Test Track Or Cosmic Rewind?

With Test Track back up and running again after a year-long hiatus, EPCOT guests now face a simple question.

Should you choose Test Track or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to start your park day?

Photo: Playbuzz.com

Or, is the secret answer none of the above? Well, this one’s tricky, but I’ll try to help.

Welcome to Test Track 3.0

On July 22^nd, Test Track 3.0 officially opened, 13 months after Test Track 2.0 had permanently closed.

The new thrill ride is a lot like the old one in some ways, but it’s objectively better due to some enhancements.

Photo: Disney

Imagineers have modernized the ride while honoring the spirit of EPCOT and Test Track’s predecessor, World of Motion.

The overwhelming consensus is that Test Track 3.0 is a blockbuster hit, delivering a tremendous ride experience.

So, its presence immediately and fundamentally changes park traffic at EPCOT.

Specifically, for the past few months, guests haven’t put much thought into their plan.

When EPCOT opened, everyone made a beeline to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Period. Full stop.

I’ve tried talking folks out of this strategy a few times, but it’s gone about as well as Avatar Flight of Passage.

Once Disney fans make up their minds about something, there’s just no moving us off our position.

Now that Test Track has returned, the conversation grows a bit more interesting…and for multiple reasons.

Photo: Disney

Obviously, some people are now prioritizing Test Track to start the day rather than Cosmic Rewind.

Also, we’ve had some ripple effects on EPCOT’s Lightning Lane usage and Rope Drop tactics. So, let’s quickly discuss those.

Welcome to the New EPCOT

Photo: D23

Okay, while Disney will probably change this fact at Destination D23 in a month, EPCOT is currently locked.

Imagineers have no announced projects in the offing, thereby cementing the park’s reimagining as complete.

So, for the foreseeable future, this is the park behavior we can expect at EPCOT.

Let’s start with Lightning Lane Multi Pass at EPCOT, which includes a tiered system.

Credit: Disney

Test Track just knocked Soarin’ Around the World from the top tier, and that causes ripple effects.

Nobody was choosing Soarin’ over Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure or Frozen Ever After on the top tier.

So, before last week, you could usually book a Soarin’ Lightning Lane as soon as you used your first Lightning Lane.

That is no longer the case, as Soarin’ reservations book quickly now that it’s in the second tier.

Photo: Disney

Most of the other attractions in the second grouping border on walk-ons, whereas Soarin’ averages a 40-minute wait.

Also, Soarin’s wait time may increase since fewer people will be riding it via Lightning Lane now.

What happened previously was that Soarin’ booked quickly on the day of the park visit.

Now, the attraction is likely to sell out multiple days ahead of time, forcing you to stand in line when you visit.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Meanwhile, Test Track bumps Ratatouille from the top of the list of in-demand Lightning Lanes on the top tier.

Both are likely to book before the date of your visit, but for now, you should definitely target Test Track.

Photo: Disney

Ratatouille’s wait times should drop now that it’s not an automatic Lightning Lane sellout.

Then, we have the Rope Drop conversation…

Let’s Talk Rope Drop

As a reminder, a park visit begins in two phases each morning at EPCOT.

The first phase is Early Theme Park Entry, the time when guests at official Disney resorts enter the park.

You should always stay onsite at Disney for just this reason, as you gain a 30-minute head start on everyone else.

Importantly, Test Track DOES participate in Early Theme Park Entry, too.

So, when you stay at a Disney hotel and then visit EPCOT early, you can save yourself plenty of aggravation.

Simply head straight to Test Track and experience the new hotness!

Cosmic Rewind

I presume you’ve already ridden Cosmic Rewind by now. If not, you’ll face more of a decision.

Thus far, the average wait times between the two attractions have been fairly similar.

Inside Cosmic Rewind

Test Track’s wait has hovered in the 85-minute range vs. 70 minutes for Cosmic Rewind.

So, it’s Test Track by a bit, but there’s also a rush factor since everyone is flocking to the new version.

Disney

Long term, I think Cosmic Rewind will generally require longer rates, but it has better throughput as a mitigating factor.

Conversely, the old version of Test Track typically required the longest wait at EPCOT.

That’s why I’m not quite prepared to speak definitively yet. I need more data to be sure.

What I can say is that the choice is that Test Track faces the same problem at Rope Drop as Cosmic Rewind.

Due to the way that Disney divides the lines, the wait time at Rope Drop should reach 75 minutes on average for both rides.

Cast Members divide guests into two lines, with Early Theme Park Entry going first.

There are enough guests in this line to bottleneck Rope Drop for everyone else.

As Ricky Bobby would say, since you’re not first, you’re last.

Test Track or Cosmic Rewind?

Image: The Healthy Mouse

A hidden third option has revealed itself, and it’s to Rope Drop Soarin’.

Presuming that you don’t have access to Early Theme Park Entry or Lightning Lane Multi Pass, that’s an ideal strategy.

You should be able to ride Soarin’ quickly. Once you’re done, you can head over to Test Track.

I suggest this attraction over Cosmic Rewind because Test Track 3.0 offers Single Rider.

This version works differently from the Test Track 2.0 Single Rider option. You don’t miss anything now.

Much to my chagrin, Disney has eliminated the pre-show section. So, no more bastardized Batmobiles for me. Ah well.

Anyway, Single Rider no longer requires you to miss anything, as it’s the same ride experience.

Since Test Track seats three guests per ride cart, Single Rider moves quickly.

You should feasibly be able to ride Soarin’ and Test Track Single Rider relatively quickly.

Then, you can save Cosmic Rewind until later in the day when the ride’s wait time steadies a bit.

I wouldn’t say that the roller coaster’s crowds ever fully dissipate, but it’s strangely the most crowded early in the morning.

That pattern has remained since Cosmic Rewind added a standby queue. I don’t expect it to change anytime soon.

Photo: Walt Disney Company

However, the one caveat to all of this is that you may have a preference between the two rides.

If so, fantastic! Please just choose the one that will make you happiest during your Disney visit!

Photo: Disney

You can always try and work in the other one later.

Admittedly, that’s easier with Test Track than Cosmic Rewind due to Single Rider, though.

Photo: MickeyBlog

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