DITP Perspective: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

"Hollywood, 1939.  Amid the glitz and the glitter of bustling in movie talent, tonight's story of The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique.  In tonight's episode, YOU are the star.  This elevator travels directly to... The Twilight Zone."

Ride Notes:
Opened: May 5, 2004
Height: 199 feet (just shy of FAA regulations which would require a red beacon on top)
Ride Type:  Drop Tower Thrill Ride
Height Requirement:  40"
Length of Ride:  Approx. 2 1/2 minutes 
Fastpass Available:  Yes

Intimidating?  We think so!

Tower of Terror lore states that The Hollywood Tower Hotel was once a bustling Hotel pandering to celebrities and dignitaries alike.  But on the evening of October 31, 1939 something went terribly awry.  One family (Mom, Dad, little girl complete with Mickey doll, Nanny and Bellhop), while boarding an elevator inside the Hotel, got more than they paid for when a lightning bolt struck the Hotel itself, blasting the poor occupants out of this world, and into that of The Twilight Zone.  Now, 70 years later, we are being invited into the Hotel to investigate the elevator ourselves (by none other than Rod Serling himself!).  The only question is:  Do you dare?

If there is one ride at The Park whose mere edifice is intimidating to surveying riders, it would have to be The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Disney has done an absolutely amazing job of recreating the facade of a now-dilapidated Hotel that was once magnificent, cut down in the prime of its life.

Where some attractions (at least in some regards) fail to do much beyond providing generic scenery leading up to the loading dock, the Tower of Terror excels in its subject matter.  Excluding the line surrounding the building itself, once you walk inside the Hotel's door there are any number of things that will keep your eyes searching the room around you.

The Hotel's lobby is absolutely fantastic!  While strolling through you have absolutely no problem at all believing that this was indeed at one time a truly fantastic Hotel.  It's old, it has a musty appearance (even though it doesn't smell it), and cobwebs are piled high on everything.  Not to mention, Disney has gone to great lengths to truly make this a Twilight Zone attraction; the lobby is a veritable treasure room for Twilight fans, including many genuine props from the television series itself.

Once outside of the Lobby, the stellar experience continues as you are ushered into a room just outside the basement boiler room to view a "lost" episode of The Twilight Zone where Rod Serling gives a brief set up for what's coming ahead (culminating in a dark room with lightning flashes).

Finally inside the basement where your ride awaits, you continue to move through the line, steadily making your way to your assigned elevator.  What might seem like just more line, however, isn't.  Again, Disney has gone to great lengths to make even the line an experience.  Filled with tons of little detail (including more props from the show), there is always something to see here.  After dozens of rides under our belts, we still see new things each and every time we are in here.

And when all is said and done, and your bellhop has shown you into your elevator and given you your assigned seat, the real fun begins.  We won't give away any more than that, but suffice to say it's a ride that's sure to please, and sure to keep you coming back each and every time you're in The Park.

We will, however, leave you with a snapshot of Days In The Park with Michael on his first time on Tower of Terror.  If his expression is any indication, we're sure you'll love Tower just as much as we do.

A Note from Mark: 

This is probably the only ride in The Park that really intimidated me.  For anyone who knows me, I wasn't always the daredevil I am today.  I always liked to brag about how The Tower of Terror was nothing, but in reality it scared the daylights out of me.  But that was a while back,  and I'm not the scared teenager I used to be.  Thanks to some hard encouragement from my friends, I've faced my fears in The Twilight Zone and it now stands proudly as one of my favorite rides in The Park.

On this attraction,  every experience is a different one.  Not only the ride itself,  but the people on it.  Unlike many of the other attractions around the resort, Tower affords you the time and opportunity to meet many of your fellow riders.  And if you somehow manage (like we have on a couple of youth trips) to bring enough people to literally man an entire car yourselves, it's a great place to get a group picture on an attraction.

And like most attractions, everybody has a favorite part.  Mine for example would have to be the library.  Yes, it's a part of waiting in line,  but it can be one of the funniest rooms in the building (we've come across people who, on their first ride, expected the room to drop beneath them at any moment).  For most visitors though, it's the ride itself, whether it be the thrill of falling down a service elevator shaft or the opportunity to pose for the camera at the top while you're overlooking The Park.  Chad and I are certainly no exception there.

I've lost count of how many visits to The Twilight Zone we've made.  Sometimes I think we keep coming back just so we can hear Rod Serling say, "Hollywood, 1939" over and over again.  Whatever the case, there is just something about that cursed hotel that keeps bringing in guests in.