Radiator Springs Racers
Radiator Springs Racers | |
---|---|
Status | Operating |
Cost | $200 million+ |
Opening date | June 15, 2012 |
Ride statistics | |
Attraction type | General Motors Corporation (Test Track technology) |
Theme | Cars |
Speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) |
Riders per vehicle | 6 |
Rows | 2 |
Riders per row | 3 |
Duration | 4:22 |
Height restriction | 40 in (102 cm) |
Propulsion | Onboard electric motor |
Audio-Animatronics | 23 |
Individual Lightning Lane Available | |
line available |
Radiator Springs Racers is a slot car ride in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. The attraction features a third-generation version of transport technology originally developed for the Test Track attraction at Epcot in Walt Disney World. Radiator Springs Racers is themed to the fictional world in Disney Pixar's Cars. At a cost of over $200 million, the attraction is the most expensive at Disneyland Resort and one of the most expensive theme park attractions in the world. It accounted for about 18% of the entire cost of the $1.1 billion expansion of Disney California Adventure Park. The attraction takes guests in a six-person vehicle[1] through encounters with characters from the film series Cars. Guests then race another vehicle through turns and hills, ending with a randomized race result.
History
The attraction, along with the rest of the Disney California Adventure multi-year expansion, was announced on October 17, 2007. However, the first indication of the attraction and the new land was some concept art published in the Dreaming section of The
Radiator Springs Racers was ranked second in the
Incidents
On May 24, 2022, shortly after 8:30 PM PST, Radiator Springs Racers was closed down after a ride vehicle started emitting black smoke just before crossing the finish line of the ride, with guests yelling to be let off of the ride. As a result, the ride temporarily closed on May 24, 2022.[6] An unknown Disneyland spokesperson says that the ride will remain closed indefinitely out of an abundance of caution, as work is likely being done on the ride vehicles.[7][8]
Ride experience
Queue
The attraction's marquee is mounted on a large archway near the Radiator Springs courthouse. The queue passes through the archway and beneath two bridges before entering Stanley's Oasis, nestled between the cliffs of Ornament Valley. After winding through three of the town's earliest buildings, guests enter the Comfy Caverns Motor Court, where they board a convertible race car and the ride portion of the attraction begins.
Layout
Leaving the motor court, the vehicle takes an idyllic drive through Ornament Valley. It then enters the dark ride portion of the attraction as guests nearly run into several
Both ride vehicles then accelerate on parallel tracks out of the cave, into an outdoor segment containing bunny hills and high-banked turns around the rock formations of Ornament Valley, with the vehicles reaching a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h).[9] During a short drop down a sloped bank, an on-ride photo is taken.[2] One of the two vehicles (selected at random) reaches the finish line slightly earlier, bringing the race to an end. The vehicles then enters Taillight Caverns, where Lightning and Mater congratulate both vehicles on a great race. The ride vehicles then merge back onto a single track and return to the boarding station.
See also
- Test Track, the namesake of the Test Track technology, located at Epcot.
- 2012 in amusement parks
- Journey to the Center of the Earth, the second generation of Test Track technology, located at Tokyo DisneySea, near Tokyo, Japan.
References
- ^ Radiator Springs Racers, MouseInfo, February 18, 2010, archived from the original on May 14, 2010, retrieved April 1, 2010
- ^ a b What's Next? Disney California Adventure, MouseInfo, June 11, 2010, retrieved June 17, 2010
- ^ Tully, Sarah; Carpenter, Eric; Fields, Eugene (June 16, 2012). "At Mile 1, The New Park Gets Inspection". The Orange County Register. p. News 18. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
- ^ "Radiator Springs Racers opening day puts Cars Land guests in neutral for hours wrapping Disney California Adventure".
- ^ "Amusement Today — Golden Ticket Winners 2012" (PDF). Amusement Today. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- ^ Francis, Katie (May 25, 2022). "Possible Ride Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure". WDW News Today. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ Michaelsen, Shannen (May 25, 2022). "Radiator Springs Racers Will Not Open Today After Possible Ride Vehicle Fire at Disney California Adventure". WDW News Today. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "Disneyland's Radiator Springs Racers ride closed for holiday weekend". Orange County Register. May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ Morris, Brad (June 15, 2012). "Can Cars Land revive California Adventure?". CNN. Retrieved June 20, 2012.