TRON Coaster Coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
Turns out those rumors were indeed true! The TRON Coaster that has been so popular over at Shanghai Disneyland will be making its way to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
This new attraction will be situated in a brand-new location in the park, next to Space Mountain and extending past the railroad tracks. Fans of the Tomorrowland Speedway, don’t need to fear; concept art shows that the Speedway will remain.
From the artwork, it also appears that the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, the Tomorrowland Light and Power Company (otherwise known as the Space Mountain gift shop), and the Walt Disney World Railroad will remain intact.
The TRON Lightcycle Power Run attraction at Shanghai Disneyland is a coaster-style attraction where riders board a train of two-wheeled Lightcycles and race through the game grid and beyond. The attraction shares the excitement that can be found in TRON’s high-tech universe and is one of the most thrilling adventures at any Disney park.
Disney plans to open the TRON attraction in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary in 2021.
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There’s a road that goes behind Space Mt that leads to the Disney employee parking lot & what was once Disney University. I wonder if that road will be diverted, or if it will pass under the Tron ride. Anyone at touring plans know about this?
Actually… after looking at google maps, it looks possible that Tron will fit in north of Space Mt, and east of the speedway, *possibly* without even affecting the smoking area/pathway from what was once Toontown to Tomorrowland. Interesting…
The road (World Drive) is still there — and it’s pretty decently traveled. Right now, there’s some work being done on the road on the other side of Magic Kingdom (Floridian Way), which will eventually lead over to cast parking and out to Reams Road without having to cut through Center Drive (past the Westclock bus stop, DU, and some other backstage buildings). There’s still going to be need to have World Drive open, however. There’s enough room to fit the TRON coaster within Magic Kingdom without having to touch the road. The smoking area and service animal relief area on that back path between Not-so-New-Anymore Fantasyland and Tomorrowland should still be able to remain. Worst-case scenario, they’ll move it back closer to the Fantasyland side of things.
I have to think, given the scope and pace — and potential high degree of immersion — of all the new rides announced, that there is NO WAY a smoke-belching, ear-splitting, vomit-inducing relic of a rapidly disappearing technology won’t get replaced in some way.
I’m not suggesting that the get rid of the “speedway,” but by 2021, the rise of electric and/or self-driving cars are going to make the current iteration look incredibly outdated. GIven that chances are that the Minnie Van service will be then ALSO be electric and self-driving, it would be an irony indeed were the speedway to remain retro.
And while I’m in the mid-screed, I’ll just say that WDW would be smarter if they made “Tomorrowland” a retro 1950s vision of tomorrow rather than try to keep up. The Tron coaster pretty much makes that unlikely.
/end screed
I need to get something booked for 2021. I am guessing that this year will be very popular. I would love to be there on the actual day of the 50th anniversary (and because that is later on in the year there is more of a chance that everything will be ready to go) – but I guess so will so many other people!
Unless it turns out like the DLP 25th celebrations, around 4 or 5 attractions were still under refurbishment on Anniversary day!
So basically built mostly outside the park with an entrance building inside the park and a queue with a grade-separated crossing of the railroad tracks, very similar to Space Mountain. Taking away the beloved (to my partner anyway!) secluded smoking area behind the Speedway on the path between the Fantasyland railroad station and Tomorrowland. I can’t believe the Speedway lives another day, but I love that this is an expansion (in DL terms) “beyond the berm,” so to speak. And that it will balance the park, too–now Magic Kingdom will be book-ended with two mountains on its east and west borders.