by Eric Bowman
Last updated: 12:05 AM ET, Sun March 19, 2023
Walt Disney World continues to innovate with exciting thrills, once again showcasing their ability to marry storytelling with the fast thrills of a rollercoaster.
Last year saw the debut of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Now, the latest comes from TRON Lightcycle / Run, a new attraction at Magic Kingdom set to debut to the public on April 4.
TRON Lightcycle / Run puts parkgoers into the Grid. It's based on the science fiction Tron movies, which we definitely recommend viewing the 1982 and or the 2010 films for some added appreciation to the ride.
Guests, aka "Users," will hop on a Lightcycle to battle "Programs," the digital creations from the franchise. During the queue line you'll see more about these various Programs and their abilities and accomplishments. Users are Team Blue and Programs are Team Orange.
TRON Lightcycle / Run is an indoor-outdoor ride, with the launch shooting you high up with outside views flashing by at incredible speeds before heading back inside for some virtual happenings. Given the ride is under 90 seconds long, you'll have to ride it over and over again to catch all the details whizzing past you.
"The attraction itself is incredibly dynamic," said Kerry Milligan, Assistant Project Manager, Walt Disney Imagineering, in a recent post about her journey on the project. "There are so many elements to it, from the outside concourse to the inside queue, to the different experiences riding it during the day and at night. I love to stand on the concourse and watch everything move. You can see the Lightcycles coming around the track, the Tomorrowland Speedway and even the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. There's just so much going on, and it's all contrasted by this grand canopy, an architectural feat that compliments the structure of Space Mountain."
The coaster hits 59 MPH and you certainly feel that huge rush from the second it launches, with the front row being the best spot to ride to feel the full force of the ride.
This will be an extremely popular nighttime attraction as well thanks to the cool lights illuminating the whole space. It's a completely enhanced experience at night, but that doesn't mean it isn't just as thrilling during the day.
Additional features for TRON come after the ride where guests can build their own Tron action figure, purchase a variety of TRON merchandise or delight in the new nearby food spot called Energy Bytes. The food stand will offer desserts, coffee, and Chinese dumplings. Why Chinese dumplings you ask? Well, it's a call out to Shanghai Disney, which is home to the first TRON Lightcycle Power Run attraction Disney created back in 2016.
It's been a long time coming for TRON at Disney World, and the new ride certainly delivers on the hype. It is a much-welcomed addition to bolstering the offerings at Magic Kingdom. How does it compare to its neighbor, Space Mountain? We have some thoughts, but well, you'll have to ride it yourself to compare the new with the old.
Check out the video to see the ride cam view.
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