It was the news we had all been waiting for, at the end of January, Disney finally announced that TRON Lightcycle / Run would officially open at the Magic Kingdom on April 4, 2023.
We knew TRON Lightcycle / Run was going to be extremely popular and our predictions of it being extremely difficult to get a boarding group proved true when during its soft opening at the end of March, boarding groups were initially gone within seconds as well as the Lightning Lane option which was initially priced at $20 per person.
Since then, things have calmed down for TRON Lightcycle / Run and this week, Disney has launched a new ad campaign which is proving to be very popular. The new advert is embedded below. As you can see it shows great footage of the ride and is sure to bring those who haven’t already ridden TRON Lightcycle / Run flocking to the Magic Kingdom this summer.
We learnt at the end of January that as expected TRON Lightcycle / Run will have a virtual queue when it opens and there will be no option of a standby line. The use of the virtual queue was expected as in the case of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Ratatouille and is currently being used on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Disney released updated details on how to access the virtual queue.
When TRON Lightcycle / Run opens at the Magic Kingdom it will have a virtual queue. There will be no standby line so all guests will need to know the following information which has just been released by Disney regarding this process:
“Guests will need to use the My Disney Experience app to enter this attraction. A standby queue will not be available. Each Guest can request to enter the virtual queue no more than once per day during regular park hours.
Guests must have valid admission and a theme park reservation to join the virtual queue. There will be 2 daily opportunities to request to join the virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run:
- 7:00 AM (Guests do not need to be in the park when they join, but must have a theme park reservation for Magic Kingdom park)
- 1:00 PM (Guests must be in Magic Kingdom park to join the virtual queue)
For guests staying in either a Disney Deluxe Resort, Disney Deluxe Villa Resort or other select hotels who are eligible for extended theme park hours they will have an additional opportunity to request to join the virtual queue at 6:00 PM on select dates during extended evening theme park hours.
These guests do not need to be in the park but must have valid admission and a theme park reservation for the same park on the same day to experience extended evening hours. Or have an Annual Pass or ticket with the Park Hopper option and first enter the park they made the reservation for on that day. For further details regarding the virtual queue process, visit the official Walt Disney World website.
Annual Passholders had the chance to secure a preview ride and D23 Gold Members had the opportunity to purchase tickets for a special event to ride TRON Lightcycle / Run before its official opening on March 18. Tickets went on sale on February 15, priced at $50 per person and quickly sold out.
Disney released a video showing the new locker system for TRON Lightcycle / Run lockers. Guests will be required to place all items into the locker apart from cellphones, glasses and wallets which can be stored in small compartment on the attraction. The lockers can be accessed with MagicBand, by ticket or card.
>◎//: Before you enter the Grid, guests can store bags in complimentary digitized lockers unlocked with your MagicBand or ticket. Read more about 4 things to know before you board TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise, on April 4: https://t.co/KX7SM9BUaZ pic.twitter.com/I7HG78ohql
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) January 27, 2023
The marquee for TRON Lightcycle / Run was installed a couple of months ago at Magic Kingdom Park in preparation for the opening, as can be seen in photo below.
The ride, which will serve as the sister attraction to Shanghai Disneyland’s version, was initially slated for a 2021 opening with original plans hoping to see the attraction begin to welcome guests in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary which began on October 1st last year.
It is interesting to look back at the construction process. Light testing on the canopy first began back in June, and human testing officially began on TRON at the end of August 2022. In a tweet at the end of December by reporter, Scott Gustin, we see Good Morning America getting a first ride on this highly anticipated attraction.
TRON is set to open spring 2023 at Walt Disney World. @GMA was given an early look at the coaster: pic.twitter.com/xjIpuifbDq
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) December 25, 2022
In the video above you can clearly see the completed load area which is lit by classic blue lights representing The Grid just as in the TRON Legacy. TRON Lightcycle / Run was unfortunately subject to a number of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with work on the attraction having been paused for a number of months.
Have you taken a ride of TRON Lightcycle / Run? Does it live up to the hype? What are you thoughts on the new ad campaign? Let us know your views by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
