One of the highlights of Disney’s Hollywood Studios is taking a trip to the Twilight Zone, and the best way to get there is through the Tower of Terror!
This accelerated drop tower dark ride is the tallest building at the studios, bringing the storyline of a fictional resort called the “Hollywood Tower Hotel” to life through a number of technological breakthroughs and a huge thrill factor.
But there’s so much more to this E-Ticket attraction than the screams would suggest!
GENERAL STATS
Area – Sunset Boulevard
Opening Date – July 22, 1994
Attraction – Drop Tower Dark Ride
Vehicle Type – Elevator
Duration – 3:34 Minutes
FastPass+ Available
FALLING FOR THE FIRST TIME
The elevator actually doesn’t “fall” per say. It’s actually pulled down at a rapid speed. Weightlessness is accomplished by cables attached to the bottom of the elevator while pulls it down at a speed that slightly faster than what the free fall speed would provide.
DISTANT FACADE
When you stand in the World Showcase at EPCOT by Mexico and look at the Morocco pavilion, the Tower of Terror can be seen.
ROD STERLING….KINDA
Most folks think that the narrator of the attraction is Rod Stewart, but it’s actually the talented voice performer by the name of Mark Silverman.
POWER OF THE DROP
Each drop shaft is serviced by its own individual 130,000 lb motor.
TOWER OF TERROR FILM FACTS
What does Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst have in common? Well they both starred in a tv film called “Tower of Terror”, which was the first film based on a Disney theme park attraction AND the only made for television.
Many of the scenes of the film were filmed at Disney’s MGM Studios (prior name to Disney’s Hollywood Studios) in addition to the Disney Burbank Studios.
LIGHTNING ROD
Just like most buildings in Walt Disney World, the Tower of Terror has been struck by lightning in real life. There are many lightning rods on the building, so keep an eye out the next time you’re in line…because they blend right in!
WHEN SHOULD YOU RIDE TOWER OF TERROR?
The best time to ride is first thing in the morning (Park open to around 1030am) and then again between 2-330pm in the afternoon.
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WHERE SHOULD YOU SIT?
Great question! The difference between the seats in the front and the back is actually minimal, so try to get front & centre. IF you are a little more scared and need an extra thing to hold on to, you can sit on the outside and hang on to the cage.
There are so many amazing facts and stories surrounding the Tower of Terror and it’s rich history of how it was brought from a basic concept into the attraction that we see today.
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