Disney’s New TRON Ride: A Must-Do Roller Coaster for Thrill-Seekers
Everything you need to know about TRON Lightcycle / Run
Two days after it opened to the general public, my 12-year-old daughter and I were able to get on Disney’s new TRON Lightcycle/ Run ride.
It melted our faces off.
Located at Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom theme park, the new Tron attraction fits in with the retro-futuristic theme of its surroundings. It also feels sleek, modern and groundbreaking — like you’re transported inside a video game.
After walking up the ramp of the entrance, Clara and I were greeted with a breathtaking light show and heard riders screaming at the top of their lungs. The nightly fireworks went off shortly after we got in line. The explosions coupled with the dramatic movie soundtrack and pulsing bass of the ride made it feel like we were at the edge of the end of the world.
The adventure was one we won’t soon forget.
Here is more about our experience on the ride, how to get on, and what to know before boarding TRON for the future.
When does TRON Lightcycle Run open?
After limited previews for Annual Passholders and eligible Disney Vacation Club Members, TRON Lightcycle Run opened at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort on April 4, 2023.
How do you reserve your spot for TRON?
Like other new popular rides The Avengers and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, there are no standby lines for waiting. You must first reserve your spot in the Disney app.
There are two ways to get on TRON: Reserve a paid spot in the Lightning Lane, or snag a spot in the virtual queue. Lightning Lane options are extremely limited and subject to availability. Keep checking the Disney app to see when it’s available.
How do you use the virtual queue for TRON?
To use the virtual queue for TRON at Disney, you will need to have the My Disney Experience app downloaded and linked to your Disney account. You will also need to have a valid park pass reservation for Magic Kingdom on the day of the ride.
To join the virtual queue, open the My Disney Experience app and select “Virtual Queues.” Then, select “TRON Lightcycle / Run.” You will be able to join the virtual queue only once per day.
Right now there are two times a day to reserve your virtual spot online: 7 am and 1 pm. The virtual queue can fill immediately, so it is important to join right at 7 or 1. You can also try joining the virtual queue again if you are not successful the first time.
We didn’t get in during the 7 am window. As we approached 1 pm hour, you could see everyone around you on their phones waiting to get in — Magic Kingdom came to a virtual standstill in anticipation.
How long do you have to wait in the virtual queue?
If you are successful in joining the virtual queue, you will be assigned a boarding group number. We were assigned group 123 when they were still on group 50.
Seven hours later, we got our notification that our group was up. By my math it takes about an hour of waiting per group of 10, all before you get into the actual line at the ride.
How long do you have to wait after your group number is called?
You will have one hour to get to the ride entrance once your number is called. You must be there in time. According to one of the park employees we talked to, the workers don’t have the leeway to let you on TRON if you’re late.
You can watch the boarding group progress in your app so you don’t get too far away as your time approach. That said, we were park-hopping at Epcot when we were notified on the app that our boarding group time had arrived.
We finished up the food we were eating at the time and took the monorail back. We still arrived with time to spare.
Once we checked into the ride, there was still a long wait ahead of us. All told, we stood in lines for about 90 minutes from the time we arrived at the ride entrance to the time we boarded our motorcycles to prepare to launch.
What are the safety precautions for TRON Lightcycle/ Run?
TRON Lightcycle Run is a high-speed roller coaster, so there are some safety precautions that you must take before riding. You must be at least 48 inches tall to ride. You must also be able to sit in a standard seat and hold onto the safety bar. You should not ride TRON Lightcycle Run if you have any medical conditions that could be affected by the ride, such as heart conditions, back problems, or motion sickness.
What is the TRON ride experience like?
FAST, futuristic and FAST. Did I mention fast?
The experience starts while you are in line, where you can view other riders preparing to get launched while overlooking a clear glass balcony. The pulsing bass, music and visual effects keep you engaged even while you are in line.
The ride itself puts you on a motorcycle, situated two across. There are no places to stash anything larger than a cell phone on the ride, so backpacks, hats and anything else you would normally carry on needs to be put in a locker before the ride starts.
Riders are clamped down on their legs, with another support over the back. You are leaned forward, into the acceleration.
Then you take off — and you feel like you are hurtling through a combination of live-action and video game or computer, much like the TRON movie itself.
The ride goes by in what feels like a split second. In reality, it is very short — about a two-minute ride. It speeds by with sudden accelerations, drops and spins.
What stands out most is the sensation of speed and power. I felt like my hair was blowing back — and I don’t even have much hair — and I thought I might even lose an eye contact.
Afterward, I was left trying to process what was over in a flash.
Is TRON a good ride for families and kids?
All riders must be at least 48 inches to ride on TRON, and riders under age 7 need to be accompanied by someone 14 or older.
At night, it was predominantly an adult crowd on the ride. My 9-year-old son deemed the ride too intense and opted to skip it, and got in 4 other rides in Tomorrowland in the time we waiting in line. I did see rare kids that age or younger getting on TRON.
My 12-year-old daughter loved the ride and wants to do it again. But she was also fairly freaked out in line, and her heart rate spiked to 170 bpm while waiting. (This is a photo of her post-ride heart rate in recovery).
TRON takes place in a dark environment with moving scenery. This can be fun for young children, but it can also be a little scary for some.
Also keep in mind that while it is a great experience together, you aren’t sitting next to others like many traditional roller coaster cars. The rides are two across on individual motorcycles, and since you are hunched over and hurtling forward, you really don’t see much of others on the ride.
Ultimately, the best way to decide whether the TRON Lightcycle Run is right for your child is to talk to them about it and see what they think. If they are excited about the ride and think they can handle it, then go for it. But if they are hesitant or scared, it may be better to choose a different ride.
What did you think of the TRON experience?
Ultimately, the experience on TRON Lightcycle/ Run combines both a fast and thrilling ride and a cinematic/ video game experience. You will feel like you are racing through the digital world of TRON on a lightcycle. You will also experience some amazing special effects, including light projections and lasers.
The ride itself is short but the unique experience will stick with you. For that, it’s worth the wait.
