TRON Lightcycle / Run will officially open in Magic Kingdom on April 4th, 2023, but guests already have some THOUGHTS about the experience.

We’ve already seen part of what it’s like to ride the attraction, given you a look at Cast Member costumes for the ride, and shared details about the ride’s major milestones. But now we’ve got more information to share ahead of your ride on this new attraction!

On our Instagram page, we asked our readers if they have ridden TRON Lightcycle / Run during the Cast Member previews that are currently going on. We also asked them to comment on what they loved and what they think needs more work.

Our readers had some THOUGHTS about the ride, so now we’re going to share them all with you! Keep in mind, this post is based just on the responses of those readers who have had the chance to visit TRON thus far. Only Cast Member previews have taken place as of this time (meaning only a limited number of guests have been able to ride), but more previews for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members will be taking place soon ahead of the ride’s official opening, so many more guests should be sharing their experiences in the future.

Let’s take a look at just what our readers who have been on TRON so far have said is BAD and what is GOOD about Disney World’s newest addition.

Good: Theming

Several of our readers seemed to emphasize that Disney did a spectacular job when it came to theming.  One reader shared that the “indoor effects & overall theming were amazing.” Another used the power of emojis to really capture their feelings, saying “the area itself is 😙🤌.”

One reader highlighted a specific aspect of the theming, noting that the “lighting was fantastic.”

We’ve only seen a limited amount of the indoor portion of the TRON ride thus far. Disney has given a preview of the lockers area (which does appear to be illuminated in a fun way)…

@disneyparks

>◎//: Initiating Locker Protocol #DisneyParks #MagicKingdom #Tron #TronlightCycleRun #Rollercoaster #Lockers #Magicband #WaltDisneyWorld #Ride #DisneyRide

♬ original sound – Disney Parks

 

…part of the queue…

…and part of the loading area.

We’ve also seen some of the details within the queue space including some arrows directing you to The Grid…

…a closer look at those loading doors…

…and the awesome illuminated effect of the wheels.

We also got a peek at the launch…

…and some of the other indoor effects that appear to be very reflective or have things that make it look like you’re racing against other Lightcycles and entering certain “energy gates.”

@disneyparks

>◎//: Welcome programs. TRON preview testing has begun. 404 error detected in footage. Enter the Grid on 04/04/23 🥏 #Disney #DisneyWorld #TRON #POV #RollerCoaster #Ride #Coaster #Orlando #FirstLook #MagicKingdom #Lightcycle

♬ original sound – Disney Parks

 

The outside lighting effects though are MUCH more clear to see, and they’re pretty spectacular.

Hexagons will appear on the outdoor illuminated canopy (called the Upload Conduit) as Lightcycles pass by, and you’ll also see lights dance across the canopy.

@disneyparks

>◎//: Upload Conduit, power on. TRON Lightcycle / Run officially powered on last night 🥏 #TRON #Disney #RollerCoaster #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #Ride #Attraction #Coaster #Orlando

♬ original sound – Disney Parks

 

Combined with the themed music, it’s a pretty epic look that our readers loved. So be sure to give yourself enough time to soak in the environment during your ride.

Click here to learn about how the VIRTUAL QUEUE will work for the TRON ride

Good: Ride at Night!

Another noted that the ride is “amazing” and that the “best time to ride is at night.” Given the fact that the illuminated canopy is pretty incredible and its effects are something that you’ll really experience at night, that is a good point to keep in mind when planning your trip.

Maybe a late boarding group or Individual Lightning Lane for TRON won’t actually be a bad thing! In fact, you may want to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane with a later return time.

But be careful! Remember that Disney World rides can often experience technical issues that cause them to close down temporarily. Time your return time too late and you run the risk that the ride experiences a problem and temporarily shuts down for the remainder of the night. So you may want to watch carefully to see when the sun will set during your trip and time it to be after that but well before the park’s closing time, giving yourself a little wiggle room.

Click here to learn more about the Pay-Per-Ride option that’ll be available at TRON

Bad/UGLY: Length of the Ride

One big thing that was mentioned time and time again by our readers is just how SHORT the ride is. The responses were similar — “wish it was longer,” “super great ride but very short,” and “needed to be longer.”

While Disney’s POV video of the ride doesn’t display the full ride, it seems that even those who have been on the full thing think it’s a bit on the short side. Now, keep in mind that many of Disney World’s rides are quite short, with a few clocking in just at around 1 minute and 30 seconds, or even shorter. But the length of this ride seems to really be a particular problem.

So if you were going into this ride expecting a lengthy experience, the time to change that expectation is NOW.

Click here to learn about 3 SURPRISING things we noticed on the TRON coaster

Bad: Adaptive Seating

Another problem that has been mentioned is TRON’s seating and the need for more adaptive seating. The “typical” TRON vehicle is a motorcycle/bike-style seat that requires you to sit on it like a bike. It has a locking feature that comes in on part of your legs and a backplate that comes down to secure you in place.

You will have to lean down to get into the right position to take hold of those handlebars…

…and you’ll need to fold your legs into the proper position for the locking mechanisms to come down and secure your position.

Think of it as somewhat similar to Flight of Passage, though it is not exactly the same.

For some, getting onto this vehicle may not be a problem. But for others, it can be. Those who cannot fit onto the bike-style vehicle or who have a condition that would restrict them from maneuvering their body in the way the vehicle requires can still ride TRON, but they’ll need to request an adaptive seat.

These appear to be more “standard” roller coaster seats at the back of some of the vehicles.

The good news is that these adaptive seats exist. The bad news is that some feel there need to be much more of them. One reader took it a step further to note that Disney needs to “fix the handlebars [and] amount of adaptive seating.”

If you have any concerns about whether you will be able to get on the bike-style seat, be sure to speak with a Cast Member before getting on the ride. It’s best that you know more about how you’ll feel on the bike-style seat before getting all the way to the moment you’re loading on the vehicle.

And keep in mind that if you do need an adaptive seat, you will need to speak up about your request and communicate it with Cast Members along the way, and waiting to obtain that seat (particularly because they are more limited in number) could add a significant delay to your experience.

Don’t forget that TRON has a height requirement — click here to learn about it

Bad: Confusing Storyline

One reader shared that while the ride was great, they could not understand the storyline on the inside portion of the ride. Here’s a bit about what Disney has shared about the storyline as a whole: Guests will “leave the real world behind and join Team Blue in an epic quest across the Grid—the dark, computerized world with no horizons from TRON.”

You will climb aboard your own Lightcycle and “take off on a high-speed adventure, racing against the Grid’s most menacing Programs. Surge past your fierce opponents as you attempt to cross through 8 Energy Gates and secure your team’s victory—so you can survive to race another day.”

For those wanting to become more familiar with TRON in general, know that you can watch the original TRON film, as well as TRON: Legacy and the TRON animated show all on Disney+ right now. But here’s a brief overview. (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD)

In the original film, there is a character named Flynn. He is a computer genius and believes that video game programs he wrote were stolen by Dillinger, an executive at a company called ENCOM. So, Flynn breaks into the ENCOM computer to look for evidence of the theft. That’s where things go wrong. Dillinger has created something called a Master Control Program. That program has to stop Flynn from uncovering any theft, so he blasts Flynn into the computer dimension — an “electronic world, where computer programs are the alter egos of the programmers who created them.” (D23)

Flynn then has to play some games on the video game grid and is essentially sentenced to die there. But, Flynn manages to escape with the help of Tron — an electronic security program. And (SPOILER ALERT) —– Flynn gets out and back into the real world!

But, in TRON: Legacy we meet back with Flynn who later made his way back into the digital world and got trapped there by a program that is determined to conquer the digital world and even has his sights set on the real world. Flynn’s son Sam gets taken into the digital world as well and must help his father.

In the movies, there are some key scenes involving Lightcycles as one of the trials within this digital world. But the stakes are high, cross into the illuminated path left by another Lightcycle and it’s game over. So it seems this ride will put us right in the middle of this high-stakes, exciting game on the Grid with the goal of beating the “menacing Programs” trying to race against us.

Bad (Maybe): Thrills

Finally, we do want to point out one comment from a reader who shared that while the effects on the ride are amazing, guests should not “expect the highest thrills.” This is an interesting comment only because the ride does have a launch sequence and will actually be “one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park in the world,” according to Disney.

Still, the ride does not feature any loops or upside-down aspects and is quite short, so that may take away significantly from its thrill factor. Will it be more thrilling than Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress? We can firmly say yes! 😂 But if you’re expecting a roller coaster that is as thrilling as one that has multiple upside-down loops or hugely steep drops, it may be time to adjust those expectations.

And that’s it for the TRON coaster for now! What do you think are the best and worst parts of the ride? We’ll be sharing more thoughts as the ride approaches its opening date, so stay tuned for the latest updates.

Have you ridden TRON yet? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.