The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Learn interesting facts about the famous Disney Ride
The Tower of Terror attraction is a ride where you go up and down fast in an elevator type vehicle. Guests enter the ride through the Hotel lobby and magically arrive in the basement, then they ride the elevator up to their room. The elevator gets stuck in some Twilight Zone and guest never makes it to their floor.
When I rode this attraction back on January 9, 2015, my vehicle got stuck just before the main part of the ride. While we were waiting, the lights happen to go on. I record the experience, not expecting the ride to suddenly start with the lights on.
At the end of the ride, we were all given an opportunity to ride again, I declined since I knew other people were waiting for me. Most everyone else took the opportunity to ride again.
Disney put a lot of attention to detail in the lobby of the hotel. While waiting in line, be sure to look around the lobby and waiting area.
Various information about this attraction
The attraction open in Disney World's Hollywood Studios on July 22, 1994. It was recreated in California Adventure on May 5, 2004.
When the attraction was built in Disney World, it was actually struck by lightning. (Strange because the whole concept of the ride is that people mysteriously disappeared when riding on an elevator.)
The Tower of Terror is 199ft. tall. When they first designed it there was supposed to be an elaborate sculpture on the top of the building. But any structure over 200ft. has to have a red blinking light on it. The Imagineers felt that the blinking light would take away from the mysteriousness of the attraction and intentionally made it just under the regulations.
At the front of the hotel, there is a single window, easily seen, with a light in it. It's just a dummy room with a light in it to add to the effect of the eerie hotel.
At night time you may see flashes from the hotel, that's from the ride. The flash is from the camera taking pictures of people's reactions as the elevator makes a sudden drop.
Immediately upon entering the Tower of Terror hotel lobby, look to the left. There is a Mah Jongg game in progress. This was an actual game played by some of the top Mah Jongg players who were invited to play at a Disney event.
In the lobby while you're standing behind the velvet rope in line, look to the far left of the lobby and you will see a small table with two chairs facing each other. On the table, there are two champagne glasses and an old bottle holder standing next to the table. If you have really good eye-sight, you will see lipstick on one of the glasses, and sitting on the table is a white glove with a diamond ring on it. (Ask a Cast Member about this while waiting in line for a good story.)
In the lobby, there is a stack of 3 or 4 suitcases. They are the same suitcases seen is the video in the library, the luggage of the missing guests. They are right next to the reception desk.
On the wall next to the concierge's desk is plaque honoring The Hollywood Tower Hotel with AAA's 13-diamond award.
The little girl going in elevator is holding a 1930's style Mickey doll; one of the very first ever made.
It's Rod Serling, original Twilight Zone, that you see in the video clip just before you get on the ride. Disney hired a voice actor to describe the ride. When the clip cuts away from Rod Serling, it's when the voice actor speaks.
Make sure to secure any loose objects that you may have with you.
The shafts have giant motors that are three times as powerful as those in the former New York City's World Trade Center.
The Tower has a motor in the bottom of the ride that actually pulls you down faster than you would normally fall. Try this the next time you're on the ride, put a penny on your knee and watch how you go down faster than the penny does. You are actually weightless for a second.
There are wind jets around the vehicle to make you feel that you are falling faster than you are.
The elevator drops from 155 feet allowing for a fall of 130 feet and a 25-foot brake run
Twilight Zone objects can be seen just after your fall as your cage is slowly rotated around to go to the exit. It is easy to miss in the rush after the excitement of the ride. Yet another attention to detail that not everyone would notice.