Pros and Cons of Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
We’ve entered the heart of the summer, a time when Disney parks are at their fullest.
For this reason, you might not get to ride everything you want during a single-day visit. This fear of missing out will make you a bit more cautious.
So, we’re starting a new series to discuss whether a ride is worth your time when the wait is long.
Here are the pros and cons of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
Spoiler: This one’s almost entirely pros!
Pros:
I’ve covered the prestigious Golden Ticket Awards for a decade now, and I can say one thing with confidence.
Nobody ever wins a theme park Golden Ticket as a fluke. Only THE best attractions on the planet emerge victorious.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has won this category within the last five years, which is incredible for a 28-year-old ride.
Obviously, this is one of the best rides ever.
Theming
You’ll know this the instant you witness the Hollywood Tower Hotel in the distance.
According to the attraction’s theming, this hotel once hosted the Hollywood elite. Then, something happened so startling that people stopped visiting.
Once you walk inside the hotel, you’ll recognize the tell-tale signs that it’s abandoned. Cobwebs hang from books and shelves.
The cast members dress as soulless bellhops long since past the ability to demonstrate human emotion.
You’ll fully believe you’ve entered the Twilight Zone because every aspect of the experience echoes concepts from the series. Speaking of which…
Unique Tie-in
Most Disney attractions pay tribute to beloved Disney stories. Then, in some rare instances, Disney has created its own vision for a new story.
With the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, park officials did something quite rare.
Disney searched outside its intellectual property (IP) library to find a story worth telling.
At one point, Stephen King’s and Mel Brooks’s premises were distinct possibilities.
Eventually, Disney settled on the unlikeliest scenario of all. It acquired licensing rights to a CBS property, an agreement that remains in place today!
Disney left its comfort zone to build a different kind of attraction, one with gothic menace.
Presence of Rod Serling
Of course, a Twilight Zone ride wouldn’t feel the same without Rod Serling in it.
The narrator and caretaker of the Twilight Zone franchise died long before Imagineers started creating the attraction.
So, Disney did the right thing and gained the rights to use Serling’s narration and appearance for the film as well.
What happened next is pure Imagineering magic. Disney found a Twilight Zone episode whose dialogue somewhat matched what the company wanted.
Then, Disney hired a Serling impersonator fully approved by the late actor’s family to perform the new narration.
Most people don’t even realize that Serling isn’t the one talking for most of the ride. It’s a stunning achievement in maintaining immersion.
Easter Eggs
During the pre-show for the ride, you’ll enter a library and listen to Serling speak.
Fans of the series will notice literally dozens of clever Easter eggs that reference seminal moments from Twilight Zone episodes.
The book, To Serve Man, is fittingly on display in the library. You’ll also notice the fortune teller that tormented William Shatner.
An alien spacesuit from the brilliant episode, The Invaders, is also visible, at least if you remember to look for it.
To those who are knowledgeable about Twilight Zone stories, this ride’s Easter eggs provide pure joy.
Ride Photo/Video
When you ride Tower of Terror, your elevator cart will bounce up and down erratically, leaving you to guess about your next direction.
Disney brilliantly chose to add ride photos and videos to capture the moment.
Some of my favorite ride pictures ever come from Tower of Terror. During my earlier rides, I always looked scared and disoriented.
Nowadays, I know when the picture happens, which has created a secondary game of posing stylishly while experiencing zero gravity. It’s not easy.
Hilariously, the cast members sometimes partake in this pursuit as well, which brings us to…
Cast Member Glee
Some Disney attractions qualify as destination gigs. I wouldn’t describe Tower of Terror that way, as it’s one workers outgrow quickly.
The idea of spending plenty of time at the Hollywood Tower Hotel appeals to everyone…until summer comes and you’re wearing a bellhop outfit in 100-degree weather.
Despite this fact, many of the cast members working at Tower of Terror delight in their employment. They relish becoming a part of the show.
Sometimes, the zombie cast members will create ride pictures that you’ll discover in your own My Disney Experience account.
I’ve randomly noticed images four bellhops, all of them in zombie states, making the universe shushing symbol for “Don’t tell this secret!” in my pictures. It’s glorious!
Similarly, Tower of Terror is never better than when a bellhop embraces the spirit of the attraction.
The best workers here will taunt you caustically when you thank them. They’ll laughingly reply, “Don’t thank me yet…” as if they know your fate.
Touches like this differentiate Tower of Terror from its peers. It’s a darker experience than everything else at Disney, and that works heavily in its favor.
Cons:
Honestly, there aren’t many…
Ride Duration
At its heart, the Tower of Terror is a drop tower ride, the find you’ll encounter at every amusement/theme park on the planet.
On drop tower rides, you board the ride cart. It lifts you up in the air and then drops you to the ground.
Conversely, you start on the ground before the cart soars into the sky, taking your breath away.
Tower of Terror does both, but it’d be a too-short ride if that were all.
Thankfully, Imagineers accounted for this by tripling the duration of the experience.
First, you’ll enter the elevator shaft and ride to the top floor. Then, your cart will detach and drive through a Twilight Zone-imbued section.
Finally, you’ll reach your final destination, where you will get tossed around like a Nerf football.
Even allowing for the different sections, the ride itself takes less than four minutes. That’s on the short side at Disney.
Intensity of Experience
Also, zero-gravity movement isn’t for everyone.
If you’re someone who experiences nausea during such rides, you may want to skip this one.
I especially would recommend skipping the Tower of Terror soon after meals or the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Otherwise, you could experience a protein spill.
Wait Times When Only One Side is Operational
Finally, the Tower of Terror comes with what bit of aggravation. Due to its intense nature, Disney frequently performs maintenance.
The company does that to ensure guest safety. And the clever design of the system makes this simple.
Disney can and does operate the Tower of Terror at half-throughput at times.
Park officials will close one side of the attraction for refurbishment, while the other side operates as usual.
In such instances, the wait time doubles because the throughput has fallen by 50 percent.
You may want to check whether Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is operating at full capacity before your trip.
MickeyBlog will tell you when refurbishment is underway.
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