TRON Lightcycle/Run: what it’s like to ride Disney’s new fast roller coaster

Walt Disney World continues to innovate with immersive thrills, once again demonstrating its ability to blend storytelling with the fast-paced rollercoaster feel.

Last year saw the debut of Guardians of the Galaxy: Space Rewind.

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Now for the latest news from TRON Lightcycle/Run, the new attraction in Magic Kingdom, which will debut to the public on April 4th.

TRON Lightcycle/Run puts park visitors on the Net. It’s based on the sci-fi movies Tron, which we definitely recommend watching the 1982 and/or 2010 movies for more fun on the ride.

The guests, also known as “Users”, will board the Lightcycle to take on the “Programs”, digital creations from the franchise. In the queue, you will see more about these various programs, their capabilities and accomplishments. Users are Team Blue and Programs are Team Orange.

The TRON Lightcycle/Run is an indoor and outdoor ride, at launch you get high and the exteriors flash by at incredible speed before heading back inside for some virtual events. Considering the ride is less than 90 seconds long, you’ll have to ride it over and over again to capture all the details as it whizzes by.

“The attraction itself is incredibly dynamic,” said Kerry Milligan, assistant project manager for Walt Disney Imagineering, in a recent post about her journey with the project. “It has so many elements, from the outer hall to the inner queue, to the different riding experiences day and night. I love to stand in the lobby and watch everything move. You can see Lightcycles passing the track, Tomorrowland Speedway and even the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. There is so much going on there, and it all contrasts with this majestic canopy, an architectural feat that complements the structure of Space Mountain.”

The cup holder hits 59 mph and you certainly feel that huge rush from the first second it fires up, and the front row is the best place to ride to feel the full power of the ride.

It will be a hugely popular nighttime entertainment with cool lights illuminating the entire space. It’s a completely upgraded experience at night, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as exciting during the day.

Additional features for TRON come after the ride, where guests can build their own Tron figurine, purchase various TRON merchandise, or enjoy a new nearby eatery called Energy Bytes. The food kiosk will feature desserts, coffee and Chinese dumplings. Why Chinese dumplings, you ask? Well, that’s a call to Shanghai Disney, home to the first TRON Lightcycle Power Run, created by Disney back in 2016.

TRON has been waiting at Disneyland for a long time, and the new attraction is certainly causing a stir. This is a welcome addition to the Magic Kingdom offerings. How is it different from its neighbor, Space Mountain? We have some thoughts, but well, we’ll have to drive ourselves to compare the new with the old.

Watch the video to see what the camera looks like.

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