'Ride' Disney's Tower of Terror this Halloween in this haunting video
Just in time for Halloween, Disney fans missing their favorite haunted attraction can ride along in this newly released POV video from Disney Parks.
The Tower of Terror is a classic Disney experience. Opened in 1994 at Disney's Hollywood Studios, guests enter the attraction through a dusty lobby frozen in time and is based on the popular television series, "The Twilight Zone."
"Suddenly, a television set springs to life and Rod Serling welcomes you on a journey into the Twilight Zone," the Disney Parks website reads. "He reveals that on a gloomy Halloween night in 1939, some hotel patrons were riding the elevator when a violent storm struck the building … and they were never seen again. The hotel closed down and has stood empty ever since."
Guests board an elevator, and are propelled up and down the abandoned shaft -- unexpectedly dropping and rising -- with the sound of cables snapping and metal clanging overhead.
In 2014, Disney released these 20 fun facts about the attraction to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
1. Walt Disney Imagineers viewed 156 episodes of “The Twilight Zone” for inspiration when creating The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
2. The ride vehicle is an elevator car.
3. The story line of the attraction sets the date as Halloween night -- Oct. 31, 1939.
4. The architecture of the tower was inspired by multiple Southern California landmarks, such as the Biltmore Hotel and the Mission Inn.
5. The building features 27,000 roof tiles.
6. The outdoor queue area features the songs “Inside” by Fats Waller and “Mood Indigo” by Duke Ellington.
7. The grounds of the Hollywood Tower Hotel were inspired by the look of California’s Griffith Park and Elysian Park.
8. The lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel was outfitted with antiques and furniture purchased at Los Angeles-area auction houses.
9. Some of the sculptures featured in the lobby are the work of 19th century sculptor Auguste Moreau.
10. A copy of “Four Pages of Hilarious Star Caricatures by Walt Disney” is featured in Photoplay Magazine on the lobby’s concierge desk.
11. The Library room features a hidden nod to Mickey Mouse in this sheet music, which is for the song “What! No Mickey Mouse?”
12. The clip of film in which Rod Serling introduces the attraction was taken from a “Twilight Zone” episode called “It’s a Good Life.”
14. While actor Rod Serling appears in the film in the Library room, the voice you hear is actually voice actor Mark Silverman.
15. The young girl who disappears in the elevator carries a Mickey Mouse doll.
16. The attraction’s “Fifth Dimension” scene was inspired in part by the “Little Girl Lost” episode of “The Twilight Zone.”
17. The attraction offers a 13-story drop.
18, The drop sequence for each elevator car is selected at random by the attraction’s computer system.
19. Measuring 199 feet tall, Tower of Terror is one of the tallest attractions at Walt Disney World Resort.
20. There are four Tower of Terror attractions at Disney Parks: Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Walt Disney World Resort), Disney California Adventure park (Disneyland Resort), Walt Disney Studios Park (Paris), and Tokyo DisneySea (Tokyo – pictured above) each have their own version.
The attraction will take center stage during runDisney’s Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend this fall, which will feature a The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler, a 5K fun and kids races.
