I was one of the first riders on Disney World's new Tron coaster, and it was worth the 5-year wait

• Tron Lightcycle / Run is the newest and one of the fastest rides at Disney World.

• Construction on the attraction started in 2018, and I got an early preview of the ride.

• It's a great addition to Magic Kingdom, with high speeds and incredible special effects.

Tron Lightcycle / Run is a new roller coaster at Magic Kingdom.

Tron Lightcycle Power Run opened at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, and at the 2017 D23 Expo, the company announced the high-speed, indoor/outdoor coaster would come to Magic Kingdom at Disney World.

Construction on the "Tron: Legacy"-inspired ride, renamed Tron Lightcycle / Run, started in 2018, and fans have spent five years waiting for the completion of the project.

The new coaster is located in the Tomorrowland area of Magic Kingdom just to the left of Space Mountain. It's the largest expansion of the park since New Fantasyland opened in 2012.

Tron Lightcycle / Run just opened to the public, but I was able to get a preview during a media event for journalists.

There's a large plaza area that leads up to the attraction.

In front of the attraction, there's a large plaza where guests can wait in line, take photos of the coaster's massive canopy, or try a few snacks at the new Energy Bytes quick-service kiosk.

This area was once just a semi-hidden pathway between Tomorrowland and Storybook Circus, where guests could sit and enjoy a quiet area of the park or wave at the people riding the Walt Disney World Railroad.

At the base of the plaza is the ride's marquee, which is a great spot for photos with the canopy in the background.

Walking under the canopy is a thrill in itself.

As I walked up the pathway to the entrance of the attraction, I was in awe as I stood under the canopy. I learned that it's an impressive 105 feet high and has more than 1,200 lights.

While taking in the views, Lightcycle ride vehicles zoomed by, adding to my building excitement as I made my way to the queue.

Just outside of the outdoor portion queue, there's a test seat for people to try out.

The Tron Lightcycle / Run ride vehicle is unique — it's more like a motorcycle than a traditional coaster seat. Every rider gets their own Lightcycle, but getting in and out can be tricky.

Luckily, there's a test seat outside the queue area. You can practice getting on and off and see what the seat is like before getting in line.

Once I entered the indoor portion of the queue, I actually felt like I was in the Grid from "Tron: Legacy."

After a short wait outside, I made my way to the inside portion of the queue. The first hallway was very small but had great lighting effects.

Then a door opened into the "Digitizer" where everyone is welcomed into the world of "Tron" and the Grid. The visual effects in this room are mind-blowing and on par with the storytelling and creativity of recent attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

As someone who's never seen any of the "Tron" movies, I appreciated that the storyline was simple. I didn't need a lot of background information to understand what was going on.

Before getting on the ride, everyone has to put their belongings into lockers.

Tron Lightcycle / Run is Disney World's first ride with a required locker system, similar to the one at the Universal theme parks.

To use the free double-sided lockers, guests need to scan a MagicBand or park ticket. After unlocking, everything that's bigger than a cell phone must go into the locker. If you want to bring your phone, wallet, sunglasses, or other small items, there's a very small storage compartment on the front of the Lightcycle.

Getting into the seat was a little tricky, but the employees helped me figure it out.