Credit: DisneyThe closure date for the TRON attraction in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland has been confirmed.
Disney’s ambitious push to reignite the TRON franchise has quietly entered a period of retrenchment, and the signs are becoming increasingly visible across both Disney+ and Walt Disney World.
At the center of it all is 2025’s TRON: Ares, the long-gestating sequel meant to propel the neon-soaked sci-fi universe back into the cultural conversation. Despite its scale, cast, and aggressive marketing push, the film struggled during its theatrical run, failing to come close to recouping its blockbuster-level budget and landing with mixed reactions from critics and audiences alike.
Now, Disney has shifted the film to streaming, with TRON: Ares arriving on Disney+ on January 7, 2026. The addition places it alongside TRON (1982), TRON: Legacy, and TRON: Uprising, consolidating the franchise in one digital home even as its future remains uncertain.
That uncertainty is mirrored in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, where Disney has begun quietly scaling back TRON-adjacent offerings. The most notable casualty is the TRON Identity Program, the paid interactive experience that allowed guests to create custom TRON-style action figures.
After months of reduced pricing and waning demand, the experience officially closed at the end of 2025. Disney removed signage, merchandise displays, and its online presence with little fanfare, signaling the end of an experiment that never quite found its footing. While TRON Lightcycle / Run remains open and operational, the Identity Program’s closure suggests Disney is reassessing how much physical park space it wants dedicated to the franchise.
Meanwhile, the attraction itself has been undergoing its own temporary identity shift. Since September 2025, TRON Lightcycle / Run has operated with a limited-time TRON: Ares overlay, transforming the ride’s signature blue-white glow into a more aggressive red-and-black aesthetic; a new attraction. New lighting effects, altered on-ride audio featuring music by Nine Inch Nails, and updated narration tied directly to the film reframed the coaster as a promotional extension of the movie.
Fan reaction was sharply divided–some praised the darker, more intense tone, while others longed for the sleek, futuristic optimism of the original presentation. According to cast member chatter, the overlay was expected to end in January 2026, returning the attraction to a more familiar visual style.
This has now been confirmed, with the official closing date of the TRON: Ares attraction set for January 20, 2026. The last day for guests to ride the overlay will be January 19, 2026. The information was confirmed on social media.
Watch the original TRON Lightcycle / Run announcement below.
That original style carries its own history. TRON Lightcycle / Run debuted first at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, where its canopy-covered outdoor launch and motorcycle-style ride vehicles quickly made it a standout.
After years of anticipation, construction delays, and pandemic-era setbacks, the Magic Kingdom version finally opened in April 2023 as one of the park’s most technologically advanced attractions. Positioned as a kinetic anchor for Tomorrowland’s future, the ride symbolized Disney’s confidence in TRON as a long-term brand pillar.
Now, taken together–a box-office disappointment heading to streaming, a shuttered upcharge experience, and a temporary overlay nearing its end–the picture is clear. Disney isn’t abandoning TRON, but it is quietly pulling back, testing what resonates and what doesn’t. Whether this moment represents a pause before a reboot or the beginning of a longer fade remains to be seen.
For now, the Grid is still glowing, just blue, not red.
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