With today marking the 40th Anniversary of the release of “TRON,” Disney Parks is sharing the story behind the new “TRON Lightcycle/Run” attraction coming to Walt Disney World.
The Back Story
According to Chris Beatty, Creative Portfolio Executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, “TRON Lightcycle/Run” is set after the events of the original film’s sequel “TRON: Legacy.”
The main character of the sequel, Sam Flynn, is now opening new gateways into this digital realm at specific locations around the world.
The first portal he created is at Shanghai Disneyland with the “TRON Lightcycle Power Run” attraction that opened June 16, 2016.
Now a second portal is opening soon at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
As guests enter the “TRON Lightcycle/Run” queue, they will be digitized and placed on the Grid for a special Lightcycle race.
Assigned to Team Blue, the goal is to be the first to race through eight Energy Gates and secure your victory against Team Orange.
The Films
1982’s “TRON” told the story of talented computer engineer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges). who finds out that Ed Dillinger (David Warner), an executive at his company, has been stealing his work.
He tries to hack into the system to get proof. However, Flynn is transported into the digital world, where he has to face off against Dillinger’s computerized likeness, Sark, and the imposing Master Control Program.
Aided by Tron (Bruce Boxleitner) and Yori (Cindy Morgan), Flynn becomes a freedom fighter for the oppressed programs of the grid.
In addition to having a fun adventurous story, “TRON” is one of cinema’s earliest films to use extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI).
2010’s “TRON: Legacy” picks up with Sam (Garrett Hedlund), the son of famous video-game developer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who has been haunted for a long time by his father’s mysterious disappearance.
A strange signal draws Sam to Flynn’s Arcade, and he is pulled into the same cyberworld in which his father, its creator, has been trapped for 20 years.
With fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), Kevin and Sam seek to escape from a universe that, while magnificent, is far more advanced and dangerous than Kevin had ever imagined.
There is also a series called “Tron: Uprising,” set between the two films.
Both films and the series are available to watch on Disney+, if you want to prime yourself on the lore that inspired the rides.
And if you’re attending this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, D23 is throwing a 40th Anniversary party for “TRON.”
The Attraction
Imagineers are hard at work creating “TRON Lightcycle / Run,” which is in the testing phases to make sure everything works as it should.
Last month, they began testing the lighting system for the canopy, bringing them closer to opening.
There still isn’t an exact open date for attraction, but Disney is shooting for sometime this fall.
I am so excited to ride the “TRON Lightcycle/Run” coaster when it opens…are you? Let us know in the comments.