Amid all the changes constantly happening at Walt Disney World, one attraction seems to have managed to stay under the reconstruction radar. Despite being a sensory nightmare and a thematic outlier, not to mention its carbon footprint, Tomorrowland Speedway has thus far bafflingly escaped target for replacement or even refurbishment. The gas-powered engines on the vehicles for this attraction are so deafeningly loud, it’s impossible to hear instructions from cast members while loading, which causes confusion and delays and could even be potentially dangerous. The overwhelming stench of car exhaust assaults guests as they enter the land of tomorrow, a land dedicated to imagining a scientifically and technologically advanced future (or at least the 1980s version of it) in which we presumably have access to all manner of alternative fuel sources. At the very least, replacing the ride vehicles with electric cars would be a vast improvement upon this opening day attraction.

Reaching top speed at a whopping 7.5 miles an hour, these cars failed to impress me, even as a young kid who dreamed of nothing so often as being behind the wheel of an automobile. One might forgive the disappointment of coasting ever-so-slowly around a track if the track itself featured some kind of immersive scenery. Aside from glimpses of the other attractions surrounding it, the views from the driver’s seat of a Speedway car consist of guard rails, concrete, and WDW’s standard variety of common area vegetation. Some old-fashioned Imagineering focused on creating a futuristic cityscape would go a long way in making Tomorrowland Speedway a worthwhile experience. For those who want to keep it nostalgic, inspiration could come from Walt’s “Progress City,” for which a model can be seen from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover, or even from the short “Welcome to Your Future” vignettes shown aboard Spaceship Earth. Orb-like buildings, neon lights, atomic architecture, avant-garde road signs, and innovative natural elements could provide a more captivating atmosphere for the track to wind through.

Within the IP realm, which seems to be the route Disney is going with all its new attractions, a Wreck-It Ralph arcade re-theme of the speedway or replacement attraction could be a good fit for Tomorrowland and would complement the nearby TRON Lightcycle Run well. Ride vehicles (Sugar Rush cookie cars? Transparent glowing spheres?) could travel through console wiring into vintage-inspired and modern video games before reaching the internet (as portrayed in Ralph Breaks the Internet). A permanent character meet and greet location could even accompany the new attraction. The possibilities abound! Ultimately, it seems unlikely that Disney will refurb or replace Tomorrowland Speedway any time soon. With construction still going strong on TRON and Disney’s attention turned toward resort room remodels, the ever-evolving state of EPCOT, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the ambiguous CoCo/Encanto/Villains area behind Big Thunder Mountain, among other changes, Tomorrowland Speedway will undoubtedly continue its status quo as an original (albeit underwhelming) Walt Disney World attraction that filters crowd levels with its draw for preschoolers and nostalgia-seeking adults who remember riding as children. Personally, I’ll be looking elsewhere for my Disney classic attraction feels.