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Park Hoppin
In association with Park Hoppin’with Susan Storey L
ast month I wrote about Walt Disney World’s newest roller coaster, TRON Lightcycle / Run. The fastest roller coaster
at Disney’s parks, it’s a whole lot of fun and the perfect addition to the Magic Kingdom. The ride was announced in 2017 and immediately people started looking for more information, finding videos of TRON Lightcycle Power Run from Shanghai Disneyland. The first TRON- themed roller coaster debuted when the park
opened in 2016. It was exciting and extended the storyline from the Tron movies. Anticipation was high as we waited for the fast coaster to ‘enter the grid’ in the United States. Flash forward to 2023 and TRON is all I hoped it would be. I lost count
of how many times I rode it at the Magic Kingdom last month, ultimately deciding the front row is the best. Riding it at night is almost an entirely new experience, too, as you are surrounded by the lights on the intricate outdoor canopy. While at the Media Preview event for TRON, I had a little secret thought.
It was not my first time on TRON. I am one of the lucky people who has visited the Shanghai park and rode TRON Lightcycle Power Run there. The official word about the two coasters is that they are extensions of each other, and that the difference in their names merely reflects the fact that a ‘new gateway to the grid’ has opened at the Magic Kingdom in Florida. Otherwise, they are the same. A few people asked me if there were differences between the two, and which I liked better. I soon heard myself saying, “I really can’t remember.” Then I felt silly. Who can’t remember a great ride like TRON? While I have never been one to easily note the difference between
which break-runs stop the hardest, which coasters have the most air time, and other unique details like that, I always remember how I felt and who I experienced them with. TRON in Shanghai was definitely a special experience for me. IAAPA Expo Asia 2019 had just ended and a group of some of my favourite industry friends and colleagues were staying in China for one more day solely to visit Shanghai Disneyland. No work. All play. It remains one of my favourite days. We began with bizarre stories of
how we got there using China’s version of Uber, followed by potentially overwhelming a few cast members when we asked for 10 beers, and then surprising ride crews throughout the day when we would repeat attractions several times. And yes, we rode TRON. We had heard about it and were excited. The motorbike seating was fun, and the coaster was fast and smooth. While I remember that, what stands out most was being with the group. Marvelling at the themed queue and each of us pointing out different elements. Laughing as we paired up and boarded the motorbikes. Finishing the experience all smiles and saying how much we couldn’t wait for it to come to Florida. Last month, I almost replicated the experience stateside. During the
Magic Kingdom event, I was with some colleagues and friends, and soon found myself remembering my TRON 2019 experience. This year, we marvelled at the incredible canopy, played with the cool locker system, laughed about the motorbike seating, zipped along the track and finished all smiles. Was it exactly the same as Shanghai? Technically, I think so. Do I look at it that way? Not at all. New memories were made on a new ride. With the summer season upon us, our industry is opening new rides
around the world almost daily. (Check out my ArieForce One story in this issue!) Some are the first of their kind. Others are similar to existing ones at sister parks. That’s not what matters though. What matters is why we do what we do. We create rides and attractions that bring people together and give them new memories. They remember who shrieked, who laughed, who couldn’t wait to go again. I’m originally from Rochester, New York, home of Eastman Kodak,
the company behind photography. It was also the longtime employer of Paul Ruben, the beloved writer who initiated this column. Years ago, Kodak sponsored the ‘Journey to Imagination’ attraction at EPCOT. In the pre-show song, you could hear the lyrics, “Making memories, making memories, taking pictures is making memories. Catching little pieces of time, making them yours, and making them mine.” We’re all making memories. And in this busy world, what better thing is
there to do? Theme parks are universal. They offer something for everyone, at all ages and stages of life and are the perfect places to celebrate milestones. But let’s discuss preteens developing crushes; this mom asks that we raise that age limit.
APRIL 2023
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