News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
Which you won't be able to do, because it will be one ride per day thanks to Virtual Queue and Lighting Lane ;)
And how long would that VQ limitation be? A year? When the ride will have a lifespan of decades, possibly out-living most active users on this forum?

Tron’s main strength is it’s gorgeous night aesthetic and added kinetics.

I think Tron is a lot like Journey in Tokyo. Great ride, too short, beautiful exterior. There are some key differences, but to me, the ambiance around Tron is incredible. Despite my limited time in Shanghai, I spent an hour just chilling under the canopy one night enjoying the area. Tron’s influence on Tomorrowland as a whole will be much smaller, and therefore it’s ambiance impact will be diminished, but walking up to Tron, going under the canopy, especially at night, will be incredible.

Walking out of Epcot after illuminations, going past the foundation of nations, is a core memory for me. Peak Disney nostalgia. To me, Tron captures that same effect, just in a different way.

I’m really optimistic for all the lighting in Epcot’s hub, it could truly be gorgeous and feel it has the potential to mimic Tron, just differently. I always felt Tron belonged in Epcot more than Guardians, but I digress.

Describing the qualities of Tron is a nuanced affair. Tron itself, is a great ride, just super short, so it leaves you wanting more. That desire for more is a testament to the quality of what’s there, but it’s still a limitation. Guardian’s rotating vehicles are cooler than the bikes, but not an issue with motion-sickness. But similarly to a ride like Liberty Belle, so much of the attraction is not the ride itself. Just has such a cool factor. Very good ride and addition that makes Magic Kingdom substantially better, but by no means a game-changer.
 

Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
I know that when I think of what made Disney parks great, I think of seating position. Pirates? Imagination? Thunder? It’s all about that seating position. Even Universal’s best, most beloved ride, Spidey, has a really unique seating position. It’s a shame that Disney is building rides that a lot of people can’t ride, but as long as those rides make people sit in a slightly unusual way, it’s all worth it. Man, if you make that seating position unconventional enough, all you have to do is move the vehicles into a dark empty warehouse for a few seconds - folks will love it!
 

gorillaball

Well-Known Member
Just watch the video Disney posted.

The video is 50 seconds long, and it starts part way through the mid-launch and it is coming to it's final stop as the video ends.

So yes, the actual "I'm on a roller coaster" part is around 40 seconds long if you are counting actual "coasting" time.
Yes it's short but let's not manipulate realities to prove our point.

Should we say Tower of Terror is a 45 second ride because I choose to not start my timer until first drop and stop it immediately after last drop?
 

gorillaball

Well-Known Member
I know that when I think of what made Disney parks great, I think of seating position. Pirates? Imagination? Thunder? It’s all about that seating position. Even Universal’s best, most beloved ride, Spidey, has a really unique seating position. It’s a shame that Disney is building rides that a lot of people can’t ride, but as long as those rides make people sit in a slightly unusual way, it’s all worth it. Man, if you make that seating position unconventional enough, all you have to do is move the vehicles into a dark empty warehouse for a few seconds - folks will love it!
What's your definition of "A lot of people can't ride"? 100% of people under 4' and 1% of people over?
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Yes it's short but let's not manipulate realities to prove our point.

Should we say Tower of Terror is a 45 second ride because I choose to not start my timer until first drop and stop it immediately after last drop?

I don't think that's a fair comparison, since Tower of Terror has other stuff going on beyond the drops. It's not like TRON has show scenes that people are discounting -- e.g., if someone just excised the whole mine scene from 7DMT to arbitrarily call it shorter.

I agree that the ride time is from when the vehicle leaves boarding to when it stops to disembark, and thus TRON is longer than 60 seconds, but they could have done so much more to make it a better overall experience.
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
I know that when I think of what made Disney parks great, I think of seating position. Pirates? Imagination? Thunder? It’s all about that seating position. Even Universal’s best, most beloved ride, Spidey, has a really unique seating position. It’s a shame that Disney is building rides that a lot of people can’t ride, but as long as those rides make people sit in a slightly unusual way, it’s all worth it. Man, if you make that seating position unconventional enough, all you have to do is move the vehicles into a dark empty warehouse for a few seconds - folks will love it!
Hilarious.

Tron’s vehicles won’t be restrictive to 95% of people who enter the gates of the Magic Kingdom, and for those it does restrict, it has an alternative.

I realize you’re trying to diminish the effect of vehicle configuration, but FoP would be aggressively mediocre if it was in a traditional seating cabin like Star Tours.

Most big coaster parks try to have at least one inverted coaster, another suspended coaster, a stand-up coaster (at least in the past and potentially again in the future if B&M’s surf-coaster is successful).

Haunted Mansion being a ride instead of a walk-through like originally envisioned drastically alters how we interact with the theming.

Forbidden Journey in Universal, a masterpiece of its time, utilizes a seating situation with walls extending deep into your view, to limit what you can and cannot see. Forbidden Journey would be drastically different if it was an open-view vehicle (like Classic Monster’s headlining Kooka attraction will be)

Hagrid’s is a great ride regardless if you have the motorbike or side-car, but it’s easily twice as good on the motorbike.

You’re falsely acting like Tron’s only positive is its vehicle.

Hagrid’s motorbike would be even better if it had Tron’s motorbike instead.

Your entire statement is a textbook straw-man
 

Andrew C

You know what's funny?
I don't think that's a fair comparison, since Tower of Terror has other stuff going on beyond the drops. It's not like TRON has show scenes that people are discounting -- e.g., if someone just excised the whole mine scene from 7DMT to arbitrarily call it shorter.
Better comparison is another launch coaster, RnRc, and it is in line with that time wise.
but they could have done so much more to make it a better overall experience
It is the same point that has been made since it opened in Shanghai years ago.
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Here's vlogger Kevin Heimbach's review of Tron, FWIW.



Sounds like the queue - at least going in - is pretty awesome. But afterward...and in between...hmmm...

BTW, one of the reasons I like Heimbach's vlogs and sometimes post them here is that he's funny and has no qualms about giving negative reviews, even though he's one of the vloggers out there who gets special access to park events (like the Iron Gwazi roller coaster premiere at Busch Gardens). He deserves more attention than he gets IMO.
 

Andrew C

You know what's funny?
Here's vlogger Kevin Heimbach's review of Tron, FWIW.



Sounds like the queue - at least going in - is pretty awesome. But afterward...and in between...hmmm...

BTW, one of the reasons I like Heimbach's vlogs and sometimes post them here is that he's funny and has no qualms about giving negative reviews, even though he's one of the vloggers out there who gets special access to park events (like the Iron Gwazi roller coaster premiere at Busch Gardens). He deserves more attention than he gets IMO.

I don't know him, but every time I see a video that says "honest review" I automatically assume it isn't honest and it is just clickbait... based on my experience and given that negative reviews do better.
 

Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
Hilarious.

Tron’s vehicles won’t be restrictive to 95% of people who enter the gates of the Magic Kingdom, and for those it does restrict, it has an alternative.

I realize you’re trying to diminish the effect of vehicle configuration, but FoP would be aggressively mediocre if it was in a traditional seating cabin like Star Tours.

Most big coaster parks try to have at least one inverted coaster, another suspended coaster, a stand-up coaster (at least in the past and potentially again in the future if B&M’s surf-coaster is successful).

Haunted Mansion being a ride instead of a walk-through like originally envisioned drastically alters how we interact with the theming.

Forbidden Journey in Universal, a masterpiece of its time, utilizes a seating situation with walls extending deep into your view, to limit what you can and cannot see. Forbidden Journey would be drastically different if it was an open-view vehicle (like Classic Monster’s headlining Kooka attraction will be)

Hagrid’s is a great ride regardless if you have the motorbike or side-car, but it’s easily twice as good on the motorbike.

You’re falsely acting like Tron’s only positive is its vehicle.

Hagrid’s motorbike would be even better if it had Tron’s motorbike instead.

Your entire statement is a textbook straw-man
I was largely joking but since you put it that way, yes, Tron’s only positive is it’s seating position. It’s an atrociously placed attraction that cuts off future development, it’s absurdly short, and as a coaster in a box with lighting effects it’s bland and significantly inferior to at least three rides currently operating at WDW. Four if you count TT.

I am fully aware that thrill parks thrive on altering seating positions. Disney wasn’t a thrill park. What made it different was a focus on elaborate, sophisticated theming, scene design, artistry, advanced special effects, etc. Even in a coaster like Thunder, the physical sensation is secondary.

Designing vehicles that strategically limit the riders field of vision, a key part of the kind of very cinematic experiences Disney used to build, is not the same as designing seats that artificially contort their bodies.

You pulled the “95% able to ride” thing out of thin air. Disney used to excel in accommodating almost every guest. They were far superior to Universal in that regard. They’ve abandoned that, because they’ve seemingly lost the ability to create the kind of masterpieces I discussed above, turning instead to a far easier and more commonplace emphasis on physical sensation.
 

Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
The new Mario Kart ride has a 40” waist limit? That will be an issue in Florida.
Apparently it’s much more forgiving then that but yeah, as someone who endlessly champions Uni, they’re awful at accommodating different body types and having restrictive seats on a dark ride is really bad.
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
You pulled the “95% able to ride” thing out of thin air. Disney used to excel in accommodating almost every guest. They were far superior to Universal in that regard. They’ve abandoned that, because they’ve seemingly lost the ability to create the kind of masterpieces I discussed above, turning instead to a far easier and more commonplace emphasis on physical sensation.
I went to Disney over the summer with two friends. One was 6’5 and 400 pounds and the other was 6’3 350.

The 6’5 guy was able to ride every single attraction except FoP and 7 dwarfs.

The 6’3 guy rode everything.

Certain rides like Test Track were uncomfortable given limited leg room, but they could still ride everything.

I can assure you, less than 5% of guests coming through the gates exceed their dimensions, and obviously, everyone’s body shape is different so mileage may vary, but 95% was a conservative estimation.

Beyond that, the back row is perhaps the most accommodating coaster in Orlando outside of Big Thunder. Everyone can ride Tron no problem. Almost everyone can experience the regular seats.

The seats and the restraint system have a purpose. They add so much to the ride. This isn’t a meaningless Universal restriction on an Omni over without alternative.

As someone who’s been on Tron (in Shanghai) and has traveled to multiple theme parks with individuals in the larger end of the guest spectrum, the restraint system will not be an issue for anyone trying to ride. May give the ride-ops a headache, but that’s not really relevant.
 
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Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
I went to Disney over the summer with two friends. One was 6’5 and 400 pounds and the other was 6’3 350.

The 6’5 guy was able to ride every single attraction except FoP and 7 dwarfs.

The 6’3 guy rode everything.

Certain rides like Test Track were uncomfortable given limited leg room, but they could still ride everything.

I can assure you, less than 5% of guests coming through the gates exceed their dimensions, and obviously, everyone’s body shape is different so mileage may vary, but 95% was a conservative estimation.

Beyond that, the back row is perhaps the most accommodating coaster in Orlando outside of Big Thunder. Everyone can ride Tron no problem. Almost everyone can experience the regular seats.

The seats and the restraint system have a purpose. They add so much to the ride. This isn’t a meaningless Universal restriction on an Omni over without alternative.

As someone who’s been on Tron (in Shanghai) and has traveled to multiple theme parks with individuals in the extreme end of the guest spectrum, the restraint system will not be an issue for anyone trying to ride. May give the ride-ops a headache, but that’s not really relevant.
I don’t even know what you’re trying to say. Yes, Disney used to be really great at designing inclusive ride vehicles. That stopped. As you point out here, FoP, 7D, and Tron are much more restrictive. That’s the issue. The fact that, say, Thunder or Pirates is very accommodating has no bearing whatsoever on Tron.

As to the back seats… in all seriousness, what makes Tron exceptional, or even interesting, beyond the restrictive seating position? This is the entire attractions fundamental flaw - it offers very, very little beyond the seating.
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
I don’t even know what you’re trying to say. Yes, Disney used to be really great at designing inclusive ride vehicles. That stopped. As you point out here, FoP, 7D, and Tron are much more restrictive. That’s the issue. The fact that, say, Thunder or Pirates is very accommodating has no bearing whatsoever on Tron.

As to the back seats… in all seriousness, what makes Tron exceptional, or even interesting, beyond the restrictive seating position? This is the entire attractions fundamental flaw - it offers very, very little beyond the seating.
What makes Space Mountain great? It’s a coaster in the dark with a weird, cramped seating position?
 

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