The newest addition to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Tron Lightcycle Run is opening for all guests on April 4. This high-speed roller coaster launches you through the grid as a member of Team Blue racing against Team Orange through eight energy gates to secure the victory in “the games.” This long-awaited coaster broke ground in February 2018, and finally, after five years of anticipation it is complete, but is it really worth the hype?
Theming as it relates to both movies is both nostalgic and incredibly detailed. The plot of the ride starts with the guest being digitized into the world of Tron in a flash, just like in Disney’s Tron films. Much of the style lent to the ride, the vehicles, and the video presentation resembles that of the more recent and graphically stunning film, Tron: Legacy. This decision is a no-brainer as the original film debuting in 1982, while stunning for its time, is a far cry from the visual prowess required to wow guests today. From there, guests must participate in the games, which task the guests with boarding the ride to pass through eight energy gates before the opposing orange team can. While the story of the ride has no direct relation to the plot of either Tron film, the ride fits comfortably in the same universe through the implementation of the games and the lightcycle vehicles guests board.
Accessibility is a major concern that has been talked about on social media. The motorcycle-style ride vehicle has you lying forward with restraints against your back as well as a bar behind your calves that must lock completely in place.
The seat is very similar to Avatar’s Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom. These seats are not one size fits all, and I saw a few people being redirected to sit in the last row on bench-type seating with a traditional lap bar. Thankfully not fitting entirely within the restraints doesn’t exclude you from enjoying this ride.
My advice would be to try the display cycles outside of the ride. When I went there was a cast member showing tips to riders on how to comfortably fit with the restraints locking into place.
Speed and thrill are the real reasons we endure long lines at theme parks for roller coasters. This ride is very fast. I believe that the Rock “N” Rollercoaster in Hollywood studios is the closest comparison on property to the speed you feel on Tron. This new roller coaster is actually the fastest of any Disney coasters, clocking in at just over 60 MPH. While the speed is exhilarating, the duration of the ride is not. The entirety of the ride at full speed from launch to back at unload station is just under 1 minute. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an action-packed minute speeding through all eight energy gates, but it almost goes by too fast to even keep up with the story.
Lighting is vibrant throughout the entire building. Waiting in line, preshow, lockers, load and unload zone, ride cycles, and canopy covering the outside portion of the ride all variations of a bright digital blue. The exterior canopy alone has more than 1,200 individual lighting fixtures illuminated at night for after-dark guests to experience. You truly feel you were digitized into this online world.
This long-anticipated ride is finally here, and I have to say it didn’t live up to it. I am not personally a superfan of either Tron or Tron Legacy movies, so this was just Disney’s newest ride to experience for me. I couldn’t justify ever waiting more than 45 minutes for this ride in the future. While the speeds are exhilarating, the duration of the ride was just too short. This opinion might change in the future after riding it at night, I am sure it will be an amazing experience but not one that needs to be repeated. Unless you named your first-born Flynn from your all-time favorite film, skip it.
Bailey Cooke
Contributor