TRON: The Ride

[CafeFantasia]

Ok, this needs to be written down. Let's discuss the idea of turning the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at WDSP into TRON: The Ride. Out with Aerosmith and in with Daft Punk  

The ugly industrial exterior of the ride could be transformed into Flynn's Arcade; a brick building that houses an abandoned 1980s arcade. A large FLYNN'S sign glows in orange neon above the entrance arches.

Entering Flynn's Arcade would recreate the moment in TRON: Legacy when Sam returns to Flynn's to investigate a mysterious message from his dead/missing father. The interior of the queue would be full of old 1980s arcade machines, with the songs Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) playing, as the electronics are switched on again.

The current Aerosmith pre-show room would be replaced with a scene where you (the visitors) enter a secret computer lab, and are digitised by a laser, transporting you inside the world of the computer. The room would transform around you, with the iconic TRON white lines spreading and sprawling all over the walls.

The load area would have you fully immersed in the world of TRON; a striking mixture of jet black walls and glowing white outlines. Music from the film (such as the track Recognizer) would be blaring loudly through speakers, as you make your way to board the train. Sirens in white suits would help you board your vehicle. While the roller coaster train couldn't be turned in a light cycle, perhaps it could be a Light Train, a new type of vehicle from the TRON universe?

As for the ride itself, I'll leave that up to you guys to describe. But one thing is clear, a soundtrack by Daft Punk would definitely be used  





Keywords: Disneyland Paris, DLP, Walt Disney Studios Park, Imagineering, TRON, TRON Legacy, TRON Ride, TRON Coaster, TRON Attraction, Daft Punk, WDSP, DLRP

[davewasbaloo]

Some nice thinking here, but as much as I love TRON, I prefer RNRC. I like how they have tried to think through the Backlot and there is actually a strong theme there. You go from the admin/management offices of where Stitch Live/PDL is to catering, then it used to be prop storage across from the special effects stage (they ruined the Backlot Express), the sound stage (RNRC) and then the backlot for filming - Moteurs Action/Tram Tour.

I really like the edutainment facet of WDSP, and this is one of the multitude of reasons why I hate Toon Studio and TSPL.

[dansmith]

I like the idea but would hate to lose RNRC, well not the outside so much!! How about an indoor racing coaster, two coasters launched together racing on the grid like the light cycles.. mind you that would mean a whole new attraction and it would be a second indoor coaster and it would cost a fortune... ok I haven't entirely thought this out but a Racing Tron coaster would still be cool!!

[dagobert]

I like the idea of a Tron ride, but I also don't want to lose RnRC, since I like Aerosmith's music a lot. But the exterior of the building should be rethemed.

Maybe the Test Track technolgy could be used for a Tron ride. At Cars Land in DCA there are two tracks and the same could be used for the Grid, although the whole ride has to be inside to create all the Grid effects.

[CafeFantasia]

Obviously a duelling roller coaster or a Test Track type ride would be better for TRON. But I was trying to come up with an idea that was realistic and wouldn't cost too much; something that could actually happen in Paris.

I know you all love Aerosmith, but why is the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster so unpopular? I mean, it should be the park's most popular ride, the one that has massive queues and people always talk about. But it isn't. Something about it isn't right, the magic isn't there. It isn't doing its job properly as an attraction, because it isn't attracting people enough.

So I was trying to come up with a way of keeping the building, keeping the ride, but changing the theming and the story to create a more immersive, cinematic experience.

[dagobert]

Obviously a duelling roller coaster or a Test Track type ride would be better for TRON. But I was trying to come up with an idea that was realistic and wouldn't cost too much; something that could actually happen in Paris.

I know you all love Aerosmith, but why is the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster so unpopular? I mean, it should be the park's most popular ride, the one that has massive queues and people always talk about. But it isn't. Something about it isn't right, the magic isn't there. It isn't doing its job properly as an attraction, because it isn't attracting people enough.

So I was trying to come up with a way of keeping the building, keeping the ride, but changing the theming and the story to create a more immersive, cinematic experience.

Maybe because it is just a roller coaster through a lightshow. At WDW you are riding through a Hollywood setting and honestly I like that version better.

[CafeFantasia]

You're right, the Orlando version at DHS has a much clearer story and better theming. I much prefer Orlando's pre-show, load area and unload areas. But as for the coaster ride itself, I think the Paris version is more spectacular, even if it doesn't make any sense.

But I still stand by my TRON: The Ride idea. It's more contemporary, it's fresher, it's more cinematic, it's more of a fantasy. Besides, how popular are Aerosmith in France? Do the French (in general) really know or identify with Aerosmith? I think the idea of an Aerosmith roller coaster really has more appeal to Americans.

[davewasbaloo]

Maybe because it is just a roller coaster through a lightshow. At WDW you are riding through a Hollywood setting and honestly I like that version better.

Really? I am the opposite. although DHS has a better exterior, what I love about ours is it is faster, and the lighting and smoke is more disorientating than the stupid blacklit flats of the Florida version. I also love the fact that the queue is not bad at all (unlike in Florida). I love how you can do ToT and RNRC in 20 minutes at DLP (while Moteurs Action is on) whereas that could be 2 hours in WDW.

[davewasbaloo]

But I still stand by my TRON: The Ride idea. It's more contemporary, it's fresher, it's more cinematic, it's more of a fantasy. Besides, how popular are Aerosmith in France? Do the French (in general) really know or identify with Aerosmith? I think the idea of an Aerosmith roller coaster really has more appeal to Americans.

For now, but for how long. I find electronica ages far faster than Rock, but then I am a rocker. FWIW, I have seen Aerosmith live in the US, UK and Paris, and the French crowd seemed to be the most into it (though all three gigs were awesome).

I particularly loved them at Wembley Stadium all those years ago - 3 Colours Red, Black Crowes, Stereophonics, Lenny Kravitz, then Aerosmith followed by fireworks. I wore that t shirt on the preview of WDSP and the cast member let me ride over and over without queing!  Man, I miss the bus out front, whatever happened to it?

But I am biased as an American, I have been an Aerosmith fan for as long as I can remember, certainly enjoyed them in the 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's and loving Steven Tyler on American IDol. But I digress. I am a huge TRON fan too. But I think it would make less sense in the Studios than Discoverland for example.

[dagobert]

Maybe because it is just a roller coaster through a lightshow. At WDW you are riding through a Hollywood setting and honestly I like that version better.

Really? I am the opposite. although DHS has a better exterior, what I love about ours is it is faster, and the lighting and smoke is more disorientating than the stupid blacklit flats of the Florida version. I also love the fact that the queue is not bad at all (unlike in Florida). I love how you can do ToT and RNRC in 20 minutes at DLP (while Moteurs Action is on) whereas that could be 2 hours in WDW.

So the ride in Paris is really faster? I had the same feeling, but I thought, since it is the same track layout and both rides built by Vekoma, that can't be true.
The lightning is great at WDS' version, but most of the time the smoke didn't work and so you could see the track and beams. I can't remember what the queue at DHS looked like. What also annoys me about Paris, is that the pre show in the recording studio where you meet Aerosmith was just a walkthrough in 2008 and 2010. The doors were open to walk through and there was no pre show. Maybe we had just bad luck and now the pre show is shown again.

[dagobert]

For now, but for how long. I find electronica ages far faster than Rock, but then I am a rocker. FWIW, I have seen Aerosmith live in the US, UK and Paris, and the French crowd seemed to be the most into it (though all three gigs were awesome).

I particularly loved them at Wembley Stadium all those years ago - 3 Colours Red, Black Crowes, Stereophonics, Lenny Kravitz, then Aerosmith followed by fireworks. I wore that t shirt on the preview of WDSP and the cast member let me ride over and over without queing!  Man, I miss the bus out front, whatever happened to it?

The bus in front of RnRC is gone?? Last year it was still there. Hopefully it returns.

[davewasbaloo]

Maybe because it is just a roller coaster through a lightshow. At WDW you are riding through a Hollywood setting and honestly I like that version better.

Really? I am the opposite. although DHS has a better exterior, what I love about ours is it is faster, and the lighting and smoke is more disorientating than the stupid blacklit flats of the Florida version. I also love the fact that the queue is not bad at all (unlike in Florida). I love how you can do ToT and RNRC in 20 minutes at DLP (while Moteurs Action is on) whereas that could be 2 hours in WDW.

So the ride in Paris is really faster? I had the same feeling, but I thought, since it is the same track layout and both rides built by Vekoma, that can't be true.
The lightning is great at WDS' version, but most of the time the smoke didn't work and so you could see the track and beams. I can't remember what the queue at DHS looked like. What also annoys me about Paris, is that the pre show in the recording studio where you meet Aerosmith was just a walkthrough in 2008 and 2010. The doors were open to walk through and there was no pre show. Maybe we had just bad luck and now the pre show is shown again.

Yep, the launch is faster, by about 6kph if I recall. I suppose I remember the lighting and smoke in the form it was created and think it is great, I have not been on it that much recently given how my kids are too small. But every time I have, the preshow has been working correctly.

The bus was not there last June or August if I recall. anyone know the state of play right now?

[CafeFantasia]

Here's a Tom Fitzgerald quote from 2010:

"Well for us at Disney it always starts with the story. As Imagineers we like to say, when we start, that it's a blank piece of paper. Anything is possible. There are no such things as bad ideas, and so we encourage our guys to just dream big, come up with the craziest ideas, you never know what's going to come out of it."

See, every ride starts with a story. Even Paris' Rock 'n' Roller Coaster :-)

[dagobert]

Didn't Tom Fitzgerald say that when he described TSPL? So that's going to happen when Imagineers dream big? How big did the Imagineers dream when creating Disneyland Paris? They must have slept for a very long time!!!

[CafeFantasia]

Yep, that quote is from him talking about Toy Story Playland on Blue Peter. So Toy Story Playland is what happens when Imagineers dream big, and Disneyland Park (Euro Disneyland, 1992) is what happens when Imagineers...