Disney World’s TRON – What Should I Be Afraid Of?

TRON Lightcycle / Run Ride Review

In an effort to clearly define just how scary a ride is, we developed an ultra-scientific backed-by-research rating system.

We call it the Mickey Visit Ride Rating System – MVRRS for short (pretty clever, huh?)

The MVRRS goes as follows:

• Wimp Proof: Not scary at all
• Wimp Proof-ish: Seems scary at first, but after, you feel it's nothing to worry about
• Scary but Survivable: Moderately scary
• Scary: Definitely scary, but you'll be able to sleep at night
• Bravest Riders Only: The scariest ride you'll find in a theme park

TRON Lightcycle / Run Ride Overview

TRON takes you out of this world and into the universe of the Grid – the dark, computerized world with no horizons.

The 5th roller coaster to open at Magic Kingdom, TRON takes thrill rides up a notch. On this ride, you get to climb aboard your own Lightcycle and take off on a high-speed race against the The Grid's most menacing Programs. much like Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom, TRON's track elements are thrilling enough to make roller coaster fans happy, but its storyline makes it distinctly Disney.

Even before entering Magic Kingdom, TRON makes a statement to guests with its white canopy that matches well with Space Mountain's show building. In fact, the best time to see and ride TRON is after the sun goes down, when the canopy is illuminated beautifully with shades of blue and orange.

Here’s some important information to review before riding TRON Lightcycle / Run:

• Access: Virtual Queue, Individual Lightning Lane, Rider Switch
• Height Requirements: Guests must be at least 48″ (122cm)
• Highest Speed: 60mph
• Length: 1 minute
• Big Drops: 0
• Loops: 0
• Other Features: Launch sequence

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TRON Ride Queue: What You Need to Know

After approaching the ride through the beautiful, elevated pathways toward the ride entrance, you'll walk under part of the ride track and watch riders wiz by you.

Both the Virtual Queue and Individual Lightning Lane queue for TRON start right at the ride’s signage. Both queues start outdoors but under the large ride canopy. So while you're technically outside, you're in the shade and somewhat out of the Florida heat. The merge points for the Virtual Queue and Individual Lightning Lane queue happen right before entering the the pre-show room.

Once you pass underneath the digitization laser and enter the ride's show building, you journey into The Grid. Inside, the queue is dark and is made to feel like you're in the digital world. 

Then you find yourself in the pre-show room.

While short, the pre-show a great way to showcase the ride. A robotic voice introduces you to the world of TRON as you stand in front of a frosted glass screen. It then digitizes and suddenly turns transparent, giving you a stunning view of your ride vehicle and the loading area.

You'll then make your way toward the locker room. On the way, overhead screens explain the safety information you need to know as well as the steps you must take to get into your ride vehicle. Before heading into the loading area, you'll need to store anything larger than your phone, glasses, or wallet.

Lastly, it's important to note that there are 2 chicken available should you choose to skip the ride. The first is at the boarding area, where you can ask a Cast Member to walk straight to the exit. The second isn't the most convenient: if you decide to sit this ride out while in the queue, you can simply turn around and walk back out the way you entered.

TRON Lightcycle / Run Ride Vehicle Information

The ride vehicle for TRON is similar to Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Most vehicles on TRON are Lightcycles that best resemble a motorcycle. Once you step over and straddle the ride vehicle, you'll kneel in place where your legs rest. You'll then lean forward and pull the handlebars toward you. This subsequently locks the restraints on your legs and back.

For whatever reason, if you're concerned that you may not fit or might not be able to get on the ride vehicle, there are test ride vehicles before you enter the queue.

If you don't fit on the test vehicle or are disabled but still want to ride, rest assured that some of the trains also have an accessible car known as a Lightrover. This car is a regular coaster car that holds 2 riders and has individual lap bars.

Once you make your way to the front of the queue, a Cast Member will direct you to your designated seating area. Each train contains 7 cars, with riders arranged 2 across.

TRON Lightcycle / Run: Ride Experience

The ride experience for TRON can be described in 2 words: unbelievably thrilling.

After boarding, your train makes a turn out of the loading area and pauses under a series of pulsing energy gates. As your anticipation builds, your train launches outdoors and under the canopy you entered.

You then swoop around and above the walking paths into a drop before going back up into the indoor portion of the ride.

Once back inside, you zoom past the energy gates while the orange cycles attempt to overtake you. This is where your ride speeds back up, twisting and turning before coming to a halt back where you started.

Note that if you're worried about any jerkiness, your entire ride experience is very smooth.

Let's review the aspects of the ride that that make TRON thrilling and add to its MVRRS rating:

• Launch Sequence: This is the first thing you'll experience after boarding your ride vehicle and one of the most thrilling aspects of TRON
• Ride Vehicle: The Lightcycle ride vehicle has you sitting and leaning forward, giving you the feeling of racing on a motorcycle
• Speed: TRON reaches a top speed of 60mph, making it the second fastest ride at Disney World. Combining the Lightcycle ride vehicle with the launch sequence and its top speed, and you have a recipe for an extremely thrilling ride
• Height: For the outdoor portion of the ride, you're traveling on a raised track suspended well above the ground. If you're sensitive to heights, you'll likely be uncomfortable during the outdoor portion
• Sweeping Banks: TRON has several sweeping banks in which you feel the gravitational forces against you
• Dark Portions: Much like Space Mountain, the dark indoor portions of this ride combined with its sweeping turns and high speeds make it feel much faster since you don't have a reference point to gauge your true speed. However, the visuals of the orange cycles racing against you help light your path a little and add an extra thrill
• Strobe Light Effects: Strobe light effects give the feeling of being in The Grid. If you or your kiddos are sensitive to this effect, you may need to close your eyes during the indoor portions of the ride
• Audio Effects: The ride's soundtrack, which features Daft Punk, is synced with the ride to add an extra-incredible element to it
• Drops: There are no big drops throughout this ride
• Length: At around 1 minute, TRON Lightcycle / Run is the shortest ride at Disney World. It's about 20 seconds shorter than Rock ‘N' Roller Coaster and several seconds shorter than Barnstormer
• Night-Time Experience: Much like Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure, at night, this ride is a whole different experience from start to finish. The lights throughout the ride add to its theming really well and make you feel like you've entered The Grid

Every single effect adds up to a very fun, thrilling ride.

Favorite Moment of TRON Lightcycle / Run

Despite what many guests say about it being extremely short, here's why you need to ride TRON.

Whether or not you're a fan of the TRON franchise, this ride's ability to take you out of this world and into the universe of The Grid. Taking what many to consider a cult classic science fiction movie and turning it into a Disney ride is nothing short of amazing. It's found its perfect home in Tomorrowland.

And while I do love this futuristic, sci-fi type theming, this isn't my favorite aspect of TRON.

Not having ridden anything like this before, the ride's launch sequence brought back emotions I felt when I rode my very first thrilling roller coaster. Much like Riley in Inside Out, TRON reminded me of a core memory – and made a new one. And while the launch sequence is arguably the most thrilling part of the ride, I and just about every other guest found ourselves grinning from ear to ear

More than its high speeds and sweeping turns, it's this thrilling that I savor the most when riding TRON.

TRON Lightcycle / Run: Scary Verdict

So, how does our ride review of TRON stack up against our MVRRS?

MVRRS VERDICT: Wimp Proof-ish: Seems scary at first, but after, you feel it's nothing to worry about

TRON is a thrilling roller coaster ride with a very unique ride vehicle and incredible theming. Viewing the ride at night is worth it due to its beautiful lighting sequence. And while there are plenty of effects that make this ride thrilling – more effects than other rides we've discussed – there is 1 effect that adds to its scariness than the others: the ride vehicle.

All the other ride factors on TRON have been incorporated into other thrill rides. A launch sequence is used on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Rock ‘N' Roller Coaster. Dark portions are used on Space Mountain. Sweeping banks and high speeds are used on Test Track. However, when you add in the ride vehicle, you create a whole different level of thrill that you don't see anywhere else at Disney.

But while it's got a great degree of thrill, I wouldn't say it's more thrilling than Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or Rock ‘N' Roller Coaster. There are no big drops, no loops, and no inversions. There's also a cool story to follow: your race against other users in The Grid. And finally, it's the shortest ride at Disney World, making your thrilling moment feel cut short.

In the end, if you or your kiddos are fans of thrill rides and sci-fi theming, you'll love TRON Lightcycle / Run.

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