It’s okay, I guess? A Tron LightCycle Run Review

 

It's finally here!  June 2023

As I mentioned in my Cosmic Rewind review, all of the Walt Disney World hype in 2023 seemed to be resting on this ride: the much delayed, and subsequently much celebrated Tron LightCycle Run.  Unlike Cosmic Rewind, I actually did have high hopes for this one.  In sharp contrast to my ultimately neutral feelings towards Guardians of the Galaxy, I do like Tron as a franchise.  I enjoyed both movies, loved the Kingdom Hearts video game levels based on Space Paranoids/The Grid, and am STILL annoyed that Tron: Uprising was cancelled before the story arc could conclude!  The idea that I could experience the coolest part of a beloved franchise (the LightCycle motorcycles) in the form of a ride type I especially enjoy (launched rollercoaster) certainly set my expectations high.

                Some reviews did tell me to temper my expectations, saying the ride was “short.”  But, well, track length and ride time are apparently about the same as that of Rock n’ Roller Coaster, which is generally not considered a “short” ride, so I didn’t let that dampen my expectations too much.

                I rode it twice, getting a boarding pass both times I was eligible.  And I have to say, it was solidly… okay.

                For once, a lot of my enjoyment of the ride actually is dependent on the IP.  When the screen dropped at the pre-show to reveal The Grid, it felt surreal to finally see one of my favorite fictional locations in-person.  After that reveal, though, everything was a bit bland.  There wasn’t anything particularly special in the queue to make it feel highly themed, or even like they’d put much effort into themeing it at all besides that initial reveal.  I liked the locker system though; it was convenient and not nearly the hassle I’d feared when I heard there was mandatory lockers for this ride.

The big reveal!  If only the rest of the queue looked this cool. June 2023

              

              As awesome as it is to be able to see yourself on an actual LightCycle, there’s also no getting around how damn awkward those ride vehicles are.  I know a major community complaint has been their lack of body type inclusivity, but I think the even bigger issue is the physical awkwardness.  I actually saw people with a wide variety of body types—including larger people—fitting on the bikes with no issues (in case you are wondering, apparently the safety restraints are more strict on leg size and not waist size, so take that into account if you’re concerned about fitting).  However, nobody, regardless of size, can mount or dismount those bikes with dignity intact.  The shape means you can’t just swing your leg over easily like an actual bike.  Especially at dismount, where you’re getting up from almost a laying-down position, there will be some one-legged hopping to get yourself out of the ride.  DEFINITELY wear shorts underneath if you’re wearing a skirt/dress.  You may need to opt for the inclusivity seats (regular roller coaster seats) if you don’t have the best range of motion in your hips/knees too.  The “body inclusivity” issue in this case is not just size, but range of motion.

                 Oh, and DO NOT WEAR SLIP-ON SHOES.  At no point do the queue videos/safety videos warn you about this, but depending on your height your feet may dangle or be in a tip-toe position when you’re on the bike (it supports you by your calves).  Luckily I was wearing sandals with a heel/ankle strap, but regular flip flops or slide-ons might have been precarious.  After riding the first time, I wondered why the same video that mentioned putting hats, bags, and phones in the locker/storage bin didn’t also mention stowing slip-on shoes.

                Yet another issue with the ride vehicle is how it oddly can restrict your view of the visual effects.  EarScout’s video about Tron (skip to about 24 mins in) said that the bikes gave you “tunnel vision” and I agree that’s somewhat the case.  You’re laying low on your belly/chest, in a position that either makes you want to look down or gives you a limited view forward, but a lot of the effects/visuals are in a wide range around and above you.  (Note that both times I rode, I was in the furthest-back row that offered bike seats--row 6 on the inclusivity train and row 7 on a non-inclusive train.  I did not make any specific row requests.)  Video evidence indicates that, possibly, the inclusivity seats may have the best view of the actual ride, due to their upright position as regular roller coaster seats!  Not designing the effects to be best seen by the primary ride vehicle format seems like a design flaw.

                Actually, “design flaw” seems to be the phrase of the day when it comes to how I’d describe Tron LightCycle Run.  I must admit, it DOES feel super short, despite all evidence showing that in actuality its runtime is equivalent to the complete-feeling Rock n’ Roller Coaster.  My theory is that this is attributable to the puzzling decision to make Tron an indoor-outdoor coaster.

                I get the value of “adding kinetic energy to the land” visually, but in terms of practical ride experience, the initial outdoor turnaround really takes away a lot.  First of all, it’s thematically inconsistent—why make a big show of digitizing us into the Grid if we just blast back out again and in immediately?  But second, and more important, it “cuts off” a significant section of ride time that could be spent on more themed elements that would make the ride feel longer.  Going out and back in makes it feel like the ride doesn’t “start” until the mid-course brake run where you reenter the indoor Grid portion.  I believe this is why people are so hell-bent on riding Tron only at night; with the dark skies and lit canopy, the outdoor portion now matches the aesthetic of the indoor portion.  It BECOMES thematically consistent at night.  Both times I rode were during daylight, so I can only speculate based on video footage.

                I’m also not sure why there was hype surrounding this coaster’s launch.  It’s probably the gentlest launch I’ve experienced on a launch coaster; Slinky Dog Dash’s two launches have more bite than this, and that’s a kid’s ride.  It’s nowhere near Rock n’ Roller Coaster’s absolute gut-punch of a start, which remains unmatched at Disney parks over 20 years since its debut.

                As for one last design flaw…well, I’m not so sure it’s a flaw, so much as a question.  Why not make this a dueling coaster?  So much of the plot is themed around you participating in a motorcycle race, and the ride does use clever mirror and lighting tricks to make it appear as if you’re racing the evil Orange Team.  But wouldn’t it make way more sense, and be way more impressive, to have there also be an ACTUAL Orange Team track, and make it a dueling/racing coaster?  That makes so much more sense that I’m confident that was certainly part of the initial pitch, and cut for budget early on.

                As for the positives…well, it’s not a bad ride.  It’s a smooth and swift roller coaster, even if it doesn’t have any particularly standout elements.  It is also very, VERY pretty; I’ve always loved the visuals of Tron Legacy, and the Grid looks as gorgeous here as ever.  The nighttime light show on the exterior is beautiful even if you’re not on the ride.  The soundtrack for the ride includes Daft Punk’s Derezzed, which I’ve wanted as a rollercoaster soundtrack pretty much since I first heard it.

                In many ways, Tron LightCycle Run is the contrast to Cosmic Rewind.  It’s the kind of ride I expected modern Disney to make: technically high quality, but with obvious flaws and cuts that make it fall short of being one of “the greats.”  Exclusive rather than inclusive.  Fun, but not euphoric.  Stylistically competent, but not quite art.  It could have been SO much better.  If it weren’t based on an IP I greatly enjoy, I probably wouldn’t have bothered riding it a second time.

It is SO pretty though (June 2023)