Disney World Is Making A Big Change To The Tron Rollercoaster (And I Really Wish Guardians Of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Would Get The Same Treatment)

Disney World Is Making A Big Change To The Tron Rollercoaster (And I Really Wish Guardians Of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Would Get The Same Treatment)

As a seasoned Disney World veteran with countless memories etched into my heart from over two decades of visits, I can say that the end of Virtual Queues for attractions like Tron: Lightcycle Run is a bittersweet moment. On one hand, standing in line again feels like a return to tradition, a nod to the past when Disney magic was as simple as waiting your turn. On the other, those queues have saved me countless hours and allowed me to experience rides that I might have missed otherwise.


Enthusiasts of Tron, brace yourselves! Access to The Grid is going to become a tad simpler starting from Monday, September 9. Today, Walt Disney World unveiled that visitors will no longer need to secure a Virtual Queue boarding group to bypass the Individual Lightning Lane fee for experiencing the latest roller coaster at the resort, Tron: Lightcycle Run. Instead, guests will simply have to…here’s something different…wait in line

It’s surprising now, but waiting in line for specific rides at Walt Disney World feels like a luxury. For several years, every new attraction at both Disney World and Disneyland Resort has introduced a Virtual Queue system. This means that guests need to reserve a spot in line early in the day, hoping to ride later on, with no traditional queue to stand in

Virtual Queues Have Their Time, And This Time Has Passed 

Since the debut of Rise of the Resistance at Disney World in 2019, virtual queues have become a common feature for each new attraction. This system allows for better control over the crowds that inevitably form around the most popular attractions by assigning boarding groups to guests throughout the day rather than having one continuous physical line. This way, visitors can enjoy other parts of the park while waiting for their turn and Cast Members can manage the flow more efficiently

An alternative like the Virtual Queue could be beneficial, but it might cause inconvenience for visitors since those not instantly available when boarding groups are posted may miss out entirely. In such cases, the only recourse is to spend additional funds on a Personal Lightning Lane, as waiting in line isn’t an option

Standing in a standby line might not be everyone’s favorite activity, but it offers the advantage that anyone eager to wait can easily board the ride without needing a reservation or ticket

Tron Is Ending Its Virtual Queue, But The Guardians Of The Galaxy Roller Coaster Still Has One

In 2022, as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind debuted, it simultaneously introduced a Virtual Queue system. Unlike the virtual queue for Tron, which has been discontinued, the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy remains active. Essentially, both attractions operate like roller coasters, but their respective virtual queues have differing lifespans

Currently, only one Virtual Queue system is operational, and that’s for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the latest update to Splash Mountain which has recently reopened. This Virtual Queue was introduced as a temporary measure and is anticipated to conclude within a reasonable timeframe

Once it concludes, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will stand alone as the unique vehicle-based experience (VQ) across all of Walt Disney World. Given that it’s neither the latest nor (apparently) the most frequented attraction, its singular status may come as a bit of a surprise

It seems reasonable to suppose that there are factors leading people to prefer using a Virtual Queue for Cosmic Rewind, although it’s not entirely clear what those reasons might be. For instance, Cosmic Rewind has a lower height requirement than Tron: Lightcycle Run, which means more guests can enjoy it. Additionally, Epcot only has Cosmic Rewind as its roller coaster, while Magic Kingdom boasts three. This could potentially suggest that Cosmic Rewind is currently more popular within its park compared to Tron’s popularity now

Although newcomers are constantly visiting Disney World daily, regular visitors have already had their chance on attractions like Rise of the Resistance and Tron. Therefore, while a standby line might not be excessively long today, it’s predicted that the line for Rise of the Resistance will exceed two hours, and the line for Tron is expected to be considerable starting from Monday

As a gamer, I’d say: Frankly, the Virtual Queue is my pick for Cosmic Rewind. Opting for the Lightning Lane on Guardians’ roller coaster seems to bypass a lot of the effort put into making the queue an engaging and unique experience. It may get you on the ride quicker, but it strips away a good chunk of the fun

It’s clear that virtual queuing systems are here to stay, as they’re becoming standard for most new attractions. For instance, although rides like Tron: Lightcycle Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind aren’t novel anymore, they still utilize this system

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2024-09-04 23:07