Former Imagineers Allegedly Confirm Unfortunate Disney Attraction Derailment

Two former Disney World Imagineers have allegedly confirmed an unfortunate incident where a car derailed at EPCOT at the iconic Test Track attraction.

Former Disney Imagineers Allege Confirmation of EPCOT Test Track Accident From the 1990s

Former Imagineers Frank Mezzatesta and Jim Shull recently took to Twitter to reminisce about an event during the initial testing phase of Test Track in 1997. Mezzatesta shared a photo of a die-cast Test Track vehicle, hinting at the challenges faced during the project’s development.

Add my list to the list of people who know. There are photos taken by guests documenting the result of the event. #Epcot #WDW. https://t.co/GBJX3Vybu8

— Jim Shull (@JimShull) March 6, 2024

Add my list to the list of people who know. There are photos taken by guests documenting the result of the event. #Epcot #WDW.

– @JimShull on X, formally Twitter

He expressed, “From 1997 GM Test Track car. This project gave me PTSD so I bought this and then just put it away. It’s the story that can not be told and few Imagineers are left that know what happened that year.”

Shull echoed Mezzatesta’s sentiments by reposting the message, adding, “Add my list to the list of people who know. There are photos taken by guests documenting the result of the event.”

Shull echoed Mezzatesta’s sentiments by reposting the message, adding, “Add my list to the list of people who know. There are photos taken by guests documenting the result of the event.”

Test Track, a replacement for World of Motion at EPCOT, encountered numerous setbacks during its creation. Originally scheduled to open in the Spring of 1997, the ride’s debut was delayed multiple times, eventually soft-opening in December 1998 and officially opening in March 1999.

While Mezzatesta and Shull refrained from divulging specifics, they likely alluded to an incident involving a Test Track vehicle veering off the track during testing. Fortunately, the car was unmanned, carrying sandbags instead of passengers. According to a 1997 Orlando Sentinel article, the vehicle deviated from its intended path and collided with a wall at approximately 20 mph.

Despite inquiries, Disney officials declined to confirm the incident, including then EPCOT VP George Kalogridis (now president of Disney Segment Development and Enrichment).

Kalogridis emphasized the experimental nature of Test Track’s testing phase, stating, “We are in a test phase, and we are intentionally pushing the limits. There are lots of activities that take place when you push any technology to the limits. There are lots of things you cause to have happen. We want to make sure it’s safe.”

GM Test Track represented a pioneering attraction that encountered expected challenges. However, its innovative ride system later succeeded in other Disney parks, notably in the beloved attractions like Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure and Journey to the Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea, both regarded as some of the company’s finest achievements by enthusiasts.

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