Disney4me Posted yesterday at 04:00 PM Report Posted yesterday at 04:00 PM Exclusive lounges have been a part of Disney theme parks for a LONG time. After seeing the success of corporate VIP lounges at the 1964 World’s Fair, Walt Disney was inspired to create the iconic Club 33 at Disneyland. Over a decade later, EPCOT Center was home to many corporate lounges, as companies like Kodak (Journey into Imagination) and General Electric (Horizons) installed lounges for employees and other guests hidden away in their respective pavilions. While most of these lounges have been lost to time and change, there’s one that’s still going strong. General Motors Lounge — look at that view! General Motors is one of the few companies to have a sponsorship presence at EPCOT from the start. From opening day through 1996, the company sponsored World of Motion and has sponsored its replacement (sometimes using Chevrolet branding), Test Track, since the original version opened in 1999. Given that long-running relationship, it likely shouldn’t be a surprise that they maintain a lounge in the Test Track building. The Test Track lounge is accessible to General Motors employees, retired General Motors employees, and their families/guests, VIP guests, and even some lucky EPCOT guests on some days (hold tight, we’ll explain). Recently, a Reddit discussion about the lounge broke out. Several employees (or family members/guests of employees) spoke about their experiences visiting and how the lounge offers a brief respite during a crowded theme park day. As user Haphazardformality wrote in part, “Having access to a quiet, private air-conditioned spot, completely free of crowds, to just decompress a bit and reapply sunscreen and sip a complimentary diet coke and use a low-traffic cleaner-than-average restroom is really, really nice.” To the lounge! In addition to the decompression space, several Reddit users who’ve visited also discussed the lounge’s panoramic views, including a clear look at the “post-apocalyptic” state of the long-abandoned Wonders of Life Pavilion. Wonders of Life Non-General Motors employees chimed in as well, with some explaining how they were invited to visit the lounge after talking about the company’s cars in the attraction’s post-show. One reader even shared, “My family and I visited this lounge back in 2017. It was probably one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. We had just gotten off of Test Track, and my mom was talking to one of the Chevy employees there about how their car saved my dad’s life after he got into a really bad accident earlier that summer while on a work trip (he was on his way home from work when a drunk driver hit him head-on at 2 in the afternoon). She showed them the picture of the accident and thanked them profusely for the safety features in their cars that allowed my father to still be here. As we started to exit the gift shop, the employee and some higher-up had stopped us, invited us up to the lounge, and gave us Fast Passes for Test Track for the day.” General Motors Lounge Speaking of Fast Passes – – or now Lightning Lanes – – one perk of the lounge that both General Motors employees and others discussed was special access to the Test Track attraction as they were leaving. Lightning Lane Pass However, not every commentor had a positive opinion on the lounge. Many spoke about the… sparse nature of the space, with one saying, “Jail cells in Europe look better” and another saying the space is “giving Stanley Kubrick.” Entering the door EPCOT’s Test Track Lounge is available exclusively to those associated with General Motors, their guests, and some occasional lucky Disney World guests. Stay tuned to DFB for more on the unknown nooks and crannies of Disney World. 8 EPCOT Secrets Disney Doesn’t Want You to Know Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Have you ever been to the General Motors Test Track lounge? Let us know in the comments below. View the full article Quote
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