DL Autopia to move away from gas-powered cars

Fun fact that we all know: The classic "bumper cars" are electric, with the floor and the ceiling being the two contacts for electricity. A slightly more modern version has both contacts in the floor. They get shut off by the person running the ride, and then you can walk all over it without getting any electricity yourself. In the kind with no ceiling, if you fell out of your car you could technically get zapped but there must be some safety circuitry to stop that.

My five minute search shows that rides like Test Track, Indy, and Radiator Springs Racers are a "slot car" system with power underneath the floor. Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway and Remy seem to be battery, with quick-charging happening during passenger loading. And, presumably, overnight or during breaks during the day.

We have been in Vienna in December a couple of times and with a little exploring off the beaten (tourist) track we have found "local" Christmas markets where the kids are riding pedal cars around a track while the parents are enjoying a warm adult beverage while they wait.  The adults enjoy their Glühwein while the kids get tired out and will sleep well when they get home - pure genius

I agree with those that say it is past time for the Autotpia to EV but I wonder if instead of dumping money to update the current system it isn't time to sunset this ride and use the space for a completely reimagined Autopia or some other ride.  The current ride beyond being inefficient is targeted to a pretty narrow market of younger children. If you are living in a middle or upper middle class neighbor hood you may have notice an exponential increase in the  number of electric scooters or what I would call minibikes being ridden by younger and younger kids.  The other day I say an electric bike about the size of the little push bike with training wheels and this thing wasn't slow.  The very little kid was zipping around going speed equal to or faster than and Autopia car would go.  How much longer will kids want to wait an hour in line so they can drive a putt putt car when they are going to pull out their electric scooter when they get home. If they want to keep the Autopia theme they could borrow the sets from carsland in California and make it so the cars are racing lighting McQueen.  Since they are going electric and don't have to worry about everyone in line sucking in exhaust fumes they could completely redo it and make it an indoor ride so it could continue to operate during those nasty Florida summer storms.


Of course Florida is suppose to build an in the road induction EV charging system “We will have the roadway which will be equipped with these coils that can charge electric vehicles as they travel over them,” Hutchings said. “So, think about with your smartphone you put on a charging pad. It's very similar technology to that, only on a grander scale.” quoted from Wesh 2 News.  Maybe Disney could get money from the state to test it out.    just kidding....