Original Tron Director Reacts to New Lightcycle Ride at Walt Disney World (Exclusive)
Over 40 years ago, Steven Lisberger wrote and directed TRON, a cutting-edge science-fiction film that quickly became a cult classic. Four decades later and Disney is finally preparing the third film in the franchise. Not only that, but Walt Disney World Resort is about to officially open its TRON Lightcycle / Run ride, something Lisberger is a big-time fan of. Speaking with ComicBook.com at Disney World's All The Disney Thrills event, the filmmaker said the opening of the ride marks a point he thought the franchise would ever reach.
"It's been a long journey, 43 years, and there's been ups and downs, but this is certainly a high point that none of us could have imagined. It's incredible. The ride is incredible. Tron: Legacy was incredible. Daft Punk is incredible," Lisberger told us. "The ride is very beautiful, and I think only Disney could have made a ride this beautiful. It's also unbelievably thrilling. If you're worried whether it's going to be thrilling enough, you haven't ridden it yet."
As with all things at a Disney-owned park, TRON Lightcycle / Run is nothing short of an experience, one that has Lisberger's unconditional stamp of approval.
"I love the queue where you really feel like you're slowly entering The Grid. The visuals are incredible in the queue, so I couldn't be more stoked about it all. I think one of the reasons it's endured the way it has is because the underlying story came true," the director remarked. "And Flynn's story, his idealism and how he struggled to make that his dreams happen and how they went wrong is a good metaphor of how we're still struggling to make the best of our digital invention and cyberspace. So I think it's more relevant than it ever was. And that's amazing to think that we did this movie 1982, and now it's more relevant than ever."
Walt Disney World has announced the opening date for its long-awaited new roller coaster TRON Lightcycle / Run. The new TRON-themed roller coaster opens on April 4, 2023. The new roller coaster will send riders into "The Grid" for a special Lightcycle race, with players trying to clear through eight Energy Gates before a rival team.