ORLANDO, Fla. — Walt Disney World is a few weeks away from introducing its Tron Lightcycle/Run attraction to the Magic Kingdom lineup. Folks who have previewed the ride are discussing its merits, including ride time, visual appeal and its unusual seating that puts passengers in a prone position and presents physical challenges for some people.
Disney has placed replica seats ahead of the queue, where potential riders can test their comfort levels for the vehicle. The attraction, which debuted at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, is designed to put visitors in a motorcycle-racing position, leaning forward with feet curled behind their torsos. As the lightcycle’s handlebars are moved into place, a seat back also slides forward, and metal pins on each side fold out to secure legs.
For riders who are uncomfortable with that or cannot physically fit, some Tron trains are outfitted with a more traditional bench seat in the back, Disney says.
John “Panda” Saccheri of BigFatPanda.com chose that back row during a preview. He found it a comfortable option, he said.
“It was roomy, and it could definitely accept most people,” he said. “And I didn’t feel that it detracted from the ride while I was on it. I didn’t think, ‘Oh, I’m not on the cycle.’ … The magic of the ride still affected me, and I liked it.”
He tried the display seats before riding.
“I was OK in the seat, but I felt uncomfortable. I felt insecure with getting off, like, would I be embarrassed as I dismount?” he said.
There are no weight restrictions for any rides, including Tron, at Walt Disney World theme parks. Passengers must be at least 48 inches tall for the new experience though, which opens to the public April 4.
Clint Gamache, the owner of ThrillGeek website, said he noticed more people struggling with the leg restraints than with size matters during a preview session. There also have been reports of long-legged people having challenges getting in and out of the setup.
“It seems like the majority of people are having issues with their calves because these pins have to completely fold over your legs and lock into place,” Gamache said.
“There are little leg rests that you almost have to kneel down on first. And then you basically have to lean your whole body forward and basically just letting your weight rest on your chest. Then you reach out and pull down the handlebars,” he said. The leg pins move over the calves at the same time as the handlebars.
“It’s a process,” Gamache said. “I’m going to be very curious how operations handles this because … people that are familiar with the parks were having issues with it. The general public hasn’t even had access to this ride.”
The Magic Kingdom ride is the same as the Shanghai version, although many observers consider Americans to be heftier than Asians, generally.
“There are logistics and technical engineering aspects that come with that ride that, had I been Disney, I don’t think I would have adjusted either, frankly. It’s such a marvelous ride the way it is,” said Dennis Speigel, CEO of International Theme Park Services, who rode the Tron ride in Shanghai during the opening week of that theme park in 2016.
To recalibrate “for weight and size would have cost a lot of money and a lot of time in engineering,” he said.
“When they designed the ride, they designed for the masses” and incorporated ride options, Speigel said. “There are certain limits and points where you have to draw the line.”
The attraction is based on the Disney film “Tron: Legacy,” which opened in theaters in 2010. The ride vehicles look like rows of the side-by-side lightcycles from the movie, which stars Jeff Bridges.
“Surge past your fierce opponents as you attempt to cross through 8 Energy Gates and secure your team’s victory — so you can survive to race another day,” the ride description on Disney World’s official website reads. Some of that is achieved via projections and lighting.
Gamache rode the Magic Kingdom ride twice, one time in the front row, then near the back. He preferred the latter.
“Especially in the indoor part, you got to see all the scenery, all the projections,” he said. “It’s cool-looking, too, because you have all those lightcycles in front of you.”
The Magic Kingdom ride will be one of its fastest coasters worldwide, Disney says. The Shanghai ride is listed as going 59.3 mph by the online Roller Coaster Data Base. The rail length is 3,169 feet, and it goes by quickly, previewers say.
“At first, I was like, ‘Oh, that was short.’ That’s just me being a ‘Tron’ nerd, though,” Gamache said. “It’s the perfect addition to Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom needed a real thrill ride.”
The new attraction, built just beyond the Tomorrowland Speedway, will add activity and light to the area. The ride rolls beneath a colorfully lit, futuristic canopy.
“When you’re there, and you see the Tron, and you see Space Mountain and the Contemporary (Resort) in the background, it all ties into, like, wow, this is really beautiful, especially at night,” Saccheri said.
“It feels like Tomorrowland has come alive,” he said.
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