TRON Lightcycle / Run at the Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World)

TRON Lightcycle / Run is a new roller coaster coming to Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Florida.  This attraction will take guests on an amazing motorcycle style thrill ride through the cyber-fi world of TRON following the events of “TRON: Legacy”, whose main character is Sam Flynn.  

The attraction was originally intended to open in 2021 for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration but due to the closure of the park and stoppage of construction, the opening of attraction has been delayed. 

About Tron Lightcycle / Run

TRON brings a much needed modern thrill component to the Magic Kingdom and is a nice follow up to the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction at Epcot. Due to the age of the Space Mountain ride as well as the family-friendly nature of both the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, TRON will be the perfect attraction to fill the void of a thrill ride that is missing in the Magic Kingdom.

The ride building and canopy is massive and can be seen from just about everywhere in the Tomorrowland area. Located adjacent to Space Mountain and behind the Tomorrowland Speedway, guests proceed up a pathway just to the left of Space Mountain to the attraction entrance.  There is a test vehicle just outside the entryway so guests can check to see if they are able to fit comfortably on the ride.

While we found that bike ride vehicle to be a good fit, it’s been widely reports that taller / larger individuals may have issues.  If size is a concern, there are several accessible style car seats that can be utilized by riders.

Virtual Queue

Unlike most of the rides at Walt Disney World, TRON Lightcycle / Run only offers a virtual queue which guests can access through the My Disney Experience app.  The virtual queue opens at 7:00 AM and at 1:00 PM every day and guests can request to entire no more than once per day during normal park hours. A  park reservation for the Magic Kingdom on that day is required to access the virtual queue.

Guests must confirm their party before before being able to enter the virtual queue and the ability to do so opens at 6:00 AM the morning of your reservation. Once inside the virtual queue screen, guests must continue to “refresh” the app at the start time (7:00 AM and at 1:00 PM).  If selected, guests will get a boarding group number and an approximate wait time.

Return times for the boarding groups are estimated and from what we have seen, are not accurate all the time.  Guests are expected to return within one hour of being called and it has been said that the some riders have been denied entry upon missing their boarding group window.

To increase your chances of getting a boarding group, you may want to use your cellular data service is strong as WiFi at Walt Disney World can be spotty and not run as fast as needed. Guests trying to get a boarding pass during the 1:00 PM offering do not need to be in the Magic Kingdom but will need to have entered the park at some point which allows for the app to open the virtual queue.

As of the summer 2023, we have attempted on get a reservation at 7:00 AM via the Virtual Queue at least 10 times and have only been successful once.  Outside of the initial annual passholder preview, all of our rides have come via a Lightning Lane (LL) purchase which was only successful when we stayed at a Walt Disney World hotel (allows for a 30 minutes advance LL purchase from traditional guests).

While we think it is worth purchasing a LL to ride TRON, we’re hoping that as time goes on it will be easier to get a reservation in the Virtual Queue.  Otherwise, that will add another $20 per person to the cost of your day at the Magic Kingdom which is not cheap to start with.

The Ride Queue

The ride queue is extensive and has a elaborate colored lighting highlighted by video monitors which provide some of the backstory for the attraction.  While not as extensive as the Guardians queue, there is plenty to keep guests entertained during the wait.

TRON is the first Disney World attraction that does not allow bags or loose items. Large items can be stored in the complimentary locker system (two-sided lockers) which is opened with a park pass or Magic Band. Lockers are fairly large and can fit a backpack, popcorn buckets and large items of clothing.  There is also a small compartment on the ride vehicle which can store a wallet, cel phone and other small items.

The Ride

The TRON ride vehicle is a train composed of two-wheeled Lightcycle (motorcycle) that runs both indoors and underneath the “curved wave” outdoor canopy.  There are be seven trains with 7 cars – arranged two across in a row for a total of 14 riders.  Riders on the opposite side of the loading platform cross between the bikes to access their seat.

After a short trek to the starting point, riders will experience a fast launch that takes you almost immediate outside underneath the canopy.  Riders travel on the 3,100+ foot track at speeds approaching 60 miles per hour for a “high-speed launch competition again Team Orange”.  

It’s a very smooth ride which is to be expected since it’s brand new.  The entire ride took approximately 90 seconds from take off to finish, making it fairly short in duration as compared to a number of the other Walt Disney World attractions.

Attraction Rider Restrictions

The attraction is limited to riders 48 inches or higher in height.  Guests must join a virtual queue via the My Disney Experience app on a mobile device (similar to the Guardians of the Galaxy) or pay for a Lighting Lane via the Disney Genie+ service).  There is also a child swap area for parents with children that are either to small or do not wish to go on the ride.

Our Review

TRON is one of most exciting “thrill rides” not only at the Magic Kingdom, but also throughout all the Walt Disney World theme parks. While we enjoyed the ride, it felt short of our initial exceptions, especially with the anticipation coming from watching the attraction being built over the past several years and the absolute enjoyment of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind).

There is no doubt that TRON is a “must do” for newcomers to Walt Disney World and one that we would definitely ride it again, but we would not be greatly disappointed if we were not able to get a virtual queue ride reservation during our next visit (like we are with the Guardians of the Galaxy).

What we liked about Tron Lightcycle / Run

• The speed of the ride
• Smoothness and curves of the track
• Design and attractiveness of the canopy
• Futuristic theming (perfect for Tomorrowland)

What we did not like about Tron Lightcycle / Run

• The ride is short (less than 90 seconds of ride time)
• Lack of a true “story” to the attraction
• Difficulty of getting a reservation via the Virtual Queue
• Did we say the ride is short…….