Planning a Disney vacation is one of the great joys of my life. I love getting down to the nitty-gritty with all the little details, having my days mapped out in front of me, and thinking about everything from what our room is going to look like, to what snacks we’ll discover, to when I’m climbing aboard my favorite rides. A big part of this, of course, is dreaming about my resort hotel. For others, all this planning and preparing sounds more like a nightmare.
Now what if we could combine both? Let’s go explore a fabulous, dreamy resort that is a true nightmare. I invite you to join me at Hollywood Studios and enter…the Twilight Zone. You can imagine me saying that in the deep Ron Sterling voice should you so wish. I so wish…so go ahead.
OK, now that we’ve had a proper introduction, let’s take a stroll down Sunset Boulevard. It’s bright and cheerful, but as we head toward the back corner of the park, it starts to get a little darker and creepier. Even if there are crowds around you, you feel as though you are getting more and more alone. Yet, you’re drawn deeper toward the mysterious trees and looming sign ahead. Turn a slight corner and come face-to-face with the entrance to the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
You’ve discovered the Tower of Terror. Now the icon of Hollywood Studios (RIP Sorcerer Mickey hat and Earful Tower), the Tower of Terror, or ToT, is a Disney classic preparing to celebrate its 25th birthday next summer. This ride resulted in one of my very favorite Disney pictures ever, with my brother, his girlfriend, my hubby, and me looking like we’re all riding different rides. But to get to that picture, you have to ride the ride.
When you step through the entrance, you find yourself on overgrown paths that meander through the once-lavish grounds of this luxurious hotel. Read the signs as you walk to get a glimpse of the amenities that were available to guests in the 1930s. A bowling green, gardens, and more await you at the end of broken, blocked-off paths. A dry fountain, exotic species of trees, broken statues, and more lead you toward the sprawling hotel. You might have noticed, though, that the front of the hotel appears broken and burned.
As you get closer to the hotel itself, listen closely. You’ll hear the lilting notes of jazz music. You might even think of the music as…haunting. You finally get to the front doors of the hotel and step into the lobby. Look around you. You’ll notice it seems the hotel was abandoned in an instant, and hasn’t been touched since. Mail still sits in the slots behind the unmanned front desk. A cup of tea sits on a table beside a newspaper. Thick cobwebs cover everything. Yet, candles are burning. Soon bellhops let you know your room isn’t quite ready yet, and you’re invited into the library to wait. As you walk back, glance at the elevator and the Out of Order sign.
Once in the library, you can hear a storm raging outside. The lights suddenly go out and an old TV flickers to life. Remember that burned facade? Ron Sterling will now tell you the story of the five people who went missing Halloween night 1939. They were riding an elevator when the hotel was struck by lightning and they were suddenly gone.
Did you think you would be having a nice, leisurely stay at the Tower Hotel? Not happening. You’re now a part of the investigation. The bellhop will escort you down into the boiler room where a service elevator is still in operation. Get in and buckle down tight. These elevators are very old, and not very reliable. Once everyone is secure, and the doors close, the elevator starts to lift up, and our good friend Ron comes back to keep telling the story. When the doors open, you’re greeted by a view of one floor of the hotel. Look for amazing details like room service trays and newspapers, and candles that certainly shouldn’t still be on. On another floor, the elevator breaks free of the shaft, and you officially enter the Twilight Zone. As the elevator moves around the floor, you’re surrounded by stars. It’s almost peaceful. Suddenly, though, the elevator stalls.
At this point, the doors to the elevator open up and you have a view of the park in front of you. (This is only made more amazing if it’s actually raining.) At this point, brace yourself. The elevator is about to fail.
The drop-and-lift sequence is randomized, so you never know how many drops you’ll experience, or how long or short each lift or drop will be. It’s during one of these that the ride will take your picture. Finally, you’ll hit the long drop and be brought all the way back down into the boiler room so you can exit the elevator and explore a little more of the hotel. As you walk out, check out the dining room. A menu sits outside, ready to welcome guests to dinner the night of the disappearance. Finally, visit the hotel’s gift shop where you can purchase a wide array of souvenirs. If you truly enjoyed your visit and want to remember your stay when you get home, buy an official Hollywood Tower Hotel bathrobe and slippers.
If you have Memory Maker, check your account after the ride. Not only will you have a picture of your descent, but a video as well. After that stay, even those who hate vacation planning might be inspired to look a little more deeply into the hotel they choose.
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Taryn was born and raised, and still lives in Richmond, Virginia. Neither she nor her husband ever had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World when they were children, but when their daughter Avalon came along, they decided she was not going to follow in their footsteps. They brought Avalon for the first time when she was 3 and have been hooked ever since. Now along with Taryn’s mother and equally Disney-loving older brother, they go “home” at least once a year, and by the time she is staring longingly at Cinderella Castle from the ferry on their last night, Taryn is well on her way to planning the next trip. As a group consisting of two adults with Asperger’s, including one who is also vegan, a very accommodating husband, an only child, a senior, and a service dog, they are a pretty special family, but Taryn is excited to show that the World really is The Most Magical Place on Earth and that there is a place there for everyone. When she isn’t thinking about her next Disney adventure and trying to come up with a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party costume that will beat her Oozma Kappa nerd look, she is a professional blogger and novelist, but Taryn also likes to indulge her Disney passion on her Etsy shop It’s Better in Vinyl.
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Hmm, I wonder which Twilight Zone episode this ride was based on? I remember the one where a 19th century pioneer settler walked through a field and ended up going through a time warp, emerging in the mid-20th century America with cars, traffic lights, stores, etc. If you’re a fan of this series like me, you know what the ending is. There’s also the episode involving a bunch of werewolves who turn out to be devils in disguise in a creaky old mansion. Did you know that Star Trek’s William Shatner starred in two Twilight Zone episodes? One of them was replayed in the Twilight Zone Movie with John Lithgow playing Shatner’s role in the original episode.