September 9, 2024 is the primary day that TRON Lightcycle Run has not used a digital queue throughout Magic Kingdom’s regular working hours because it delicate opened on March 20, 2023. Throughout these 539 days, the journey solely posted a wait time and used a standby line throughout laborious ticket, restricted capability events.
As such, in the present day marks the primary time ever that we’ve seen simply how in style and in-demand Walt Disney World’s latest headliner attraction is throughout an everyday operational surroundings. Will or not it’s Magic Kingdom’s longest wait time, dethroning Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice? Might it surpass Slinky Canine Sprint, Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, Avatar Flight of Passage, or different headliners? We’re about to search out out.
Earlier than we get going, we wish to reiterate that TRON Lightcycle Run switching to standby can have enormous ramifications on step-by-step itineraries for Magic Kingdom. It’d sound like hyperbole, however that is the most important change in over a decade for Magic Kingdom technique. Not even the swap from Additional Magic Hours to Early Entry/Prolonged Night Hours or free FastPass being changed by Lightning Lanes was as impactful. These had been considerably lateral shifts, whereas this introduces a brand new headliner with an everyday line.
With that mentioned, we additionally wish to (once more) warning that TRON Lightcycle Run is dropping its digital queue within the coronary heart of Walt Disney World’s low season. Our newest wait instances report lined the Lowest Crowd Degree Month & Week at Walt Disney World Since 2021! Though it must be evident from the title alone, the parks are actually gradual proper now.
Spoiler alert: that’s nonetheless true in the present day. Nevertheless it’s additionally true that there are tons of locals, bloggers, vloggers, and influencers who wish to be the primary to do TRON’s standby line, for no matter cause. After which there’s the truth that Magic Kingdom operations has little or no expertise with this journey having an everyday queue, which means that the posted wait instances are going to be everywhere, usually divorced from their precise waits (in methods each good and unhealthy).
What I’m saying is that day 1 of TRON Lightcycle Run’s standby line will likely be nothing like day 8, which will likely be nothing like week 8. For those who’re visiting for the guts of the vacation season or in 2025 and wish to understand how this queue will influence you, it’s too early to inform. The outcomes from September merely received’t be dependable for Christmas or 2025. I’d suggest ready till mid-October or past for a take a look at extra consultant outcomes.
With that mentioned, listed below are the wait instances to date for TRON Lightcycle Run on September 9, 2024
- 9:00 am: 25 minutes
- 9:15 am: 105 minutes
- 9:30 am: 90 minutes
- 10:00 am: 60 minutes
- 10:30 am: 60 minutes
- 11:00 am: half-hour
- 11:30 am: 80 minutes
- 12:00 pm: 70 minutes
- 12:30 pm: 35 minutes
- 1:00 pm: 75 minutes
- 1:30 pm: 55 minutes
- 2:00 pm: 60 minutes
As a distinction, listed below are wait instances for Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice on the identical factors:
- 9:00 am: 60 minutes
- 9:30 am: 40 minutes
- 10:00 am: 50 minutes
- 10:30 am: 50 minutes
- 11:00 am: 40 minutes
- 11:30 am: 40 minutes
- 12:00 pm: 60 minutes
- 12:30 pm: 40 minutes
- 1:00 pm: 70 minutes
- 1:30 pm: 50 minutes
- 2:00 pm: Briefly Closed
There are a few issues value noting. The primary is that Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice is open for Early Entry, which explains its larger wait time as of 9 am. It had already been working for half-hour at that time, which is why the road was longer than TRON Lightcycle Run.
Second, TRON Lightcycle Run peaked for the day (at the least to date) from 9:13 to 9:21 am. This was undoubtedly the results of its park opening wait time being set too low (25 minutes?!), an enormous quantity of demand being induced consequently, and Magic Kingdom ops “responding” with an astronomical wait time (relative to the remainder of the park) to discourage extra folks from overwhelming the queue.
Such a ‘whiplash impact’ with wait instances truly occurs rather a lot. A very low wait time will entice a variety of visitors unexpectedly, and in response, the posted wait time skyrockets. We’ve identified beforehand that it’s higher to anticipate when wait instances will drop quite than reacting to it. In any other case, you’ll be a part of the flood of visitors all arriving across the identical time, quite than using the wave, so to talk.
Anyway, it’s comprehensible that this may occur on day one among a model new attraction. For all intents and functions, that’s what TRON is in terms of the standby line. So it’s additionally not vastly shocking that the posted wait would plummet to half-hour by 11 am. That isn’t simply because very visitors queued up between 9:15 am and 10:30 am (though fewer arrivals is a part of it). It’s additionally as a result of the 105 minute wait time by no means was correct within the first place.
As we identified beforehand, there will likely be a lull sooner or later for TRON Lightcycle Run through the center of the day. There all the time is for these headliners. The “when” of that is truly probably the most tough–truly, inconceivable–prediction to make of something on this checklist. It varies for different high tier sights, and we’d anticipate the identical right here.
It happens as a little bit of an accordion impact, as folks begin seeing the posted wait time imbalance and avoiding the attraction in query. After which abruptly, it drops dramatically. (For instance, Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice can have a 90 minute wait at 9:30 am whereas nearly each different attraction is at half-hour or much less. The logical visitor thus avoids SDMT and does one thing else. That occurs en masse, producing the aforementioned dynamic.)
Right here’s what I predicted final week: “My guess is that candy spot with TRON Lightcycle Run will happen between 10:30 am and 11 am most days. However that is only a guess, and I’m far much less assured on this than anything. One factor I’m sure about is that the daytime parade received’t have a lot, if any, bearing on TRON Lightcycle Run wait instances. Once more, the demographics are completely different.”
That turned out to be an correct prediction, nevertheless it’s additionally admittedly a little bit of dumb luck that TRON Lightcycle Run’s wait time was beneath an hour from 10:52 am to 11:22 am. After I wrote that, I really didn’t anticipate any consistency for the primary couple of weeks. It actually was not supposed as a gap day wait time prediction.
Actually, I’d’ve guessed larger wait time to start out the day–I can’t imagine somebody thought it was a good suggestion to publish 25 minutes. I’d’ve additionally wager that it could’ve stayed in triple digits territory, whatever the precise wait time, by way of lunch. In any case, this is unprecedented within the final decade. Not solely that, nevertheless it’s a Monday (busiest day of the week) and a non-party day at Magic Kingdom. Even when it’s the low season, the wait instances for TRON Lightcycle Run all through the day to date haven’t been unhealthy in any respect!
There are a number of potential explanations for TRON Lightcycle Run’s comparatively gradual standby begin (relative to expectations) other than crowds. One is that it skews considerably older than Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice. Teenagers and adults love the curler coaster, and is perhaps inclined to sleep in or present up after work to expertise it.
There’s additionally the truth that TRON Lightcycle Run is widely known as being higher at night time. Even the typical visitor is aware of this. The result’s {that a} good variety of folks received’t even try and journey TRON earlier within the day, and as an alternative will wait till night. It’ll be fascinating to see what occurs as soon as the solar units at 7:37 pm tonight.
Personally, if I had been in Magic Kingdom and wished to journey TRON Lightcycle Run at night time however didn’t wish to wait till park closing (the best choice), I’d most likely get in line round 7:15 pm. My guess is that crowds will likely be reactionary, getting in line as soon as it’s truly darkish, thus inflicting one other spike round 8 pm. The higher choice, once more, might be anticipating that occuring quite than reacting to it. Or ready till the very finish of the fireworks and beating that rush.
Finally, it’ll be fascinating to see whether or not 105 minutes stays the height wait time for TRON Lightcycle Run in the present day. On the one hand, it’s a a lot better journey at night time and lots of Walt Disney World followers–and even informal visitors–acknowledge this. So demand must be larger at night time than within the morning.
Alternatively, Magic Kingdom ops actually jacked up the wait time this morning shortly after opening…and it’s low season. So surpassing that triple-digit posted wait time is perhaps robust, even when the precise wait time at 8:30 pm is larger than it was at 9:30 am.
One factor I’m assured in predicting is that we’ve but to see the height wait time for TRON Lightcycle Run this month. On the very least, Magic Kingdom goes to be considerably busier within the final week of the month, and TRON ought to fairly simply be capable of hit two hours. I believe 120+ minute peak posted wait instances all through October and November are fairly protected bets. The higher query is whether or not TRON Lightcycle Run can surpass Avatar Flight of Passage because the longest line between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. Simply what number of hours will the wait be: 3, 4 or 5?!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you expect the height posted wait time will likely be for TRON Lightcycle Run in the present day? This month? This yr? What’s your optimum method and time of day to journey TRON Lightcycle Run? What would you suggest to Walt Disney World first-timers? Will you follow standby at one of many superb instances or purchase a Lightning Lane Single Cross for TRON? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
