Seven Tower of Terror tidbits

Today, I'm trying a different idea ... 7 tidbits about a specific area or ride in Disney World. Who knows, I might expand the idea to other locations, but for now, I'll stick to what I know... Walt Disney World. 

Some of the facts are pretty basic, and some of the facts are based off of cast member experiences and a bit of "behind the scenes" information. With any luck, it won't entirely ruin the magic for anyone.

This week's topic is an easy one for me... Tower of Terror.

1.       You probably knew that Walt Disney World’s Tower of Terror, at 199 feet tall, is one of tallest attractions on property. However, did you know why it’s 199 feet tall? FAA (Federal Aviation Agency) rules says that any building that is 200 feet tall or taller must have a light on top in order to alert aircraft in the area. Since putting a government regulation blinking light on top of the building would ruin the theming of the pink hotel, the building design had to be just under the requirement. 

2.       Speaking of the top of the Hollywood Hills Hotel, the very top of the hotel is a gazebo. Is it real? Yes, it’s a real gazebo and an entrance point for the rooftop area. “Can I go up there?” No. “Why not?” For several reasons, but mostly because it is dangerous to get up there and it is a backstage area.  Even “normal cast members” aren’t usually allowed up there. It is usually restricted to ride engineers, security, Tower cast members, and park upper management.  Having said that, I’ve been up there because I was a member of the Studios park security department for years. One of graveyard shift’s “rounds” is to check the Terror of Terror for safety reasons, and report anything out of the ordinary. Fun and spooky because of the building design… more on that later. In order to get to the top, cast members have to climb several staircases to the top floor. Inside of the top floor is a special room that has a ladder that goes straight up to the roof. It is not an easy- or safe- climb. Once at the top, a locked/latched attic door led out to the small platform surround by chest-height gazebo walls. The view is amazing - of course. 

3.       Spooky? How?  The design of the tower is a large concrete building with no windows except what you see opening during the drop sequence.  Since the ride has multiple elevator shifts, it has multiple identical staircases for cast members to navigate the building.  I’ve been lost in the building before … many times. Each time was like being in the twilight zone. One time, I remember going down to the bottom of a staircase and thinking it was going to a specific exit point only to open the door to a 2-foot drop onto dirt-- clearly not a normal exit.  Also, while the ride is in operation, you are not allowed to open any of the doors to the drop shafts because the force of the ride would suck you into the shaft.  Safe D begins with me (and my ability to read- and adhere to - warning signs.) There was talk among tower cast members and security cast that Tower was actually haunted but the only spooky thing about tower to me was the building itself. 

4.       Insider information that has absolutely no use to you but I always loved knowing what it means. When a ride “goes 101” it means that the ride has stopped or broken down temporarily.  While standing in que for the ride - guests may overhear “tower has gone 101 Foxtrot.”  What that means is that the ride vehicle has stopped in a specific point of the attraction. Each of the drop shafts are labeled: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot; it is named after the phonetic alphabet. 

   

5.       Tower of Terror in Florida is unique than the one in California because of its design. The ride in California does not travel through “the 5^th dimension” as it does in Florida. The rumor is because it the ride car in Florida which has to travel across the floor to the other drop shaft poses another place where the ride can get stuck and break down. It’s complicated. California avoided that all together and the car stays inside of one shaft. Oh, and “The 5^th dimension” with the light on is just one big, freaky mirrored room. 

6.       Speaking of “freaky rooms” - let’s not forget about “the ghost room”. That is literally, what the ride engineers call it. That is the place when the elevator goes up and the doors up on to the story of how the five people disappeared “one stormy night long ago” … then they turn into ghosts.  Fun “ride design” fact, there are 2 floors of ghost rooms -on floor 4 and floor 5.  Coined Pepper’s Ghost, this trick employs simple mirroring techniques which help create the illusion of three-dimensional, translucent “ghosts.”  it's the same technique used at the Haunted Mansion.

7. Speaking of the Haunted Mansion -- another commonality shared between the ride is the cast member expectation of theming. It is "frowned upon" for the The bellhops at Tower of Terror to smile much like it is expected at The Haunted Mansion. The bellhops are encouraged to stay in character with the theming of the ride.  

The Tower of Terror is actually at 3 other Theme Parks but they all have different ride designs and themes. Disney's California Adventure has transitioned to a "Guardians of the Galaxy" theme. In Japan, it's the story of an adventurer who is jinxed by an African artifact, in Paris, it's similar to Florida but has the California ride design of  three drop shafts but no traveling through the 5th dimension.

If you want to book a Trip Walt Disney World, Disneyland or other areas, drop me a line at Deborah.Schaben@mousetalestravel.com

Next stop in my blog may be the Magic Kingdom...