At a Glance
Duration: 4 minutes
Look Out For: loud motors and possible sudden lurching
Opening on October 1st. 1971, Tomorrowland Speedway is a classic “driving” attraction through the world of Tomorrowland. But how scary is Tomorrowland Speedway? Let’s take a look at the stats:
1. Ride Length
Tomorrowland Speedway has a ride duration of about 4 minutes. However, you will very likely spend twice as long in the vehicle, just queuing up behind the cars in front of you for unloading.
2. Height Requirement and Warnings
Tomorrowland Speedway has a height requirement of 54 inches to ride alone and 32 inches to ride with an adult. This technically makes it the tallest height requirement in all of Disney World – surprising, right? Of course, if your child is fine with riding with an adult, the shorter requirement of 32 inches is right on par with Alien Swirling Saucers over in Hollywood Studios.
3. Ride Vehicles and Restraints
The Tomorrowland Speedway ride vehicles consist of individual cars seating up to 2 riders each. Both passengers share a small fabric seatbelt and the “driver” has access to the steering wheel and gas pedal. While there is no brake, you can relax knowing that the car will come to a stop quickly upon letting off the gas.
4. How Does Tomorrowland Speedway Work?
Tomorrowland Speedway works like a standard go-cart attraction, but on rails. That’s right – as much as you may want to test out your real driving skills, you’ll never stray more than a few inches off track. Each car has a single rail running underneath it, allowing everyone to stay on course and avoid any collisions with the other lanes. Of course, it’s important to note that cars can (and will) ram into each other much like bumper cars – so be prepared for a sudden lurch or two.
5. Is Tomorrowland Speedway Scary?
Tomorrowland Speedway is not intentionally scary whatsoever. With its classic go-cart style, all guests above 32 inches could have a blast on this ride without having to worry about spooky theming or intense thrills.
However, it’s important to note how loud the motors are – especially with so many cars so close together at the loading station. I would put a warning out there for anyone prone to sensory sensitivity and would recommend just being aware that the noise level can get pretty darn overwhelming – even for non-sensitive ears.
6. How High is Tomorrowland Speedway?
Tomorrowland Speedway does not involve heights. As a track-based ride, you can rest assured knowing your car will remain on the ground at all times.
7. How Fast is Tomorrowland Speedway?
Tomorrowland Speedway reaches a top speed of only 7.5 miles per hour. While of course faster than many Disney dark rides like It’s a Small World or Pirates of the Caribbean, these cars don’t hold a candle to any thrill rides or coasters in the parks.
8. Does Tomorrowland Speedway Have Drops?
Tomorrowland Speedway does not have drops. Aside from the sudden lurching you may experience by being rammed by the 8-year old driver behind you, there are no other thrill elements on this attraction.
9. Does Tomorrowland Speedway Cause Motion Sickness?
Tomorrowland Speedway should not cause motion sickness for most riders. Due to its outdoor setting and lack of any screens, 4D effects, and spinning, there is not much on this attraction that could cause nausea.
10. Is Tomorrowland Speedway Claustrophobic?
Tomorrowland Speedway should not feel claustrophobic for most riders. With its entirely outdoor queue and track as well as its short ride duration, the only aspect of this ride that could feel confining is the small seatbelt.
However, as I mentioned earlier, you may spend around 5 minutes or so waiting in your vehicle at the unloading station. If you feel claustrophobic on other rides with particularly long unloading times, you may just want to be prepared for a potentially significant delay.
11. Are There Animatronics on Tomorrowland Speedway?
There are no animatronics on Tomorrowland Speedway.
Tomorrowland Speedway Queue Walkthrough
The queue entrance is located outside in the Tomorrowland area of Magic Kingdom. With its entirely outdoor queue, you will simply wind around the front of the attraction, going up and down a couple of ramps before arriving at the loading station. While there is a little cover from the sun, I would definitely not recommend hopping in line on a particularly hot summer afternoon.
It’s also important to note that this queue and loading station is very loud, with so many cars concentrated in one place. As I mentioned earlier, the noisy motors could definitely pose a problem to anyone prone to sensory sensitivity.
Tomorrowland Speedway Ride Walkthrough
Once boarding your car, you will buckle up and set off – “driving” with the steering wheel and gas petal. While there really isn’t much freedom when it comes to how you drive, it’s still a fun time for kids who otherwise don’t have the opportunity to get behind the wheel. You will wind through a 4 minute track, accelerating and decelerating as you please (and maybe getting a love tap or two from the driver behind you), until you arrive back at the loading station.
As I mentioned before, you’ll queue up at the end of the ride and wait for the vehicles in front of you to unload, so prepare for an extra few minutes in your ride vehicle.
That’s it! Remember, everyone’s riding experience is a little bit different and only you can decide whether to hop on that ride vehicle or not. I just hope this guide helps you be prepared and enjoy every second of your Disney experience!
So what do you think? How scary is Tomorrowland Speedway? Leave a comment to help keep this guide up to date!
For a full visual of the ride and queue, be sure to check out this video from 4K WDW:
