Work is progressing on the TRON Lightcycle Run roller coaster at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. And Walt Disney Imagineers are sharing a couple updates on that today.
Imagineer Jerold Kaplan shared an update that push-pull testing is about to begin on the Vekoma Custom Designed Family Coaster.
The testing will ensure that TRON's unique "lightcycle"-styled trains will have the appropriate clearance throughout the 3,169 feet of track. After that phase, Disney will move on to launch testing, followed by running weighted "dummies" on the coaster for test runs. It will be "several months" before actual test riders from the attraction's design team take to the track.
Meanwhile, over on Instagram, Imagineer Angela Wu shared details about the canopy installation on the ride, which first appeared at Shanghai Disneyland when that park opened in 2016.
Walt Disney World has not yet announced an opening date for TRON Lightcycle Run, but based on today's updates, a 2023 debut - probably in the first half of the year - appears most likely.
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As coasters go, it looks fairly tame, but that makes it a good fit for Magic Kingdom. I’m disappointed that it won’t be ready by the summer.
Kindof tamer version of Hagrids, but more interesting than the dwarfs ride. Lighting is cool but could of used some drop elements to add more track interest.
Laurie rode this in Shanghai and she said she loved it. And she hates big coasters and thrill rides. So this is aimed at guests who are not necessarily big coaster fans. It's the type of "in between" thrill attraction that Disney long has done very well.
I agree Robert, and I think coaster fans are in for a big disappointment when Guardians opens at EPCOT later this summer too. That coaster is already being marketed as a "family coaster", not a thrill ride. Disney has always been about building coasters for EVERYONE, and while there are some thrilling elements here and there, they've always been on the tamer side (see 7DMT and SDD).
RM: " I think coaster fans are in for a big disappointment ..."
Me: Why would they be disappointed? It's a Disney coaster? What would their expectations be?
@TH - I think the fact that it is a record-breaking coaster (largest indoor coaster in the world) with the first reverse launch in Disney's history, may increase expectations to an unachievable level in the eyes of some coaster fans. I certainly don't expect this to be a knock your socks off, intense, thrill ride, but there are those in the coaster community that expect Disney to deliver that with this installation. You already see comments here about Tron, wanting a clone to deliver something that was never part of the original coaster. If a clone that has just started testing is already disappointing people, what do you think a custom one-of-a-kind coaster is going to do to the brains of the coaster fanboys?
I believe that some coaster fans will be open to enjoying Guardians and TRON for what they are rather than judging them simply as thrill machines. But I agree with Russell in that I have heard some coaster fans who seem to be eagerly climbing aboard the hype trains for these rides, not understanding that they are headed for a very different station than they expect.
RM: "I certainly don't expect this to be a knock your socks off, intense, thrill ride, but there are those in the coaster community that expect Disney to deliver that with this installation."
Me: I am not sure what the phrase "there are some" quantifies to, but those who actually have expectations that this coaster will be the same show as the dino down the road have not been paying attention. You yourself have raised the "family coaster" tag in a previous post -- so I assume you have never expected this to be a screaming tear your face off experience. Nor has Disney ever promoted it that way. As it stands, GOTGCR (released in support of EPCOT's 40th and the new Future World) will be a a major gate crasher -- keeping WDW ahead of the inherently second place "alpha" located a few miles north on I-4.
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Having rode this a few times during my Shanghai visit, I never thought this ride was worth the rebuild in FL. The night rides were pretty spectacular due to the lighting elements. I just wish they had a few sharp/tight turns and maybe a dip or two to add a more thrilling component.