Big news for thrill seekers, roller coaster lovers and Disney fans alike: The highly-anticipated TRON Lightcycle / Run is set to open on April 4, 2023, but is running a soft opening from March 20 through April 2.
This speed ride is based on the 2010 movie TRON: Legacy, and is Walt Disney World's fastest coaster ever. Good Housekeeping got a behind-the-scenes look at the ride in March, and we're here to answer all of your FAQs before you visit.
Overview
The concept for the ride is based on the movie TRON: Legacy (the sequel to the 1982 film TRON), where the main character becomes transported into a digital world. Before the ride, a pre-show has you become "digitized into the world of TRON," then the ride itself has you entering the Grid — i.e. the computerized world from the movie. The ride's seat is built to look like the motorbike from the film as you race on Team Blue (the good guys).
You start off with an intense acceleration, but it feels different from most high-speed thrill coasters where you feel the force pushing you against the back of your seat. With the TRON ride, you're leaning forward throughout as if you're on a motorbike, so we found the fast motion to feel smoother and more comfortable than other rides. The initial blast sends you outdoors briefly — if you ride during the day, you'll get good visibility, and at night you'll get the glowing light effects — then you head back inside for the remainder of the ride. It's mostly an in-the-dark experience, and you feel like you're inside a video game.
Speed
The ride speeds up to 59 miles per hour at the start, making it, along with its sister ride, TRON Lightcycle Power Run in Shanghai, the fastest at any Disney park in the world. (For reference, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Walt Disney World hits 57 miles per hour.) While the entire ride feels fast, it's the initial takeoff that reaches the maximum speed.
Length
The intense portion of the ride is about one-minute long. From the time you start moving until you get off, it's about two minutes. Some people that have tried out the ride in advance of the opening noted that it felt a bit short, especially after Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened last year at around three minutes. However, with the high speeds and surprise motions, it certainly felt like longer than one minute when we tried it.
Location
The ride is based in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. More specifically, it's in the Tomorrowland area, right next to Space Mountain. There's also TRON Lightcycle Power Run, which is essentially the same ride, at Shanghai Disneyland.
Opening date
TRON Lightcycle / Run officially opens on April 4, 2023. Disney announced there will be a soft opening from March 20 through April 2, and it's been open for various events — including cast member and media previews — since February.
Restrictions
According to the Disney website, here are the policies on safety and accessibility:
- There is a minimum height requirement of 48 inches (122 cm).
- While there are no weight restrictions listed, Disney notes that the seating and restraints may prohibit people with certain body shapes or sizes from riding.
- Children under the age of 7 years must be accompanied by someone that's at least 14 years old.
- Wheelchair users must transfer to the ride vehicle. There is a transferable vehicle available that provides a bench seat with lap bar.
- Service animals are not permitted.
- Audio description and video captioning is available.
More FAQs
Does the ride have upside-down loops and drops?
TRON Lightcycle / Run does not go upside down, but it does have big drops. There are also twists and turns throughout the ride — after all, you're racing on a motorbike.
How does the TRON ride hold you in?
The motorbike seats use leg restraints to hold you in. You mount the seat and lean forward, placing your bent knees into a holder on each side. Then you pull the seat's handlebars toward you, which moves the leg restraints towards your calves and the seat back inwards.
Can you bring bags onto the ride?
No; there are no spots in the motorbike seats to store any bags. You can place a cell phone, glasses or other small belongings in a storage compartment on the ride. Otherwise, you can utilize its unique locker system before you board. You use your MagicBand or park ticket to open a locker (it's free and there's no code required) then place your belongings inside. Once you're off the ride, you'll access the same locker from the opposite side, opening it again with your Magicband or ticket.
How long will the TRON ride wait times be?
Disney will be using a virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run, meaning you can't just walk up and wait in line. There will be two opportunities to join the queue each day — once at 7:00 AM and another at 11:00 AM. You must have a Magic Kingdom reservation to join the 7:00 queue, and you must be physically in the park to join the 11:00 one. You also need to use the My Disney Experience app to access these queues. The spots fill up quickly, so you'll want to log on to join at those exact times. Once you do, you'll get a callback time to join the physical line.
If you don't get into one of the virtual queues, there are a couple of other ways to get on the ride.
- You can purchase a Lightning Lane entry at 7:00 AM, which basically means you pay to get a spot on the ride, and you typically have a shorter wait time when you arrive. The cost varies based on timing and demand, but you can expect to pay roughly $15 per person on high-demand rides that use this feature.
- Another option is to go during extended evening hours (you can find the schedule on the My Disney Experience app) if you're staying at one of the Walt Disney World hotels. There will be a third queue time at 6:00 PM for guests that are able to use this benefit.
Is your photo taken on the ride?
Yes! You'll get a reaction photo of you and the person sitting next to you during the initial high-speed acceleration, as well as a video of your entire car. The digital photo and videos are included in the Memory Maker package from Disney PhotoPass, or you can purchase them individually. Even if you don't want to purchase them, you'll be able to preview the shots in your app.
