Autopia Jr.: Epcot Center's Canceled Attractions Part 8



Welcome back to Epcot Center's Canceled Attractions, and for this weeks article, we are digging back into Project Gemini and one of the rides that would have come to Epcot Discoveryland in the Test Track pavilion.

With World of Motion being replaced, Epcot was losing one of its few child-friendly attractions, so the initial plans for the Test Track Pavilion called for this to be fixed by expanding the pavilion outside into the space between Test Track and the current Mouse Gear building.

In that space would have been a Jr. Autopia. This would have brought a smaller version of the Autopia/ Tomorrowland Speedway attraction found in most Tomorrowland's around the world. It was meant to be a kind of child version of Test Track, meant for children below the height limit for Test Track, making sure that they still had something to at this new pavilion.

Honestly, this would have been a better location for a speedway attraction, as it works better in a pavilion about the future of cars than in a more generic future themed land, as cars (especially gas cars) are no longer futuristic.

This would not have been as extensive as a ride like the Tomorrowland Speedway, but it would have been a nice supplemental attraction in Future World, something the park has been missing throughout its recent history. Rides that would be considered A-D tickets have kept closing to be replaced with E-ticket attractions. Food Rocks closed for E-Ticket Soarin. World of Motion to Test Track, Horizons to Mission Space, or even more recently Universe of Energy to the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster.

Jr. Autopia was canceled along with most of Project Gemini as a result of Disney's 1990s money crisis following the early failure of Euro Disneyland.

So what did end up happening to the land this ride was supposed to go on?

Original Test Track Entrance Epcot Disney World

Well, the entrance was covered with a scaffolding like canopy that remains there to this day, but other than that the land remained mostly vacant except for guest pathways. Some of the land is now being used for the upcoming Mission Space-themed restaurant, but beyond that, this land still sits empty.

With some Project Gemini plans being revisited, perhaps we could see these plans return to the park soon. If not there is still always the Tomorrowland Speedway.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out previous articles in this series here. Also be sure to come back next week for part 9 or Epcot Center's Canceled Attractions: Israel Pavilion. Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter below to keep up with the latest articles here at Theme Parks and Entertainment.

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