Seven Wonders of Walt Disney World; The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror represents all that Walt Disney Imagineering can do and what separates their attractions from anyone else’s. It is an extraordinary thrill ride and an iconic structure, unique to the happiest place on earth.
I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on the Hollywood Tower Hotel. I had been to the Disney-MGM studios many times before, and loved it. Like Epcot and the Magic Kingdom before it, the Studios were a happy place. Delightful music played in the background. Comedic actors lined the streets putting a smile on everyone’s face. There were even cartoons being drawn in a nearby building. All and all, it was a very Disney place to be sure.
That all changed in 1994, when the Hollywood Tower Hotel began taking reservations. The theater or the water tower, were no longer the focal point. Now the park’s visual experience was dominated by a giant, decrepit looking hotel whose very appearance was both intimidating and exciting. Instead of the nice music filling your ears, all throughout the front half of the park it seemed that all you could hear was screaming. Every few seconds, people were projecting the most blood-curdling and humorous screams you could possibly imagine. Suddenly, we weren’t in Kansas anymore.
From the moment you step inside this wonder, it pulls you in. The details in the lobby are too much to notice the first dozen times you ride. The cast members are terrific as bell hops. But when the pre-show begins, and that wonderful voice of Rod Serling gives you the fun and campy intro, you know you’re in for something special. It gradually builds you up. Even the wait to board the elevator’s is themed remarkably well. The ride is completely immersive, and when the “elevator” moves out of the shaft through space, you get the feeling of impending doom. Everything that makes Disney’s rides great, from theme to story to excitement, is done to perfection in this attraction.
The Tower of Terror has even gotten better with age. Now it rises and plunges over and over again randomly, so even the most die-hard fans like me are surprised by what takes place. The vehicle and programming that allowed this to happen is a credit to the folks who made it. Can you think of any other ride that has developed like this one?
There are some great details to the Hollywood Tower Hotel, my favorite being that it matches the Moroccan Pavilion at Epcot’s World Showcase so as to not be a visual intrusion to that park. (Take a look at the photo below.) There are too many to name, but check this link out. It is a Tower of Terror fan site. Take some time and stroll through the info there. It will amaze you.
