Credit: DisneyFor the last few months, we have seen the roller coaster testing with no passengers. We have also seen the roller coaster run with test dummies aboard the ride vehicle. Disney Parks fans have watched every detail of the construction process— including the delivery of the sleek ride vehicles — even waiting patiently throughout Walt Disney World Resort’s pandemic-related closure in 2020, and, now, finally, their patience is being rewarded. The ride officially started testing with human riders a few weeks ago.
The first time we spotted this, we couldn’t have been more excited as this showed Disney was making major progress on the attraction. Unfortunately, we are still a ways away from actually being able to ride the coaster ourselves.
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TRON Lightcycle/Run was originally expected to open sometime during Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th-anniversary celebration, which began October 1, 2021.
The further we got into 2021 the more we could tell that this would not be happening. Our only hope was D23. For those who may not know, Disney D23 is “The largest Disney fan event in the world”. This year’s D23 Expo Presented by Visa celebrated the wonderful worlds of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars across film, television, theme parks, and more!
Thankfully, an official release date for the attraction was given at D23, gushing any rumors of an even longer wait.
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Disney confirmed that the ride would be opening in “Spring of 2023” and while vague, it’s the most concrete timeframe we have ever received for the attraction.
The ride is continuing to be tested, as you can see in a tweet from ParkTerror (@ParkTwister) linked below:
‘Tron Lightcycle Run’ has been testing very consistently today here at Magic Kingdom. Intervals in between trains is approx. 20-30 seconds. Keep in mind, this ride can load two trains at one time thanks to its Du
‘Tron Lightcycle Run’ has been testing very consistently today here at Magic Kingdom. 🏍🏍🏍
Intervals in between trains is approx. 20-30 seconds. Keep in mind, this ride can load two trains at one time thanks to its Dual-Load station, similar to what Cosmic Rewind uses. pic.twitter.com/KE4yaSiauV
— ParkTerror😈 (@ParkTwister) September 26, 2022
Reaching up to 60mph at its fastest point, TRON Lightcycle / Run will see Guests propelled into the Magic Kingdom skyline, careening alongside Cinderella Castle, and over the spectators of Tomorrowland. The story of the attraction sees Guests joining “Team Blue for a high-speed launch into a competition against Team Orange,” racing through the eight energy gates to secure victory.
Based on the popular film franchise of the same name, TRON Lightcycle Run in Orlando will be heavily influenced by the TRON Lightcycle Power Run coaster at Shanghai Disneyland. This ride is officially described as:
Experience high-speed thrills and chills as the Grid comes alive in a heart-pounding race for survival. Created as a friendly way for “Programs” and “Users” to interact, the Power Run pits team against team in the quintessential quest to capture 8 Energy Gates and triumph over opponents.
Prepare for digitization after entering the portal—this is your access into the energy, lights and excitement of TRON’s high-tech universe. As you leave the real world behind, you’ll proceed to the games as a member of Team Blue, ready to compete against some of the Grid’s most menacing Programs.
Are you looking forward to riding this new attraction at Disney World?