Disney World Announces Early Ride Preview Dates for Tron Lightcycle Run.
Hold onto your Lightcycles! folks, because Disney World has just announced the dates for their early ride previews for the highly-anticipated Tron Lightcycle/Run ride! That's right, before the general public gets to experience the epic race of survival across the Grid, Cast Members and Annual Passholders will get to be the first to climb aboard and take off on this high-speed adventure.
According to The Street, starting on January 30th, Cast Members can begin registering to ride Tron. The preview days are between February 6th and March 3rd. And the best part? They can bring up to three friends or family members along for the ride. But the excitement doesn't stop there, because after Cast Members finish their early runs, it's expected that Annual Passholders will get their chance to preview Tron in March before the official opening on April 4th.
For those who may not be familiar, Tron Lightcycle/Run is based on the 1982 film "Tron" starring Jeff Bridges. The movie was groundbreaking for its time. The film was the first production to mix live action with computer-generated visuals and backlit animation. The ride promises to be just as thrilling as the movie. Disney World's website describes it as "one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park in the world."
But before all guests can experience the thrill of racing against the Grid's most menacing Programs and attempting to cross through 8 Energy Gates, Cast Members and Annual Passholders will have the first chance to secure their team's victory and survive to race another day. So if you're a Cast Member or Annual Passholder, be sure to mark your calendars and register for your early ride preview before it's too late!
Splash Mountain At Disney World Closes Today And The Line Is More Than Three Hours Long
Today is the final day for Splash Mountain. When Disney World in Orlando closes today, Splash Mountain will close and begin it's rebranding as "Tiana's Bayou Adventure." It will be based on the 2009 film, "The Princess and the Frog." The rebranding is expected to finish in 2024. Splash Mountain included the animated characters from the 1946 Disney film, "Song of the South." Critics have claimed that film portrays racial stereotypes and the movie has been banned. The movie is not on Disney+ and is not available for sale anywhere (legally, that is).
The lines are crazy today. Many of us equate Splash Mountain as a part of our childhood, riding the log ride when our parents took us to Disney World when we were kids. Splash Mountain has been in operation for 30 years. That's a lot of childhoods, so the nostalgia was thick.
Despite a petition to save the ride, today is it. And many fans have gone to the Magic Kingdom for one last ride. Lines were reported to be in excess of 3 hours. That means the line to ride a 30 year old, falling apart, water ride is longer than just about any other attraction at the park today. People don't care. They'll wait however long it takes to get on the ride one last time. Fortunately for them, it's 79 degrees in Orlando today, much warmer than it was last weekend. Here's some pics from the park.
The opening rope drop
I've never seen a wait time like that at Splash Mountain
The line
It looks like Disney needed additional cast to help
One former NFL player was willing to do almost anything
Goodbye, Splash Mountain
One last time, you all know the words....
