TRON Coaster Coming to Disney World!
TRON Lightcycle Power Run is coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in time for the park’s 50th Anniversary in 2021! Most importantly (and contrary to the rumors we reported), the Tron roller coaster will be an expansion to Magic Kingdom, sitting on a plot of land next to Space Mountain.
Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, made the announcement today during the Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts presentation at D23 Expo. He also released concept art for Walt Disney World’s TRON Lightcycle Power Run, pictured below.
While he did not explicitly indicate as much, the placement of the attraction seems to indicate that Tomorrowland Speedway is safe, albeit with the possibility of a slightly altered track. (If that means an update to Tomorrowland Speedway, we are completely on board with this idea.) What follows are our thoughts on this, when it was originally rumored to be replacing the Tomorrowland Speedway…
With this roller coaster already proving to be a hit in Shanghai Disneyland, plus flashy visuals that play well on YouTube, plus Tron’s enduring popularity as a cult classic, there has been a lot of hope that TRON Lightcycle Power Run will make its way to Walt Disney World. I enjoyed TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland, but I did not enjoy it that much.
With that said, I thought I’d share some thoughts on TRON Lightcycle Power Run coming to Walt Disney World as someone who has experienced the attraction…
First of all, I’m in favor of pretty much anything that replaces Tomorrowland Speedway. If you told me there was a rumor that it was being replaced by a bunch of spinners based on Home on the Range featuring “authentic” farm animal flatulence for an extra-sensory experience, I’d say that it “seems like a modest upgrade.” (Update: TRON Lightcycle Power Run will not be replacing Tomorrowland Speedway–it’s being built on an expansion pad and isn’t replacing anything.)
I get that Tomorrowland Speedway is a rite of passage attraction for kids; it’s still a weak attraction and one that time has passed due to a failure to make upgrades over the years. It also occupies a large plot of valuable real estate in Magic Kingdom. If I had to choose one attraction in Magic Kingdom to replace, it wouldn’t be Stitch’s Great Escape or the Magic Carpets of Aladdin–it’d be this.
Moreover, I think an attraction based on Tron is an incredibly sensible pick for Tomorrowland. Multiple concepts have been tried for Tomorrowland, and I think the one that makes the most sense is fantastical visions of the future through the prism of science fiction. In other words, SciFantasyland. (Actually, no new term is required. There’s already a name for it: Discoveryland.)
Tron works very well for this, both in terms of substance and aesthetic. Even though the original movie is now old and dated (sorry, fans), it’s premise and visual style both hold up. I’d go a step further and say the Tron meets Tomorrowland (the movie that flopped) meets Progress City aesthetic is a good choice for a timeless Tomorrowland.
Tomorrowland is overdue for an aesthetic refresh, and TRON Lightcycle Power Run could serve as the cornerstone for the land’s new look. As recent changes to the land have demonstrated, something is in the works in terms of placemaking. Hopefully, this TRON roller coaster could help kick that into high gear. Bring back the Tomorrowland entrance spires and now we’re talking!
Okay, so far so good with the TRON coaster. What, exactly, are my concerns…
What gives me pause about this rumor and/or desire to get TRON Lightcycle Power Run to Walt Disney World is that I don’t think it’s a great use of resources. I think we all know that budgets are finite, and each announcement has an opportunity cost–a competing rumor or concept that did not get funded because the announced attraction concept won out.
TRON Lightcycle Power Run was an incredibly expensive attraction to build at Shanghai Disneyland. The roof (of all things) cost an exorbitant amount, and other components of the attraction were likewise expensive.
In fairness, one rationale I’ve heard for the roof costing so much was the development of the plant cell-like effect that maintains the biomimicry motif of Shanghai’s Tomorrowland. Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland does not have such a motif, and although I’d expect a lot of placemaking in Tomorrowland to give it a cohesive feel, I would not expect it to follow the biomimicry model.
In other words, the roof for Walt Disney World’s TRON Lightcycle Power Run could be cheaper. With very little R&D work necessary, there could potentially be a significant cost-savings in cloning the attraction. Given that the core coaster seems quite similar to one used at Knott’s Berry Farm (Pony Express, which was manufactured by Zamperla; whereas Lightcycle Power Run uses a Vekoma coaster), I’m guessing the roller coaster ride system itself is not all that expensive.
So, perhaps this is not necessarily a big-budget attraction? Giving Magic Kingdom a flashy and marketable new E-Ticket thrill ride while most financial resources are allocated towards Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios certainly makes sense.
My other main issue with TRON Lightcycle Power Run is its duration. It’s a really short roller coaster. Don’t get me wrong, it is a ton of fun and has some great visuals, but it’s too short. Magic Kingdom already has one too-short roller coaster that recently opened and has incredibly high wait times. TRON Lightcycle Power Run would be a repeat of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, both in terms of ride duration and lengthy wait times. I don’t see Magic Kingdom getting a cloned version that’s longer, but I sure would love for that to be the case.
My final concern is that TRON Lightcycle Power Run’s seating arrangement is impractical for a mainstream American audience. There was a lot of outrage when Avatar Flight of Passage opened about its seating being restrictive to a diversity of body sizes. This was eventually addressed via tweaks in the seats and Cast Member training, but it was a big deal at first.
TRON Lightcycle Power Run is even more restrictive. This is not a huge issue in China where there’s more ‘size homogeneity’ (for lack of a better term). Even there, 2 of the coaster’s 7 trains have a last row with traditional seating. If this attraction is cloned at Walt Disney World, I would hope that number of traditional seats is dramatically increased. It’s an easy-enough fix.
Honestly, that’s about all I’ve got. Cloning attractions does not really bother me, especially when significant savings are involved. Even we visit other parks, I don’t buy the “give people an incentive to see the international parks” argument. The vast majority (99%) of Walt Disney World guests are never going to Shanghai Disneyland. Actually, 99% is probably a low number–more like 99.99%.
As for incentives, Shanghai Disneyland is incredibly unique, and a lot of that has no chance of ever being cloned. If you need an incentive, there’s your incentive. A modest amount of cloning attractions does not ruin that. Even Hong Kong Disneyland–a park that is 75% cloned–has enough compelling unique attractions and design to justify a visit.
I guess my trepidation mostly comes down to opportunity cost and actual cost. In reality, there’s a good chance a better competing concept for the Tomorrowland Speedway plot of land does not exist. There’s also a decent chance the cloned version of the Tron roller coaster will not cost nearly as much as the original, thereby allowing for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to get every dime of money those parks so desperately need. On the other hand, there’s a good amount of upside; not just for this single attraction, but for an aesthetic reboot of the entirety of Tomorrowland. I guess you can consider me cautiously optimistic about this concept…assuming it’s announced in the first place. An assumption I’m not ready to make–but I’ll eat crow if it is this weekend.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of TRON Lightcycle Power Run? Would you like to see Tomorrowland Speedway replaced, or should it not be touched? Thoughts on a ‘new look’ aesthetic for Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of this rumor, and the prospect for TRON Lightcycle Power Run in Magic Kingdom? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
I love Tomorrowland Speedway. There is always a long line, but I love this ride. Yes, it does not go fast, but it is not an indoor ride and you are in control, not a car on a rail. If they replace with Tron, that is another coaster and they already have 2 in the MK. Just refurbish the speedway or does disney not refurbish any more. They just replace like they did with Disney Quest? All the good rides will be gone soon.
I would be down for this! I do think that in a perfect world Speedway could get a total revamp (in addition to Tron), which could be a great opportunity for innovation as well as some money saving with sponsorship, but either one singularly would be an upgrade. And new views on Peoplemover (which already awesome) could be sweet! Tomorrowland was iconic as a kid so I am so excited for it to get some love.
How similar is the Shanghai Troy ride to Knott’so Pony Express?
Aside from the similar ride system? Not at all. Both are coasters with a similar seating arrangement, but that’s where the comparisons end.
This would certainly start the process of putting the “tomorrow” back in Tomorrowland.
If it’s a go, I really hope they don’t go so far as completely eliminating the “cycle style” seats due to so many Americans foolish exercise & eating habits.
I am super excited about this rumor. Except for the worry about size restrictions, much like Flights of Passage. Please tell me the limit is not under 77″.
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Disney needs to make more Disney rides that are classic Disney. Bring Hercules and A bugs life into light. Avatar at Disney just kinda made me sick. I am a Disney fanatic. I go to Disney to see Disney. Not a crappy ride from Shanghai Disneyland. Disney needs to stay true to Disney. Tron is not my idea of Disney.
The original Tron film (1982) is a Disney movie. I’m not sure how A Bug’s Life is “more Disney” than Tron.
My feeling is WDW has lots of space so why can’t they install Tron without sacrificing an existing ride. Also, Disneyland’s Autopia has no problem attracting corporate sponsorships and renovated at least two times recently. Honda and previously Chevron. If they must, move the Speedway to Epcot so it pairs nicely with Test Track.
I think that Tron coaster will be awesome for Disney World’s Tomorrowland and I can’t wait to see the fast pass in the Entrance to the ride and shops in the end of the ride. I hope it will be Official at D23 this Saturday! I love Tron
Nicely written, Tom. My feelings are pretty similar (if the rumors are true), and I hadn’t considered the issue of size of riders here. I’m good with this change, though part of me was hoping that Tron would be in Epcot. This isn’t because I want more IP at Epcot; I’m just scared about a Guardians ride in Future World and would rather see Tron. With all that said, I won’t be getting to Shanghai anytime soon, so bringing in a clone here isn’t bad for me. Let’s get Mystic Manor from Hong Kong while we’re at it!
Seems like a bunch of sources are claiming the speedway is staying after all with a refresh even if Tron happens so maybe we get the best of both :-). Sadly, I agree in that they’d make the ride longer but that’s the only negative I see here!
I watched the Youtube video of it, and it does seem short, but not as short as Mine Train. It kind of reminded me of a mix between Rockin Roller Coaster and Space Mountain, both being dark coaster rides. I like the idea of updating Tomorrowland Speedway without getting rid of it. I enjoy it even as an adult. Mostly because the steering is so bad that you end up just laughing hysterically as you smash back and forth between the rail. Besides, I’ve grown fond of the exhaust smell around that area of the park 😉
My daughter has passed through the prime age range for the Speedway, and even I wouldn’t call it a “rite of passage”. We’ve done it a couple times over the years, but even she didn’t really enjoy it much.
I love the look of the building for the Tron coaster and I’d love ot see a ride of this type in Florida. I am concerned about the reports of the short ride length – not only does 7DMT have that problem, but R&RC does as well. I can’t imagine the incremental cost of making the ride longer is all the much higher, so I don’t know why they don’t do this. If Splash Mountain were 2 show scenes and a drop, it wouldn’t be considered the classic that it is.
Like Kali River rapids. That ride sucks!!!!!
I think that RNRC is an ok length because it’s pretty exciting the whole time. My brain needs a break after rattling around inside my head during that ride! Haha The 7DMT is less “thrilling” and so the length makes it kind of a let down. This is all from the perspective of a childless 30 year old though. I’m sure if I were a kid or had kids I might think differently about 7DMT.
I’d be curious to see/know if there is enough land the footprint of Tomorrowland Speedway and (if necessary) immediately adjacent to Space Mountain across the railroad tracks to put in a Tron ride and a second attraction/ride.
Apparently my thought was correct, and there is enough land for two attractions- TRON and the Tomorrowland Speedway
I really hope this is one rumor that comes to fruition. The Tomorrowland Speedway is waaay past its prime and badly needs replaced. I’ve avoided this part of the park for so long, (I can’t stand the smelly fumes!) that I honestly forgot it was there. While I’m not a big Tron fan, the pics of the coaster look really cool, and exactly the kind of refresh that Tomorrowland needs. It pains me to say this as I’m a die-hard Disney fan, but as the park stands now, the name itself has become a bit laughable. (I think Retroland is a better fit;) I saw a Simpsons episode once that poked fun at this, and I wanted to take umbrage to this slight, but it was too true (and unfortunately, funny!)
My husband and I had the opportunity to visit Shanghai Disneyland last month. We both agreed that it was a really cool coaster, visual effects were amazing and the ride was really smooth, but it seemed to last about 30 seconds. If we had waited in the standby line, I would have been irate, to say the the least. I didn’t think it was possible to build a coaster shorter than the 7 Dwarfs Mine Train.
While waiting in line, we saw three people get on the Tron bikes and then have a cast member ask them to get off and move to the last car. It wasn’t until the 2nd person that it happened to that we figured out what was happening. It appeared to be a very uncomfortable conversation between the cast member and rider but I’m sure the language barrier didn’t help. Even though I didn’t think I had anything to worry about, I had a little trepidation about the possibility of doing the walk of shame to the last car. I just don’t see how they could bring Tron to the US without making major modifications to the seats or going to all traditional seats.
Tron coaster would definitely be a improvement over the exhaust smelling speedway I’ll have my fingers crossed anyways
Oh, Tom, I usually agree with you on most things – but not about Tomorrowland Speedway. It is a family favorite. Although I do agree it would benefit from a rejuvenation. I hope it is around to enjoy for a long time. Maybe it’s because of the joy and delight it brings my kids, but we love it. 🙂
A Tron ride would be amazing though!
The Tomorrowland Speedway is way overdue to be replaced. Whether it is a Tron coaster or something different. It is a huge piece of land and could be used for so many better things. If they do replace the speedway, I hope they manage to route the TTA People Mover through the new one and give that ride an upgrade too. I think there should be a balance of slow moving dark rides (like the Haunted Mansion) and Coasters.
I would like to see a refresh of the Tomorrowland Speedway, not a replacement. The time is right to go electric. Although very unlikely to happen, due to the partnership with GM on Test Track it would be great to see the likes of Tesla step up and help to bring new life and technology to the Speedway. Imagine if you will quiet electric cars zipping along a roadway with no tracks in it, the ability to pass each-other at will, but unable to collide.
I could totally get behind this type of a refresh to Tomorrowland Speedway.
I have always wondered why they haven’t gone to electric cars in the Speedway! It makes so much sense from an environmental standpoint to switch. And you idea sounds awesome Deckmaster!
This is a awesome idea!
I enjoyed more than you did Tom, but it was a really short ride even by coaster standards.
I would share the concern about the ride vehicles. A significant portion of the population attending WDW would be unable to ride the light cycle without using the special accommodation one.
Personally I would welcome this, but I am pretty skeptical. A lot of rumors fly around close to D23 and not much really pans out to be true. If the rumors are to be believed they are basically re-imagining virtually every park. That simply won’t happen.