Share This!
TRON Lightcycle / Run doesn’t have a standby line. If you’re going to Disney World and you want to ride, you’ll need either a Virtual Queue Boarding Group or a paid Lightning Lane Single Pass. Below, we’ll walk you through the process no matter which option you choose. Last updated/republished September 5, 2024.
NOTE: Disney has announced that on September 9, 2024, TRON will begin using a regular standby queue. The Virtual Queue will be discontinued and the steps below to obtain a Boarding Group will no longer be necessary to ride TRON.
The Virtual Queue is active at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. every day. There is a third opening at 6 p.m. that’s limited to visitors who are eligible for Extended Evening Hours or attending hard ticket event where the Virtual Queue will be in use.. Have you never used the Virtual Queue? Keep reading and we’ll tell you how! If you’ve never heard the term “Lightning Lane Single Pass”, you may want to start with How to Use Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Disney Worldand then read this article.
Click on any of the links below to skip directly to that section, and know that you can click on any image to enlarge it.
- Getting a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Tron Lightcycle Run
- Getting a Boarding Group for Tron Lightcycle Run
- Using Disability Access Service (DAS) with a Tron Lightcycle Run Boarding Group,
- At the Ride
- Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re looking for an LLSP or a Boarding Group, you’ll need the following before you can begin.
- The My Disney Experience App
- Updated Family & Friends List on the MDE App—everyone you want to book for will need to be on it.
You and everyone who wants to ride with you will also need:
- Valid Park Admission
- Park reservation, if necessary
If your admission media requires a park reservation, then you’ll need a Park Pass for Magic Kingdom on that day, ora Park Pass for a different park and a Park Hopper ticket or Annual Pass.If your ticket does not require a reservation, then you’re good to go without one.
The good news is that making a Lightning Lane Single Pass reservation for TRON Lightcycle Run is exactly like booking any other LLSP. If you’ve ever done it before, you already know how to do it. If not, you might want to read up on reservation windows and check out our step-by-step walkthrough of how to make advance selections: How to Use Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Disney World. If you just want to wing it, head to one of the purchase entry points shown below and follow the prompts.
If you’ve used the Virtual Queue for other rides, you’ll find TRON is very similar. If you haven’t, here’s how to do it. If you’ve never heard of Virtual Queues, you can check out Answering All Your Questions About Virtual Queues before getting started – but it’s not necessary.
Boarding Group Rules
Rule #1: Boarding Groups are only available to book TWICE per day for riding during regular park hours.
- The first chance for booking is at 7:00 a.m., and you can book from anywhere.
- The second chance is at 1:00 p.m., but you must be inside of Magic Kingdom to be eligible.
For the 7 a.m. queue, you don’t need to have entered a park to book. But you do need admission that is valid on that day. And if your ticket type needs a park reservation, you need to have a reservation for Magic Kingdom Park.
For the 1 p.m. queue, the requirement to be inside Magic Kingdom is according to Disney’s information. But in practice we’ve found that you only have to have entered the park earlier in the day to be eligible. If you left to get lunch and haven’t returned yet, you’re still good to go.
Rule #2: You can only enter using a Boarding Group once per day during regular park hours. If you got a group at 7 a.m., and rode, you can’t get another at 1 p.m. (If your Boarding Group from the 7 a.m. drop expired before you returned to ride, you can try again to get a Boarding Group at 1 p.m.).
Rule #3: If you are eligible for Magic Kingdom’s Extended Evening Hours, or you are attending a hard-ticket event that offers a TRON Virtual Queue, there is a third chance to book a boarding group. This group opens at 6 p.m. on these days, and you can book at 6 p.m. even if you’ve already scored a boarding group earlier in the day. For these 6 p.m. groups, everyone in your party who will ride needs to be eligible.
For Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, if TRON is using a Virtual Queue, you’ll need to have a party ticket for that day linked to your My Disney Experience account. For EETPH, you’ll need to be staying at a qualifying Disney World Resort and be able to enter the park during the Extended Hours period.
Getting a Group
You can begin as early as one hour in advance of the drop that you’re trying to join. Even if the queue isn’t available yet, you’ll be able to confirm your party. This is your opportunity to fix any Friends & Family issues and make sure everyone you want to ride with is appearing in your group. If you’re confident that you’ll see everyone you’re supposed to see in your party, then 4-5 minutes in advance is plenty and an hour is massive overkill.
From the My Disney Experience app, click the hamburger on the bottom right, then select Virtual Queues. On the next screen, select “Join Virtual Queue”. If you aren’t automatically directed to the queue for TRON Lightcycle Run, select it from the available options. Then “Confirm Your Party”.
After tapping the button, select the people that you want to ride with. Friends & Family should display automatically if they have admission and a park reservation. Ineligible Friends & Family will appear in the section below.
One minute before time, begin repeatedly tapping the Refresh button and tap it as soon as it changes to “Join Virtual Queue”. Some people prefer to use a separate clock for more precise timing and only press Refresh one time; I find that the refresh is pretty quick and I do better without my brain engaged. A little practice, if you have the opportunity, can tell you which method works effectively for you.
With luck, you will be rewarded with a screen that looks like the one on the left below. Unlike some other Virtual Queues, TRON doesn’t show your estimated callback time; only which groups are currently boarding. TRON Cast Members are enforcing the callback times (you have an hour after your group is called), so make sure you’re watching so that you’re prepared when your group is called.
There are varying opinions about whether it’s better to use the park WiFi or cell service, but one super-important tip is that you can have multiple people trying for a group at the same time. If you’re touring with 4 people, having all four try for a boarding group increases the probability that someonewill get one so that everyone can ride.
Don’t forget!! Assuming you do get a boarding group, check the status periodically throughout the day. TRON Cast Members are being strict about callback times, so make sure you don’t miss your group. If you have an unavoidable conflict such as a dining reservation, bring your dining receipt with you to the ride.
If someone in your party is eligible to use the Disability Access System (DAS), you will still have to join the Virtual Queue and get a Boarding Group using the regular procedure. For other Virtual Queues, the return time has been treated like a DAS start time and you could return any time. For TRON, Cast Members have confirmed that you will need to return within the 1-hour window when your Boarding Group is called. However, you’ll enter through the Lightning Lane to ensure that your wait is minimized.
TRON Lightcycle / Run has a few things to know about once you arrive at the attraction and before you get on board.
TRON’s Lockers
The ride vehicles do have enough space for your cell phone, but unlike most Disney World rides, you can’t bring your backpack onto TRON. In the queue you’ll find lockers for storing your loose items before you board. Lockers can be opened using either a MagicBand or a ticket card (MagicMobile will not work), and are about a cubic foot. That’s big enough for a school backpack and perhaps a few other items.
The lockers are double-sided — think elevators with doors that open at the front or the back depending on your floor. When you exit the ride, you’ll access your locker from the other side to retrieve your stuff. Forgot your number in the excitement? No problem, touch your MagicBand to a terminal at the end of the locker row to retrieve it.
TRON Seating
TRON has trains like all roller coasters, but most of the vehicles in the trains are bikes. The bikes require you to sit in a specific position and may not fit all guests. Test seats are available at the entrance to the attraction and can be used to check your fit before getting to the loading platform.
In the above picture, Len is trying out the test seat and you can see where the leg restraint lands. Fit on these vehicles isnot about your clothing size – it’s about this restraint. Cast Members have told us that the people who most commonly don’t fit are either tall (less room to adjust leg position to find a good spot for the restraint) or have large calves, or both. If you think you’re going to have a problem, try the test seat. Even if you fit, if it’s close it will help you understand how you need to get positioned during loading for the ride.
If you don’t fit, or if you’re just uncomfortable with the position on the bikes, TRON offers a regular car-style coaster seat at the end of some trains. Tell the cast member you’ll need the accessible seat (they call it the Light Rover) and you should be all set.
If you’re looking for stroller or ECV parking, they are often nearby to each other – but not at TRON. Stroller parking is on the ramp leading up to the attraction. ECV parking is at the top of the ramp (so you don’t have to climb it after you get out of your ECV!) to the right of the restrooms.
Can you get a Boarding Group and a Lightning Lane Single Pass for TRON Lightcycle Run on the same day?
Yes, you can get a Boarding Group and an LLSP on the same day. You can also get a Boarding Group during regular park hours and one during Extended Evening Hours (if eligible). If you combine a regular Boarding Group, an EETPH Boarding Group, and an LLSP, you can get three rides on TRON in one day.
Can you get a Boarding Group for TRON and Cosmic Rewind in the same day?
Possibly. See How to Get a Boarding Group for Tron and Cosmic Rewind in the Same Day for more details.
Can you practice getting a Boarding Group before your trip?
Yes, as long as your admission is valid on the day you’re trying to get a group for. If you have date-based admission that might mean your window to try in is pretty short; other ticket types will usually require you to make a park reservation in order to try. But as long as you do not actually enter the park, it won’t use up your admission.
As a matter of courtesy, leave the queue if you do get a spot. If you’ll need park reservations during your visit, you’ll want to do this far enough in advance that you aren’t using your reservations for practice when you need to make them for the day you will actually be there.
I got a Boarding Group, but I need to add or remove someone.
See the Guest Services team at the blue umbrellas and explain your situation. They will usually be able to help out.
Does everyone need to be in the park at 1 p.m. to be eligible for the Virtual Queue?
According to Disney, you need to be in the park at 1 p.m. to be eligible and yes, everyone who wants to ride needs to be there. However, our test team has found in other Virtual Queues that you only need to have entered the park before you try to join. If you were in Magic Kingdom earlier and left for lunch, you shouldn’t need to get back by 1 p.m.
How long will TRON Lightcycle Run use a Virtual Queue?
We’re not psychic, and we can’t give a definitive answer. Rise of the Resistance used a Virtual Queue for over two years, but it was … an interesting two years. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure used a Virtual Queue for only a little over two months, and Web Slingers at Disneyland used its Virtual Queue for a little over five months. We guessed that Cosmic Rewind’s Virtual Queue would last for 4-6 weeks, and we were way wrong on that one – it’s still in place.
When can I begin making Lightning Lane Single Pass reservations for TRON Lightcycle Run?
Onsite guests of Disney hotels can begin making Lightning Lane Single Pass reservations at 7 a.m. Eastern, 7 days in advance of their arrival date, for the length of their trip. Everyone else can make Single Pass reservations beginning at 7 a.m., three days in advance of their visit or their ticket start date. Those holding date-based tickets can book for the length of their valid admission period; all others must book one day at a time.
Can I get a Boarding Group for Extended Theme Park Evening Hours even if I got one earlier in the day?
Yes. Guests who get a Boarding Group for TRON during regular hours are still eligible to enter the Virtual Queue at 6 p.m. on days when Extended Evening Hours are offered. If you get an Individual Lightning Lane too, this could give you three rides on TRON in a single day!
Guests who are attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are also eligible to get a second boarding group for the party if they got one during regular hours. You’re only eligible to enter the Party Virtual Queue once.
Can you use Rider Switch with TRON Lightcycle Run?
Yes, you can. TRON’s minimum height will be 48″, and all Disney World rides that have a height restriction offer Rider Switch. You’ll be able to use it no matter whether you’re riding with the Virtual Queue or Lightning Lane Single Pass. For more details, see Rider Switch at Disney World: Guide and FAQ.
Can kids or teens purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass?
Yes, minors who are old enough to have their own MDE accounts can buy LLSP, but they’ll need to enter a payment method at checkout instead of using stored payment information. More details: How Can Kids and Teens Pay for Things at Disney World? You can also purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass for your teen without including yourself in the party.
Can you use MagicMobile to open the lockers at TRON?
This may change in the future, but when we tested it the answer was no. Only MagicBands, ticket cards, and Key to the World cards can be used to open TRON’s lockers.
How much can you fit in the lockers at TRON?
We found the lockers to be slightly over a cubic foot. That’s big enough for a school backpack and a few other items. There is a small compartment on the bike that can fit a cell phone and a pair of sunglasses.
What if you forget your locker number at TRON?
There are terminals at the end of the rows that can be used to get your locker number. Tap your MagicBand or ticket card and it will display on the screen.
What if I don’t fit on the test seat at TRON?
TRON has a regular-style coaster car at the end of each train. Tell the Cast Member in the loading area that you’ll need the accessible seat to be directed to the car instead of the bikes.
Is it easier to get a Boarding Group or a Lightning Lane Single Pass for TRON?
Boarding Groups are free and LLSPs cost money. That said, Lightning Lane Single Pass can sell out before the date of your visit arrives; if this happens then the Virtual Queue might be your only option.
Does TRON have an extra Virtual Queue during After Hours?
No, TRON typically uses a standby queue during Magic Kingdom After Hours events.
Are you excited to ride TRON Lightcycle Run? Which team are you on, Virtual Queue or LLSP? What’s your bet on how long the Virtual Queue will be in place? Let us know in the comments!
Originally published January 27, 2023.
You May Also Like...
Five Things to Know About TRON Lightcycle / Run
Have you heard there's a new coaster in the Magic Kingdom? Modeled after a similar ride at Shanghai Disneyland, TRON Lightcycle…
A Ride Chicken Review of TRON Lightcycle / Run
One of my kids will ride anything. Me, I’m a bit more of a ride chicken, or a ride wimp as…
