News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

co10064

co10064

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
As far as I can tell, the main reasons Shanghai got Tron as designed were:
1. an IP mandate
2. the desire to have a Tomorrowland rollercoaster that wouldn't be seen as a clone to HKDL's Space Mountain
3. the need to have visible coaster portions outside so the Chinese audience would clearly understand the attraction they were entering (learning from issues with HKDL's Space Mountain, where some guests had no idea it was a coaster)

...and I'm sure there were budget constraints as always.

Alas, we got a copy/paste job instead of a redesign that would better fit and compliment Magic Kingdom.
 
MagicHappens1971

MagicHappens1971

Well-Known Member
co10064 said:
As far as I can tell, the main reasons Shanghai got Tron as designed were:
1. an IP mandate
2. the desire to have a Tomorrowland rollercoaster that wouldn't be seen as a clone to HKDL's Space Mountain
3. the need to have visible coaster portions outside so the Chinese audience would clearly understand the attraction they were entering (learning from issues with HKDL's Space Mountain, where some guests had no idea it was a coaster)

...and I'm sure there were budget constraints as always.

Alas, we got a copy/paste job instead of a redesign that would better fit and compliment Magic Kingdom.
Click to expand...
It was also kind of reimagining Space Mountain, they were looking for ideas outside of the box, and they were developing the new Tron film at the same time. The Lightcycle I think is really what sold them. There’s this info and more in the Space Mountain Behind the Attraction episode
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
co10064 said:
As far as I can tell, the main reasons Shanghai got Tron as designed were:
1. an IP mandate
2. the desire to have a Tomorrowland rollercoaster that wouldn't be seen as a clone to HKDL's Space Mountain
3. the need to have visible coaster portions outside so the Chinese audience would clearly understand the attraction they were entering (learning from issues with HKDL's Space Mountain, where some guests had no idea it was a coaster)

...and I'm sure there were budget constraints as always.

Alas, we got a copy/paste job instead of a redesign that would better fit and compliment Magic Kingdom.
Click to expand...
It’s like a $300 million roller coaster, the budget wasn’t a problem.
 
999th Happy Haunt

999th Happy Haunt

Well-Known Member
SilentWindODoom said:
Huh... With all the properties said to be included, Universal Monsters seems like an odd one to be the one to get a family coaster.
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Likely something to get families with small children into the land at all. Universal's also just really good at making lands set in old world villages with a kiddie coaster surrounded by trees and a kuka arm dark ride in a castle.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
999th Happy Haunt said:
I think the main kuka ride has tremendous potential.
Click to expand...

I hope it's smoother than Forbidden Journey (and less reliant on simulator segments, but that's a separate discussion). Forbidden Journey is incredibly uncomfortable to ride because of how often it abruptly jerks you around -- it's one of the reasons I'm not really interested in riding it again.
 
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J

J4546

Well-Known Member
999th Happy Haunt said:
Funny, that's the land I'm most excited for in EU. A great IP that finally is getting some love outside of October. I think the main kuka ride has tremendous potential.
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I agree monsters ip is fantastic I just wanted something different than a kuka and small coaster land. We already have those and kukas make me sick. At least fj does
 
wdwmagic

wdwmagic

Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
Original Poster
DonniePeverley said:
At the risk of reading of 801 pages - what is the general consensus on this attracion - SUCCESS OR NOT ?

Or just another long line of 'meh is that it?'
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With it being clone, there really aren't any surprises - we knew exactly what we were getting, and it is just that.

Quick takeaway is that it will be a popular addition, unique ride position on the cycles, questionable placement next to Space Mountain, and frustratingly short.
 
No Name

No Name

Well-Known Member
In Shanghai, you can tell it was designed for the land specifically, and as much as it has its issues, that really helps. The pathway is a natural part of the second level and the canopy shape fits it well. The Chevrolet building also helps obscure the big blue box a bit, whereas here, not only is that missing, but the restrooms are past the canopy and directly in front of the nude building. In MK, the colorless canopy and trim makes it much more inflatable-looking and doesn’t really evoke “tomorrow” in any way during the day. I think all of these differences are actually more significant than the lack of discussion here would suggest.

The most kind thing I can say about the MK version is that it leans into its “industrial” look, with even the bathrooms matching the building, and the width of the panels matching the trim of the canopy. Pointing out the many failures in theming feels a little like complaining that a Taco Bell doesn’t look very Mexican… it wasn’t trying to.
 
Marc Davis Fan

Marc Davis Fan

Well-Known Member
egg said:
In Shanghai, you can tell it was designed for the land specifically, and as much as it has its issues, that really helps. The pathway is a natural part of the second level and the canopy shape fits it well. The Chevrolet building also helps obscure the big blue box a bit, whereas here, not only is that missing, but the restrooms are past the canopy and directly in front of the nude building. In MK, the colorless canopy and trim makes it much more inflatable-looking and doesn’t really evoke “tomorrow” in any way during the day. I think all of these differences are actually more significant than the lack of discussion here would suggest.

The most kind thing I can say about the MK version is that it leans into its “industrial” look, with even the bathrooms matching the building, and the width of the panels matching the trim of the canopy. Pointing out the many failures in theming feels a little like complaining that a Taco Bell doesn’t look very Mexican… it wasn’t trying to.
Click to expand...

The canopy color makes a huge difference. I saw the Shanghai one in person soon after it opened, and I seriously didn't even realize the canopy was made of that inflatable stuff until I read about it later. Whereas in MK, it screams "inflated plastic" from a distance. Other small details are also missing, like coverings around the footers!

I actually like MK's placement, though. In Shanghai, the "box" is visible from around Tomorrowland, and is really only fully hidden when you're right under the canopy. In MK, there's actually a more impressive reveal when you suddenly see the canopy close-up (well, apart from the color scheme, as mentioned above). I also agree that "leaning into the industrial look" helps with the box issue.
 
SilentWindODoom

SilentWindODoom

Well-Known Member
Marc Davis Fan said:
I actually like MK's placement, though. In Shanghai, the "box" is visible from around Tomorrowland, and is really only fully hidden when you're right under the canopy. In MK, there's actually a more impressive reveal when you suddenly see the canopy close-up (well, apart from the color scheme, as mentioned above). I also agree that "leaning into the industrial look" helps with the box issue.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I know there's been complaints about the placement, but in Shanghai it's very disruptive, the box looming over Toy Story Land. Save for the Circus path, it's much less visible in Magic Kingdom.

Some want it to be more central, but that would make the box even more of a problem. I like our Tomorrowland's layout with the Frank Lloyd Wright style of going through a narrow space to have a vista open before you. It's not one big scene, but a lot of smaller ones, like a city, with the Astro Orbiter as the center landmark. Everyone has spoken about how great it looks when it pops up before you. I think that's all you need.
 
Timothy_Q

Timothy_Q

Well-Known Member
SilentWindODoom said:
Yeah. I know there's been complaints about the placement, but in Shanghai it's very disruptive, the box looming over Toy Story Land. Save for the Circus path, it's much less visible in Magic Kingdom.

Some want it to be more central, but that would make the box even more of a problem. I like our Tomorrowland's layout with the Frank Lloyd Wright style of going through a narrow space to have a vista open before you. It's not one big scene, but a lot of smaller ones, like a city, with the Astro Orbiter as the center landmark. Everyone has spoken about how great it looks when it pops up before you. I think that's all you need.
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MK has the best Tomorrowland layout in my opinion
The whole land could be perfect with just comestic updates

DL's is absolute chaos
TDL's feels too spread out and lacks warmth/detail (new baymax area addressed that, and i'm sure new space redo will as well)
DLP's is gorgeous but backside of space and star tours area always felt badly integrated/designed
HKD's is tiny and already has a weird dead end with iron man
SDL's is cohesive and looks futuristic but to me feels too industrial and lacks any whimsy. more like an airport than a disney park
 
trainplane3

trainplane3

Well-Known Member
Timothy_Q said:
MK has the best Tomorrowland layout in my opinion
The whole land could be perfect with just comestic updates

DL's is absolute chaos
TDL's feels too spread out and lacks warmth/detail (new baymax area addressed that, and i'm sure new space redo will as well)
DLP's is gorgeous but backside of space and star tours area always felt badly integrated/designed
HKD's is tiny and already has a weird dead end with iron man
SDL's is cohesive and looks futuristic but to me feels too industrial and lacks any whimsy. more like an airport than a disney park
Click to expand...
It probably helps we have the PeopleMover that literally ties the entire land together.
 
Drdcm

Drdcm

Well-Known Member
Anyone who has been on it, is it still cool during the day time? I would imagine the lit canopy only really has a substantial effect at night.
 

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