Attraction Review- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Apologies for the delay in posting this, I have been experiencing some technical issues, which are now resolved.

This week, the focus is on one of Walt Disney World's tallest, and arguably most thrilling, attractions. Located over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, standing proudly at one end of the magnificent Sunset Boulevard, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the most high tech attractions in the entire world, and has been ever since is opening on July 22nd, 1994, thanks to several high profile upgrades in recent years.

The Tower of Terror (ToT) is 199 feet high, and second only to Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom in the stakes of WDW's tallest attraction. Both are under 200 feet due to regulations which require a red beacon to be placed upon any building whose height exceeds 200 feet, which the Imagineers thought would spoil the theming.

ToT, which is based on the events from the popular 'Twilight Zone' TV Series, has guests entering the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel, which has been deserted since 1939, when a lightening strike caused 5 people travelling in the hotel's elevator to cross over into the 5th Dimension, or the Twilight Zone as it's more commonly known. Guests watch a short movie in the Hotel's Library explaining all this, before being told that 'their rooms are ready' (a nice touch), and boarding a service elevator which takes them on an awe-inspiring, adrenaline-pumping ride.

In the section of the ride where the elevator drops, it's actually PULLED down, faster than the speed of gravity, maximising the thrill and making it feel like you left your stomach at the top! I won't spoil it for those of you who have never ridden it, but I will say that the theming and detail of this entire attraction is absolutely exquisite, a real Imagineering masterpiece! I know I say that about a lot of things at Walt Disney World, but the Tower of Terror really is! The Unofficial Guide doesn't call it Walt Disney World's best attraction for nothing, you know!

For an attraction of its pedigree, the ToT can be surprisingly easy to get on, but still commonly experiences the insanely long waits typical of WDW super headliner attractions. I have always noticed that the posted standby wait is often wildly exaggerated, and have entered the queue before with a posted wait of 45 minutes, and got on the ride in under 10 minutes. The FastPass system is also especially good for the Tower of Terror.

Here's how I would rate the ToT in the following areas, and why:

Thrill~ 10/10
I'll be honest, the Tower of Terror is not by any means for the faint-hearted. Its 13 storey drop, which, by the way, is faster than gravity, is easily the most thrilling in any of the WDW Theme Parks, and the scenes which build up to it will always thrill every single one of your senses. It's really not hard to see why the ToT is widely regarded as WDW's most thrilling attraction!

Scariness~ 10/10
The imposing silhouette of the Hollywood Tower Hotel can be scary merely when it looms on the horizon, let alone when your actually riding it! I find it harder to imagine a spookier possibility than exploring a deserted, haunted hotel, especially when doing so in an elevator which has a habit of taking guests into the Twilight Zone! The theming, which I will talk about later in more detail, does a splendid job of setting the scene, and really getting every guest into the spooky mood of the ToT, as every good attraction should. And then there's the drop sequence. Each time an elevator approaches the drop shaft, an extremely powerful computer randomly calculates a drop sequence for it, meaning no two rides on the ToT are the same. As if the drops themselves weren't scary enough, this adds a level of uncertainty to the attraction, as you really don't know what's going to happen. You might start with a drop, or by shooting up. You might get a fake drop next, or you might get a full drop, there's really no way of knowing which it will be!
One thing I have found is that there are often slight variations in the level of scariness between different rides on this attraction. I have been fortunate enough to visit Hollywood Studios on days when crowds have been fairly low, and have therefore had the opportunity on several occasions to repeatedly experience the Tower of Terror. I can say that I have noticed quite distinct variations in the level of scariness of the ride, and although this may be just me, it really does feel like one ride is noticeably scarier than another previous one. Every drop sequence contains the same basic elements, with some variations to make the experience unique every time. I think that these variations in the actual events of the sequence, as well as their order, can really have an effect on the attraction's scariness. For example, a fake drop (where the elevator begins to drop but stops very quickly), can be scarier if it happens at the top of the tower, with the doors open.
I'm not saying that these variations in the level of scariness detract from the experience in any way, as the ToT will always be incredibly scary no matter which drop sequence is generated, merely that you should be aware of it!

Theming~ 10/10
Another perfect score for the Tower of Terror! As I mentioned earlier, the details in this attraction are absolutely extraordinary, from the cobweb-covered 'lobby' to the elevators themselves. The Imagineers have done a perfect job in creating an immersive themed environment, making every single rider really feel like they really are 'checking in' to Hollywood's spookiest hotel! Another thing I want to talk about is the Cast Members of the Tower of Terror. They play the part of 1930s Bellhops, and really play it well, adding an extra dimension of spookiness to the Hollywood Tower Hotel itself. Again, I won't spoil anything, but the way that they say farewell to guests as the elevator departs really adds to the experience! I also love their uniforms, which, by the way, are amongst the most expensive of any theme park in the world.

Educational~ 3/10
It's hard to see how the Tower of Terror is at all educational. At the end of the day, this attraction's purpose is to entertain and thrill guests, and not to educate them. That said, the ToT does a great job of telling the spooky story of the Hollywood Tower Hotel.

Fun~ 10/10
I always have tons of fun whilst experiencing the Tower of Terror, and, as a thrill ride enthusiast, it simply cannot be beaten on how enjoyable it is. I find it fun to anticipate the drops, to wonder what will happen, and to spot WDW landmarks in the brief seconds in which the doors on the front of the tower open.

Repeatability~ 10/10
The Tower of Terror is by far the most repeatable ride at the Walt Disney World Resort. The random drop sequence utilised by this attraction means that no two rides are ever quite the same, meaning that you can go round it again and again without getting the same experience twice. This is one of the ToT's greatest assets, and makes it so much more complete as an attraction.

And finally, my overall rating of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror~ 10/10
As one of my favourite all-time attractions, I think that the Tower of Terror is completely flawless. Although it may lack educational elements, they are by no means crucial, especially to an attraction whose primary purpose is to thrill and entertain. Don't get me wrong, I love an attraction which teaches me something, but I also love an attraction which thrills me in ways that only it can, that only a Disney attraction can, and the ToT is one of those attractions. There are so many things which I adore about the ToT that it would be impossible to write them all down, but I will say that in my eyes, this attraction has everything. It's the most complete attraction that I've ever had the fortune to experience, and can't see anything else coming along at any point in the foreseeable future which will match or exceed its level of perfection.

What are your thoughts on the Tower of Terror? Do you think it's too scary, or not scary enough? Do you agree or disagree with my perfect ratings of it? Please share your opinions in the comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter! I can't wait to hear what you think!

Thank you so much for reading, and have a magical weekend!