis to ensure that they can do pull this off without been inundated with accusations of 'unpatriotic wokeness' and outright death threats from legions of angry MAGA drones than it has with any technological or engineering challenges related to transitioning to EVs.

      • It's probably got far more to do with PR research, polling and psychoanalysis to ensure that they can do pull this off without been inundated with accusations of 'unpatriotic wokeness' and outright death threats from legions of angry MAGA drones than it has with any technological or engineering challenges related to transitioning to EVs.

        Lately, Disney has been annoying those sorts of people as if it was it was part of their mission statement. The more likely reasons they're proceeding slowly are:

        1. They're looking for a sponsor.
        2. Disney always takes years to revamp an attraction. They just don't do anything quickly.

    • Let's say they are switching to full electrics, which is probably the only sensible thing to do. And let's say they want to avoid down time, which makes the process more costly. Now suddenly there are actual considerations to the job. Who are the suppliers? Who is doing the conversion? What technologies are being used? Are the vehicles being replaced? They probably are. Will the new vehicles fit the old bodies or will they be completely replaced? Multiple years seems excessive but the idea that they can jus

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by shilly ( 142940 )

        I agree this is a project, I just don't think it needs a frigging roadmap. Yes, they have to consider most of the factors you mention, but not all of them. The tech is obvious -- BEVs. They don't need to get into chemistries. LFP or NMC ought to make no difference for them. Can't they just put out a tender?
        Supply and maintenance of 200 small BEVs per site, plus associated charging infrastructure
        Uptime requirements are X
        Safety requirements are as before but with the following mods to take account of BEV inst

        • LFP or NMC ought to make no difference for them.

          It should make no difference to them whether or not they use batteries which produce oxygen when heated, therefore one has a dramatically higher fire risk than the other, and is also drastically more difficult to extinguish if it does combust? What the fuck are you smoking and how do I make sure I never get any?

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by shilly ( 142940 )

            Oh c’mon. NMC chemistries are approved for use on the roads where vehicles travel at speeds where this an actually measurable risk of a battery pack being deformed by an accident, as opposed to 7mph. You wrote your post on a device with an NMC battery. It’s not plutonium! It’s a well-characterised tech whose safety record is more than good enough for this use. As we know, vehicle fire rates are dramatically lower for EVs on the roads, and would be even lower for Autopia, given the usage pr

            • Oh câ(TM)mon. NMC chemistries are approved for use on the roads where vehicles travel at speeds where this an actually measurable risk of a battery pack being deformed by an accident, as opposed to 7mph.

              Collision is not the only possible reason for thermal runaway. I would prefer to continue this conversation, if at all, with someone who has an idea of what the issues are.

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by shilly ( 142940 )

                Of course I know what thermal fucking runaway is. But the rate of EV fires from *all causes*, including but not limited to thermal runaway, collision and villains pouring petrol over them and setting them alight, is still between ten and one hundred times *lower* than for ICE vehicles*. So it's an absurd risk to worry about here, and the longer you bang on about it, the sillier you look.

                * Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency reports 3.8 fires per 100k EVs vs 68 fires per 100k ICE vehicles; Tesla reports 11 ti

                • By spending 10% more for batteries with 5-10% less capacity they can virtually eliminate the threat, since it's really really hard to get a LFP to thermal runaway. Or they could just pretend it will never be a problem. If they're smart, they will take it seriously. Sometimes Disney employs smart people.

            • Uh... NMC is not guaranteed.

              The device I'm typing this on has a straight lithium non-rechargeable battery for the clock, as it's a desktop. Otherwise, the UPS it's hooked into is lead-acid. Zero NMC.

              That said, you're right, properly protected batteries of whatever chemistry would work fine. Hell, given the limited use, lead-acid would work as well.

      • It's a slow go-kart. Make the battery swappable and you have less downtime than you would refueling.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by shilly ( 142940 )

          Not only is that an excellent specific point, the more general point about this being a slow EV go-kart is really important. There are lots of EV go-kart manufacturers out there. It would be pretty straightforward for them to adapt one of their models to fit Autopia's needs / spec.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by suutar ( 1860506 )

        Past experience indicates that they are not afraid of downtime. The Finding Nemo submarine thing in Disneyland was down for a couple of years for refurbing (not considering Star Wars because that was a new build)

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by stern ( 37545 )

      Part of the challenge in going electric is that electric motors don't thump and growl, and the feel and noise of the vibrating engine is part of the fun of Autotopia.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by shilly ( 142940 )

        Could be, although I’m pretty sure that Disney could use it as an opportunity to create new experiences, eg new sounds and even the opportunity to personalise (or at least choose from a selection)

      • That's what this is really about, the cultural obsolescence of car culture and motorsports. As somebody who enjoys those things it feels kind of sad. Maybe it doesn't matter what people find fun. But it sure seems like the modern replacements (social media + netflix + weed?) are just leading to depression and anxiety for a lot of people. We need real visceral excitement and stimulation.

      • Part of the challenge in going electric is that electric motors don't thump and growl, and the feel and noise of the vibrating engine is part of the fun of Autotopia.

        Subwoofers and bass shakers are a thing. Though I'd imagine one of the goals of electrification specifically is to make the areas adjacent to the attraction more enjoyable without all the damn engine noise, so I doubt they'll be adding loud audio systems to the EVs.

    • I doubt they even need battery powered go-karts. According to an image search, Autopia already looks like a giant Scalextric set & Scalextric has also been around since the 1950s... I wonder if one inspired the other? All you'd have to do is make it into a real giant Scalextric set.

    • Never mind a roadmap, why do they need this attraction? I remember Autopia from when I was a little kid. The combo of the slow speed, fixed track, and no characters made it Boooooooring. Regular carnival bumper cars were more fun. Better to just scrap it and put in something more fun in general.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by cob666 ( 656740 )
      Disney has complete control over the roadways, so just rebuild the roadways so all the vehicles run on induction power and don't require huge batteries. That would be a real vision of a future roadway.

  • You are what you are. (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Disney officials revealed that pure gasoline engines are on their way out... "As the industry moves toward alternative fuel sources, we have developed a roadmap to electrify this attraction..

    If Disney actually cared about the environment, they would shut themselves down and plant trees instead of excuses to continue to waste all manner of resources while creating literal tons of waste, for the purpose of entertainment.

    Disney can’t change what it is. If a warmongering Army decided to start recycling all their bullet brass and dress their soldiers in organic hemp, it doesn’t change the fact they’re still a warmongering Army. At some point, we’ll stop pretending about ju

    • Nobody cares about the environment. But Autopia is an anachronism and people hate breathing in noxious fumes from car exhausts. Back in the 50s, this was "progress". Like the smoking smokestacks were the signature items of the industrial revolution and back then something you put on posters when you wanted to appear progressive and modern, nobody would get excited about black soot from smokestacks these days.

      Likewise, the "car smell" (read: exhaust) from the cars at Autopia that were "progress" back in the

      • The number one âoenegativeâ comment from fans about this change appears to be that they will miss the sound and the smell. So, while most of your comment is on point, those two details donâ(TM)t go missed by leaders at TWDC who rely upon nostalgia to keep families coming backâ¦..

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by stooo ( 2202012 )

          >> they will miss the sound and the smell
          I don't think any of this will happen.
          it's like in 1900 if you ask what people will be missing from their horses being replaced by cars.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by DarkOx ( 621550 )

            They did and people still do. Hence all the dude ranch, and trail ride attractions.

            The reality is people like small gasoline engines. They like the sound and the smell it is fun! Its not Disney but everyone I know loves the 'old-timey cars' at the local amusement park, they look like model Ts and run on a track different shell on something a lot like what is being discussed. All smiles, and always busy. The teenagers love the local go-kart establishment as well as ever as far as I can tell too.

            (Yes I have

            • This was opened in an era where LA was already clogged with traffic and smog was already a major concern (though many denied that auto emmisions were a cause then).

            • The reality is people like small gasoline engines. They like the sound and the smell it is fun!

              Two-strokes are even better. Had some really fun dirt bikes and snowmobiles as a kid. Might be a good time to get another one before they are all gone.

        • They need to get with the times. Their new cars need to produce the hydrogen sulfide smell of catalytic converters.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Octorian ( 14086 )

        But Autopia is an anachronism and people hate breathing in noxious fumes from car exhausts.

        And because they're basically lawnmower engines, the fumes are actually significantly worse than car exhausts.

      • Where are the boomers complaining about their drop in IQ from breathing in those leaded gasoline fumes those cars ran on for decades? You could smell those things stinking up the air outside of the ride.

    • And let's shut down every amusement park as well. And all video game companies have to go because of the amount of electricity wasted creating and using the games. And no concerts, either. All those people having to drive to one location, all the supplies and merch which have to be produced then shipped in, and the enormous amount of fossil fuels needed to transport the band from venue to venue and the electricity wasted to put on the show. The same for baseball, football (both kinds), hockey, rugby, et

      • All amusement park rides have gone or are going electric. It's obvious why. You can run a bunch of them on one ultra-reliable honda generator instead of having a whole bunch of small engines to maintain (assuming you've got a mobile attraction like a traveling carnival) and they are much quieter so your amusement soundtrack/attract noises don't have to be as loud. You can centralize your fuel and noise and implement more safety features around it without having to do it multiple times. Controlling an electr

    • for the purpose of entertainment

      Just so we're clear, are you the type of environmentalists who wants to eliminate all human life from earth or the type of environmentalist who merely wants to return us to an era when humans eked out a subsistence level existence and lived only to suffer and procreate?

      Entertainment is a huge and important part of human life. Not specifically Disney, but all manner of non-life-sustaining activities that are done for enjoyment are what make living worthwhile. This is also not an exclusively human trait. Many

    • On the range, brass casing are picked up for 1) recycling and 2) more importantly to account for ammo to prevent theft.

    • There are more trees and non-grass plants per square unit (meter, feet, acre, olympic sized swimming pools) in Disneyland than in most neighboring suburbs that focus on lawns. Most theme parks are also parks - lots of plants because it's good shade for the visitors, good for just sitting down and relaxing while the kids go hyper, etc. Of course, they suck up a ton of water use in low-moisture Anaheim (as opposed to too-wet Orlando).

  • Sponsors? (Score:3)

    by MoreDruid ( 584251 ) <moredruid AT gmail DOT com> on Monday April 08, 2024 @05:14AM (#64377688) Journal

    ... but I'm sure the company could find sponsors for this vision of Tomorrowland.

    I think a multi-billion dollar company should (be able to) pay for this themselves

  • [H]ow about using the former Innoventions building, which once displayed futuristic technologies but is now closed to most guests, to showcase solar panels, lithium-ion batteries and other clean energy devices that guests might want in their homes...? Why not switch to electric cooking at the Alien Pizza Planet restaurant, and offer induction stove demos for diners? Maybe start screening some National Geographic films (Disney owns NatGeo) at the largely unused Magic Eye Theater...? Add some infotainment-style signs and voice-overs about the wonders of clean energy and public transit, and boom, you've got a Tomorrowland that should leave kids and their parents excited to help build a safer, happier, more sustainable world...

    Maybe ... could be good, could be horrible.

    I mean, it's not like we need more political propaganda in our world right now.

    (Yes, yes, I know, your political propaganda isn't political propaganda; it's just good pure common sense ...)

    • "a grander vision for Tomorrowland as a hub for stories about renewable energy, public transit and other sustainable technologies"

      They can call it "grand" but it sure doesn't sound fun. Isn't Disneyland supposed to be fun? You take a shuttle over to the ride and then find out that was the ride?

    • Remember, it was Disney who brought us the wonderful children's movie: Our Friend the Atom.

  • Funny (Score:3)

    by burtosis ( 1124179 ) on Monday April 08, 2024 @06:15AM (#64377758)
    I mean, electric vehicles are the future with battery prices less than 10% of what they were in 2010 and continue to trend on that curve while on par to cost 1/3 per mile for fuel given wholesale natural gas and electric production costs, but they came [wikipedia.org] first [wikipedia.org] or at the last around the same time as internal combustion vehicles. Electric vehicles are the technology of the future because they are quickly surpassing internal combustion as the cheaper vehicle to own. So really Tomorrowland was right to use internal combustion when it did, it was the superior technology as batteries are complex to understand and engineer compared to making fire and were the primary limiter all the way into the 2000’s.

  • Maybe they can fix the big problem (Score:5, Funny)

    by clovis ( 4684 ) on Monday April 08, 2024 @06:30AM (#64377770)

    The big problem with those old cars is that they aren't all the same speed. And it seems that the wife and daughter always get the faster car. And it seems that they are quite capable of resisting their need to taunt while they speed off at 6.5 mph ahead of your 6.3 mph car.
    It's not fair. not fair.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by clovis ( 4684 )

      That should be " incapable" of resisting their need to taunt, like I am incapable of typing on a phone.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by hawk ( 1151 )

      yeah, it couldn't *possibly* be the weight difference . . . :)

  • In a slightly-related story, Disney has announced that Julia Gardner has been cast to play the Silver Surfer in their upcoming Fantastic Four movie. This version of the Silver Surfer is based on a character that appeared in four pages of one issue of the comic before being killed off.

  • Autopia is Horrible (Score:3)

    by crow ( 16139 ) on Monday April 08, 2024 @08:38AM (#64377976) Homepage Journal

    Autopia, sponsored by Honda, is so horrible that after we rode it, my pre-teen son said, I"m never buying a Honda. The smell is really disgusting, and the ride is outdated; it's too slow to be exciting for all but the youngest kids now, especially for something themed as being a racetrack.

    Yes, Disney needs to do some planning for the technology to electrify the attraction, as they need to keep the cars moving most of the time. That likely means induction charging while they're driving.

    This is also a good time for Disney to think about how they would design a driving ride today, It may be time to do far more than just replace the smelly cars with electric versions.

    • It's the same with their Disney World counterpart, Tomorrowland Speedway, in Florida. My wife and I were there in Februrary and because I had never been to Magic Kingdom before (and was 30 years since being to Disney World at all), I wanted to ride absolutely everything. Speedway was one of the few attractions that I won't ride again when we return.

      The big issue is that it feels extremely dated. Back in the 50s, when Disneyland was first built, the automotive industry was at its peak in the USA, and the att

      • For a few decades, Disneyland had different types of tickets. The big rides that eveyrone loves and remembers were E tickets; Matterhorn, Haunted Mansion, etc. But there were A, B, C, D tickets also. You'd purchase a ticket book and it had a collection of each type, and the more E tickets it had the more expensive the ticket book. If everyone all went to Matterhorn at the same time it would be highly unpleasant to everyone, so spread it out so that the tourists go to a lot of different places. After doing

    • I'm guessing since they're using small engines that the cars don't have catalytic converters. I remember when lots of cars without them were still on the road, it smelled awful everywhere.

      But something you probably don't realize most of the time because you're used to it: Cars stink.

      They don't smell as bad as they used to, but they're still not pleasant to be around. And when you get behind some asshat redneck who removed the cat or somebody whose cat got stolen, it's truly awful. I'm looking forward to

      • The reason they sound bad when the catalytic converter is removed is because now the muffer is disconnected. Thieves don't have enough politeness to weld on replacement pipe.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by crow ( 16139 )

        As a bicyclist, I do notice cars being smelly. Some more so than others, but it's one of several strong incentives to find roads with few cars to bike on.

    • To be quite honest, you and your son sound like a couple of whiners.

      I get it that car/engine exhaust can be a little annoying if you're just not in the mood for it, but a lot of people consider that part of the fun of enjoying things like racing/driving/autocross/rock-crawling, etc., etc. Also, you missed an opportunity to explain to your son that a 10-hp Honda engine is not the same as a 300 hp Honda engine in an actual car. Better start saving up for that $130k, low-emission Lexus for your

    • First, if you know anything about ICE's, Honda make some of the best in the world. Second, if you drive a ICE at 6-7 mph, in a line with others right in front of you, you might have some bad smells.

      Try a real race track, or better yet, get on a trail/sand dune and see how horrible Honda ICEs are. Going 40mph... You won't smell a thing, except the warm liquid from you pants.

    • This is also a good time for Disney to think about how they would design a driving ride today, It may be time to do far more than just replace the smelly cars with electric versions.

      I know! They could make them self driving! You pay your money, sit down and and they move you around the track a couple of times while you play with your phone.

      You could add some stop signs as well to show off how smart the cars are. It will be so much fun!

      • I know! They could make them self driving! You pay your money, sit down and and they move you around the track a couple of times while you play with your phone.
        You could add some stop signs as well to show off how smart the cars are. It will be so much fun!

        Epcot already has this ride, it's called "Test Track".

    • Autopia, sponsored by Honda, is so horrible that after we rode it, my pre-teen son said, I"m never buying a Honda. The smell is really disgusting, and the ride is outdated; it's too slow to be exciting for all but the youngest kids now, especially for something themed as being a racetrack.

      Honda has powered Max Verstappen's Red Bull to three consecutive Formula One world championships and look set to dominate again this season. Clearly not Honda's fault Disney's racetrack is too slow.

  • These cars are nothing but cars on a rail, so why haven't they've been replaced much earlier with just electrified cars that use the rail for power.

    • I'm guessing because small children like to touch things, and don't know what high voltage is. And because big oil sponsored the thing for a long time.

      It looks like the cars have some steerability from the pics, I've never seen it in person. That would add complexity to the pickups, particularly if they've got to be shielded from being able to be touched. Small gas engines are cheap, custom designed track riding electric pickups and track systems... aren't. And the rat loves to make money.

      Since it doesn

      • Yes, batteries makes much more sense, and it could easily have a line for cars that needs to be recharges and cars that still can run for a round. As the gasoline cars also need to be filled every now and then, so they could even do it through an automated batteryswap..

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by hawk ( 1151 )

        >It looks like the cars have some steerability

        some?

        *full*

        that's a restraining rail, not a track. It stops you from leading the road.

        It does have the practical effect of forcing the car to go the right general direction if you *don't* steer, but in normal operation, you're not even touching it.

    • The ride needs much more than electrification. You can find similar attractions many places and it's really too low-end for Disney World (Here in FL it's called Tomorrowland Speedway not Autopia). A good experience would be one where kids don't have the have the cars on rails but can change lanes and pass. But not bumper cars. There would have to be some mechanism to prevent collisions. That would be a Disney worthy attraction. There was a go-kart place near me that charged $4/ride. You can't have a $
  • When I was 12 we did Disneyland and road this. They had engines but mine stalled a couple of times and a technician had to come get it going. I think I was holding up things behind me. When I finally made it back, the guy controlling the ride said to me "What are you - stupid or something?" I felt like a real champ.

  • Next up, overloaded electrical grids and debates about building new power plants to meet the need.

    Maybe they could cover Disneyworld in solar panels so it didn't feel like the surface of the sun in the summer.

    • Maybe they could cover Disneyworld in solar panels so it didn't feel like the surface of the sun in the summer.

      I'd be seriously considering it if I was Disney. I'd cover the parking lot right up in solar panels, and you could probably put panels up such that with other stuff there's always a spot to get out of the sun. That should provide enough power to cover most of the needs of the park.

  • -de-do.

  • It was created when the car culture was taking root in the US and we had visions of everyone driving on wide smooth highways.

    I think it should be replaced with a a new ride with 2 seater flying cars or quad-copters. These could be mounted on carts that go around a hilly forested course with limited freedom of movement of altitude, pitch, and yaw like a rail shooter. They could even stick with their Star Wars property and make it like chasing speeder bikes in an Endor forest.

  • So we were at World for March Break. I remember thinking "how is this still a thing?" as we walked by Tea Party next to Autopia. It stank. Like, *ugh*. It was like being in the 1970s again.

    I'm all for history, but surely the world's most boring ride devoted to slowly moving along a simulation of being stuck in traffic could be better utilized. It takes up as much room as Tron.

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Dennis Ritchie is twice as bright as Steve Jobs, and only half wrong. -- Jim Gettys

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