New Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom

Tron Lightcycle Run is the latest ride opening at Disney World. And we are taking the day off to attend a passholder preview of the newest addition to Magic Kingdom. Follow us and our daughter to get a sneak peek of Disney’s newest and coolest rollercoaster opening next month.

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Background

I have loved the movie Tron since seeing it in the theaters as a kid. It was way before it’s time and there’s been nothing like it since, except its 2010 sequel Tron Legacy. And the coolest thing about the movies may be the light cycle scenes. Competing in virtual games, these neon-colored futuristic motorcycles were fast and colorful. And I’m looking forward to ride one! You can read more about the ride here: Tron Lightcycle Run | Walt Disney World Resort. However, getting a passholder preview was no easy task.

Basically all passholders got an email saying look out for another email in 3 days when the registration opens. For the last preview for Cosmic Rewind, they didn’t give us a date. And though I checked often, by the time I saw the email it was too late. But this time I was determined. Last time the email came out at 9:15AM, so I was prepared by 9:00AM. And this time the email came out at 9:06AM and I was in the queue by 9:07AM. But what was crazy is as soon as I was in the queue, the approximate wait time just said more than an hour. And after 2.5 hours, I was finally able to pick a date for the preview. Though they only had 5 dates available and the only weekend day showed no availability. So, I choose the Friday option between 10:00-11:00AM.

Tron Lightcycle Run Photo-Op and the Line Outside

In Tomorrowland, the new Tron Lightcycle Run ride is near Space Mountain. We head that way and find a cast member about 10:05AM. They ask us our time and then tell us to get in line. Though it looks long, in 2 minutes we get checked-in and head to the new ride. Sandwiched in between Space Mountain and the Tomorrowland Speedway we follow the path to the ride sign.

In front of the Tron Lightcycle Run sign are 2 cast members taking pictures with people’s phones. We are surprised there are no Disney PhotoPass photographers here, but we get in line. After a short wait, the cast member takes pictures with my phone, then we head in line.

And the line starts outside as we pass restrooms while the ride circles over our heads. What’s nice about the line is it’s mostly covered from the heat. And you can also see the lightcycles speeding by giving us a glimpse of what the ride will be like. And after about 10 minutes, we get checked-in again. I ask if we will be able to ride more than once, and they tell me just once. They also measure our daughter to ensure she is over 48″ which she is by an inch.

We then get in another line under a completely covered area. The line zig-zags past a replica of the digitizing laser in the movie that zaps you into the game. And after almost another 10 minutes, we head through a door that says “Team Blue Users”.

The Line Inside and the Lockers

Once inside, we walk through a dark hallway lit up with blue lights down the walls. And then around the corner we enter a room. Here we see a screen and here a voice telling us to prepare to be digitized into the computerized world. And then the screen vanishes and we get our 1st glimpse of the digital world beyond.

We then get to walk past the area where we see some lightcycles appear. This is the starting point for the ride to blast off. Once around it, we head through more of the line. Here we see pictures of other teams with different colors as well as an overhead screen. On the screen we hear some instructions for the ride including the lockers.

Just around the bend, a cast member asks us how many in our party. She then tells us which locker area to go to. They tell us to put any loose items in a locker. So I put my hat and sunglasses along with a couple of Becky’s items. We use our MagicBand to lock it, then continue to a ramp. Walking down the ramp, we can finally see the lightcycles being loaded on either side. Once down the ramp, a cast member checks our daughter’s height again. It’s been almost 30 minutes at this point, and she’s still the same height. So, they then tell us to head to the left and stand next to some numbers to wait our turn.

Getting on Tron Lightcycle Run

We’ve heard many people are concerned about fitting on the lightcycles. And there are some sample lightcycles you can test out before getting on the ride. Though we passed them waiting in the line, we didn’t get out of line to test them. But unlike some rides, the cast members give us plenty of time to get on them.

Each lightcycle is in a group of 8 for Team Blue. You sit on the lightcycle and lean forward pulling the handlebars towards you. When you do this, the backrest secures to your back and you are ready to depart. It’s very similar to riding a bike, but can see how it could be uncomfortable for some people.

Our daughter thinks it’s a little scary and wants to ride with Daddy for a change. I make sure she pulls the handlebars down and is secure. We also have a compartment on the front of bike to put small loose items. Even though I put some stuff in the locker, I also put my eyeglasses and phone in the compartment. It is better safe than sorry, and we are ready to go!

Tron Lightcycle Run Ride

We start off slow and head into the room we passed earlier. Here we prepare to launch into the Grid. Our goal is to race through 8 energy gates competing against Team Orange’s best programs. And the doors open and we launch outside up to 59 mph (miles per hour).

For perspective, the Rock n Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios gets up to 57 mph. In fact, only the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride at EPCOT is faster by 1 mph at 60 mph. See: Cosmic Rewind, The New Guardians Ride At EPCOT. And we quickly shoot outside over the line we were in earlier. The 8 lightcycles stay together as we zoom over the crowds. We then slow as we go back inside and speed up again through the energy gates thwarting Team Orange.

In the end, Team Blue wins and our lightcycles come to a stop. This ride is exhilarating and provides a recovery area with benches and a water fountain for those who need to rest. But actually we feel great and I retrieve my stuff from the compartment before heading to the exit.

Exit and Restrooms

We first stop back at the lockers to retrieve our stuff. We are on the other side from where we put our stuff in them. And Becky uses her MagicBand to get our items. We then exit outside where we see a sign that says Welcome Team Green. Here the walls have glowing green lights and we see a replica green lightcycle.

Though cool, it’s a little confusing since this is the 1st green we’ve seen. But I remember seeing a sign for Enterprise Rent-A-Car which has green on its logo. And the sign says Tron Lightcycle Run presented by Enterprise so this must be related to them. And after going outside, we go back to where you can sit on a replica lightcycle to test it. Our daughter and I get on while Becky takes a few pictures, before we head to the restrooms.

They have brand new restrooms inside the pavilion which makes a nice stop before exiting this area. We then exit a different way passing next to Tomorrowland Speedway. We see a Game Over sign as we exit into the Toontown area in Fantasyland shortly after 11:30AM.

Tron Lightcycle Run Summary

Tron Lightcycle Run is an exhilarating ride and a great addition to Magic Kingdom. And much like the Guardians ride at EPCOT, it has its own area of the park. But unlike the Xandar Pavilion, much of the Tron area is outdoors. Though we were mostly covered and we spent almost 1.5 hours in the Tron area today. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and can’t wait to do it again.

Becky was a little disappointed at the duration of the ride itself, which is around 2 minutes. But like Guardians, I feel it will get better the more times you ride it. And I loved all of the glowing lights inside the ride just like in the movies. And I heard at night the wave-like outdoor canopy also lights up. Just more reason to ride it again when it officially opens. Just look for it to have a virtual queue like the other new rides that have opened recently.

You can read about more exciting new rides by clicking: New Disney World Rides!