The Locker Rule That Could Impact 'Monsters, Inc.' Land in Disney World

At last year’s D23 Ultimate Fan Event, Disney released the game-changing news that a Monsters, Inc. Land was on its way to Hollywood Studios! The land had long been rumored, and fans were practically besides themselves with excitement when Disney confirmed that the land was coming, announcing that it would be “Picking up after the events of Pixar’s beloved film, humans have now been invited to visit the world of Monsters, Inc. — and the monsters need laughter to power the city and keep it running smoothly.”

A new land themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Monsters, Inc.” is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Taking place after the events of the film, Monstropolis need humans’ laughter to power the city. Guests can even ride on a door like Mike and Sully in the iconic scene from the film with Disney’s first-ever suspended coaster.

However, the most excitement was reserved for the confirmation of the land’s headlining attraction and also long-rumored coaster based on one of the film’s most iconic sequences: a trip through the Monsters, Inc. factory’s door vault! As Josh D’Amaro put it at the time, “The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley. You’ll go into the factory and experience the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We’re doing that, too. And you’re going along for the ride.”

Speculation about the coaster – – aided by the concept art – – has been high since it was announced, and we’re thinking that one of Disney World’s most recent thrill ride additions may shed some light on how the door coaster might work.

We’re talking of course about TRON Lightcycle/Run and its unique locker system.

TRON lockers

For those who’ve never ridden or simply need a refresher, there’s a section of the TRON queue just prior to boarding featuring small, complimentary lockers which can be used to store items like hats, Mickey Ears, small bags, Loungeflys, and etc. You simply choose a locker, match it up with your MagicBand, and store your stuff.

TRON Lockers

After riding the coaster and exiting, you’ll come on to another set of lockers – – in actuality the other side of the previous lockers. Here, you’re able to use your MagicBand to open another door on the other side of the same locker to retrieve your belongings.

Given that the upcoming door coaster is going to be “a suspended ride recreating the door vault scene” it seems likely that the attraction will need to utilize a locker system so guests don’t lose small articles, especially given the concept art of the ride vehicles, which don’t indicate much storage space for belongings.

An elevated “door coaster” will be featured in a Monsters Inc.-themed attraction, to be placed in a new land in Hollywood Studios. [The Walt Disney Company]

Given the efficiency of TRON’s “2 locker door” system and the way it keeps the locker area from being overcrowded on either side of the attraction, it seems likely that Disney may implement a similar system on their newest – – sure to be popular – – coaster. Plus, there’s already an in-story reason for their to be a locker room at the factory, as one of the film’s set pieces takes place in one.

©Pixar

While not much concrete is known about the upcoming Monsters, Inc. door coaster quite yet, we can use some context clues to determine that it may have a locker system similar to TRON Lightcycle/Run. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on this upcoming attraction.