News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

[MisterPenguin]

I was told by a cast member that worked at the Polynesian….that there are plans to add a roller coaster a year to combat Epic Universe starting with the Guardians at Epcot and Tron would be next in line which would be next year…then 2024 would be a replacement for primerval whirl called the excavator…then 2025 would receive a retheme of Rock and Roller coaster to a Monsters inc Door coaster…and finally in 2026 would be some sort of coaster at Pandora…but he was unsure of the concept…just that it was earmarked…said he saw the plans in plain sight in the break room

In case this isn't a joke...

The 'Excavator' coaster has been rumored for DAK for years and years.

The Monster Inc. Door Coaster rumor is... ridiculous. A "door coaster" is a hanging coaster (like Peter Pan's Flight, but... a coaster). But RnRC is a tracked coaster. It's *impossible* to just retheme RnRC to a 'doors coaster.' But, this was a long time Jim Hill rumor who held onto it for years after our trustworthy insiders told us a Monsters Inc land was on indefinite hold.

The coaster at Pandora was the original E-Ticket that went around the floating mountains. It's too late to add that now.

So... if this is a genuine insider scoop... your source, I'm sorry to say, is 100% unreliable.

Guest-facing CMs generally only know what they read here and the crazy rumors on the Internet. Upper management most certainly does not keep them in the loop as to future plans except maybe for the very area they are assigned (e.g., a CM working in a theater may get notice the theater is closing as part of their reassignment). And blueprints for rides in different parks for several years to come aren't left in the front-facing CMs break rooms.

Oh, one more thing: Disney is beating back guests overcrowding MK. Huge hikes in costs have not deterred the crowds. WDW had to instate a reservation system to lock people out on peak days. So... WDW isn't worried about Epic Universe. Just like WDW had nothing to fear from Universal Studios or from Islands of Adventure.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

The gift shop that's closing.. was that the arcade back in the day?

 

[Dan Deesnee]

In case this isn't a joke...

The 'Excavator' coaster has been rumored for DAK for years and years.

The Monster Inc. Door Coaster rumor is... ridiculous. A "door coaster" is a hanging coaster (like Peter Pan's Flight, but... a coaster). But RnRC is a tracked coaster. It's *impossible* to just retheme RnRC to a 'doors coaster.' But, this was a long time Jim Hill rumor who held onto it for years after our trustworthy insiders told us a Monsters Inc land was on indefinite hold.

The coaster at Pandora was the original E-Ticket that went around the floating mountains. It's too late to add that now.

So... if this is a genuine insider scoop... your source, I'm sorry to say, is 100% unreliable.

Guest-facing CMs generally only know what they read here and the crazy rumors on the Internet. Upper management most certainly does not keep them in the loop as to future plans except maybe for the very area they are assigned (e.g., a CM working in a theater may get notice the theater is closing as part of their reassignment). And blueprints for rides in different parks for several years to come aren't left in the front-facing CMs break rooms.

Oh, one more thing: Disney is beating back guests overcrowding MK. Huge hikes in costs have not deterred the crowds. WDW had to instate a reservation system to lock people out on peak days. So... WDW isn't worried about Epic Universe. Just like WDW had nothing to fear from Universal Studios or from Islands of Adventure.

I was with you 100% until that last paragraph. Disney is very concerned about Epic Universe and the ground Universal is gaining as far as attendance goes.

Also don't take the park reservations being "gone" as a sign that MK is packed. I've been going multiple times a year for quite a while now, and that includes over the past 2 years, and the parks are consistently less crowded than I've ever seen them pre-covid (outside of major holidays of course).

Epic Universe is going to put serious heat on Disney and I predict their dominance will slip significantly over the next decade. They are acting like they are immune, and making many miscalculations.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

In case this isn't a joke...

It isn’t. My bus driver told me the same thing.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Also don't take the park reservations being "gone" as a sign that MK is packed. I

What are you talking about? The park reservations aren't gone. They're in place. And some days hit the maximum capacity.

I was there the beginning of December and this past mid-May... it was packed.

 

[No Name]

I was told by a cast member that worked at the Polynesian….that there are plans to add a roller coaster a year to combat Epic Universe starting with the Guardians at Epcot and Tron would be next in line which would be next year…then 2024 would be a replacement for primerval whirl called the excavator…then 2025 would receive a retheme of Rock and Roller coaster to a Monsters inc Door coaster…and finally in 2026 would be some sort of coaster at Pandora…but he was unsure of the concept…just that it was earmarked…said he saw the plans in plain sight in the break room

This guy is a liar.

Guardians has already shown that coasters don't move the needle for Disney guests as much as other kinds of attractions.

How the hell has it shown this? Are you projecting your own opinion?

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Oh, one more thing: Disney is beating back guests overcrowding MK. Huge hikes in costs have not deterred the crowds. WDW had to instate a reservation system to lock people out on peak days. So... WDW isn't worried about Epic Universe. Just like WDW had nothing to fear from Universal Studios or from Islands of Adventure.

I was with you 100% until that last paragraph. Disney is very concerned about Epic Universe and the ground Universal is gaining as far as attendance goes.

Also don't take the park reservations being "gone" as a sign that MK is packed. I've been going multiple times a year for quite a while now, and that includes over the past 2 years, and the parks are consistently less crowded than I've ever seen them pre-covid (outside of major holidays of course).

Epic Universe is going to put serious heat on Disney and I predict their dominance will slip significantly over the next decade. They are acting like they are immune, and making many miscalculations.

I asked my source what Disney's current view of Epic Universe is and they said basically the same thing as Monsieur Penguin. No one over there is concerned or even talking about it. They're all focused on their current projects and don't really give a hoot about the competition. Because people keep coming, and they won't stop.

 

[UNCgolf]

How the hell has it shown this? Are you projecting your own opinion?

To be clear, I'm not suggesting the ride is a failure or anything close to that. It's doing just fine. But I'm also not projecting my own opinion; we have data available.

Anyone who wants to ride Guardians can ride it. ILLs are available for several hours (sometimes into the afternoon) and the afternoon VQ drop is usually available for 60+ minutes, and it's been that way essentially since the ride opened. Even the morning drop is sometimes available for several minutes. Rise, on the other hand, typically still sells out before the park even opens. Guardians' VQ stats aren't that different than Ratatouille's, and Ratatouille wasn't a major new E ticket showcasing one of their biggest IPs. There's just not much evidence to suggest people are rushing to ride it/desperate to do so.

It really shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Disney has a significant percentage (likely much more than other parks) of customers who either can't ride more intense coasters or just don't want to, so coasters (along with other kinds of more intense thrill rides) have a smaller customer base than other kinds of attractions.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

What are you talking about? The park reservations aren't gone. They're in place. And some days hit the maximum capacity.

I was there the beginning of December and this past mid-May... it was packed.

I meant gone as in no longer available that day.

Let's say MKs max capacity is 50k guests pre-covid. Then you implement a park reservation system that has a max guest limit of 25k. If you start hitting that limit ever day, you aren't "packed" simply because you hit that limit, you're just at the limit and only half full.

I was also there beginning of December and didn't feel like it was anywhere near as crowded as my previous December trips. Nor did it feel crowded any other time I was there last year or this year.

 

[No Name]

I am not projecting my own opinion; we have data available.

Anyone who wants to ride Guardians can ride it. ILLs are available for several hours (sometimes into the afternoon) and the afternoon VQ drop is usually available for 60+ minutes, and it's been that way essentially since the ride opened. Even the morning drop is sometimes available for several minutes. Rise, on the other hand, typically still sells out before the park even opens. Guardians' VQ stats aren't that different than Ratatouille's, and Ratatouille wasn't a major new E ticket showcasing one of their biggest IPs. There's just not much evidence to suggest people are rushing to ride it/desperate to do so.

None of this is suggesting that the ride is a failure -- it's doing just fine -- and it really shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Disney has a significant percentage (likely much more than other parks) of customers who either can't ride more intense coasters or just don't want to, so coasters (along with other kinds of more intense thrill rides) have a smaller customer base than other kinds of attractions.

They definitely have a smaller customer base than other attractions, though I bet if Rise of the Resistance could serve anywhere close to as many customers as Cosmic Rewind, we would see a very similar situation there. This is the highest-capacity ride built at the parks in my lifetime. Regardless, I guess I misunderstood “moving the needle” to mean more than demand.

 

[michaelmickey]

From the latest pictures and videos around the internet, as planned:

- ALL foundations for ALL the walls (plaza, tunnel, etc..) are done.
- End of the months should see wooden frame for the wall, concrete poured and dried.

After that the plaza is FI-NISH-ED!

- We can also see they started the pour the slab on the secondary walkway going towards Fantasyland.

- They finished the small lockers or toilets building which, at the end, is just... white panels.

I can see 2 long lines, slightly curved in the tunnel......... might be the rail track?
If someone can go take focus pictures! haha

August will def be about cosmetic works... as for the Tomorrowland Lights & Power building which is closing...

 

[lazyboy97o]

- End of the months should see wooden frame for the wall, concrete poured and dried.

Technical note, they’re called forms and concrete doesn’t dry, it cures.

 

[Unbanshee]

Has this one confirmed to have the traditional style seats like the one at Shanghai. My mom said she will ride it but as she put it "there is no way in h*** I am riding in that motorcycle seat."

Yes

TRON Ride Vehicles Spotted on Track for First Time as Push-Pull Testing Begins at Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

 

[G00fyDad]

I was told by a cast member that worked at the Polynesian….that there are plans to add a roller coaster a year to combat Epic Universe starting with the Guardians at Epcot and Tron would be next in line which would be next year…then 2024 would be a replacement for primerval whirl called the excavator…then 2025 would receive a retheme of Rock and Roller coaster to a Monsters inc Door coaster…and finally in 2026 would be some sort of coaster at Pandora…but he was unsure of the concept…just that it was earmarked…said he saw the plans in plain sight in the break room

Sorry, but you lost me right there.
Sounds a little fishy..

 

[ppete1975]

So youre telling the train should open soon?

This begs the question... how busy is the train going to be when it reopens and will they sell individual lightning lanes lol.

How ed would disney be if the train is more popular than tron

 

[trainplane3]

Forgot to toss these up. Not good pictures, was too focused on the new PM script (which is perfect in everyway).
From 2 days ago:

 

[Furiated]

Does anyone know how they will handle the demand for the traditional style seats? I imagine people will request it as they are assigned seats but I can see a scenario where a very, very long line forms.

I'm actually wondering about the opposite. Do they direct anyone/random people to the traditional seats, or are they just for people that request them. I want the bike seat 100% of the time. I'd be ed if I waited in line/snagged a boarding group/bought an ILL and was directed to one of the traditional style seats.

 

[danlb_2000]

From the latest pictures and videos around the internet, as planned:

- ALL foundations for ALL the walls (plaza, tunnel, etc..) are done.

Nope..

 

[MisterPenguin]

Technical note, they’re called forms and concrete doesn’t dry, it cures.

At least they didn't call it 'cement'!

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I'm actually wondering about the opposite. Do they direct anyone/random people to the traditional seats, or are they just for people that request them. I want the bike seat 100% of the time. I'd be ****ed if I waited in line/snagged a boarding group/bought an ILL and was directed to one of the traditional style seats.

Good question. I'm certain you can decline and they will just find someone behind you to take the regular seat. I think they will be in high demand though.