The ORIGINAL Tower of Terror

[TubaGeek]

Alright, folks, I remember the ToT stopping at the top of it's drop pattern before falling, the doors opening, and the whole car moving forward over the park. Does anyone else remember this?
If you think I'm crazy, or if you think I'm right, tell me.
What I REALLY want to hear, though, is a logical explanation for why some people say it happened, while others insist it didn't.

 

[raven]

I've ridden it yearly since it openned and never remember it moving forward out the doors over the park.

 

[Tom Morrow]

You are crazy! It never did this. The Tower ride system is not, and also never has been capable of doing this, either.

Possible explanations as to why you remember this:

- original advertisements showed the elevators "floating" out of the Tower, including the sign on World Drive.
- other first generation free fall rides go up the shaft and actually do move forward before dropping, like Demon Drop at Cedar Point: http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/thrillrides/pictures/demondrop/img/cp_demondrop.jpg and perhaps you have an early memory of this and confused the two?

 

[TubaGeek]

You are crazy! It never did this. The Tower ride system is not, and also never has been capable of doing this, either.

Possible explanations as to why you remember this:

- original advertisements showed the elevators "floating" out of the Tower, including the sign on World Drive.
- other first generation free fall rides go up the shaft and actually do move forward before dropping, like Demon Drop at Cedar Point: http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/thrillrides/pictures/demondrop/img/cp_demondrop.jpg and perhaps you have an early memory of this and confused the two?

No, it's definately neither of those. I'm sure you're right, but I'm also sure there's a reason my whole family remembers this happening. Maybe it's just something in water...

 

[WDW John]

Not crazy, maybe just freaked out

The first time I rode TT was in 1994. It only had 1 full drop. At the top, the doors opened giving us a lovely view of the park. Being in the front row, my wife and I were both scared of "falling out". Then the elevator jerked slightly. I don't know if it dropped an inch or just shook, whatever. Everyone screamed, then realized they hadn't moved far at all. Out of nowhere, with no warning, we would plummet to the bottom. It was great.

Now, when I'm in the front row, I take the time to realize that we are actually nowhere near the edge of the building or in danger of falling out. But, man, that first time we were so sure...

 

[rsoxguy]

I have ridden it since the Park opened and I don't remember it doing what you have described. Sorry.
​

 

[LuLaSue]

Alright, folks, I remember the ToT stopping at the top of it's drop pattern before falling, the doors opening, and the whole car moving forward over the park. Does anyone else remember this?
If you think I'm crazy, or if you think I'm right, tell me.
What I REALLY want to hear, though, is a logical explanation for why some people say it happened, while others insist it didn't.

I remember stopping at the top. I remember the doors opening. I remember the feeling of the car moving foward (although, I am thinking that the car really did not move). I destinctly remember having the feeling of hovering ?!? and then drop!

So, with that said, I don't think your crazy!

 

[WDW John]

Also...

Do you think it could be that you and your whole family remember it happening because you all talked about it as a possibility after the ride, thus convincing yourselves of the "memory"?

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

I remember the second version of the ride. Where they dropped you twice for the 25th anniversary of WDW.

You went into the elevator shaft. dropped a little, dropped a little, went down, came all the way back up and went down and that was it.

 

[csm]

No, it's definately neither of those. I'm sure you're right, but I'm also sure there's a reason my whole family remembers this happening. Maybe it's just something in water...

Whether or not your whole family remembers, or every person you've ever met remembers, or even if your cat remembers it from your postcard, that doesn't really mean a thing with all due respect. It never happened. Ever. No matter what the "reason," a memory does not make it true. Like someone else said, you convinced yourselves that it happened thus changing the content of said memory.

 

[reptar77]

I have ridden it since the Park opened and I don't remember it doing what you have described. Sorry.
​

Same here

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I remember when it was just a single drop (so happy they've change it- I love the random drop sequence), but no, I don't remember floating over the park.

 

[Victor]

You mean the part where the elevator would move forward over the park, then fly over Epcot, followed by a quick spin by MK, before returning to the Studios for the final drop?

I wonder why they got rid of that. I really did like it.

 

[LuLaSue]

Whether or not your whole family remembers, or every person you've ever met remembers, or even if your cat remembers it from your postcard, that doesn't really mean a thing with all due respect. It never happened. Ever. No matter what the "reason," a memory does not make it true. Like someone else said, you convinced yourselves that it happened thus changing the content of said memory.

With all due respect, I to remember having the feeling of the car moving forward. The ride is in constant motion and the car is moving onto the track as the doors opened and then dropped. You had a disticnt feeling of hovering before the drop.

What TubaGeek and family felt during the ride was IMHO what Disney wanted them to feel. Technically you are probably correct in that it is impossible for this to have happened but, they felt it.

Maybe I am not reading the original post right! I know the car did'nt hover over the park but, it felt like it was hovering "over the track".

 

[Tom Morrow]

If it makes you feel better, a lot of guests have actually asked me this same question... so apparently it is a false memory for a lot of people.

 

[Buckeye]

You mean the part where the elevator would move forward over the park, then fly over Epcot, followed by a quick spin by MK, before returning to the Studios for the final drop?

I wonder why they got rid of that. I really did like it.

I think they should make such an attraction. It could be the Willy Wonka Glass Elevator Experience (with STITCH!). How would it work? I don't know, but if anyone can do it, the Imagineers can!

 

[TubaGeek]

Whether or not your whole family remembers, or every person you've ever met remembers, or even if your cat remembers it from your postcard, that doesn't really mean a thing with all due respect. It never happened. Ever. No matter what the "reason," a memory does not make it true. Like someone else said, you convinced yourselves that it happened thus changing the content of said memory.

I know that, I've already said that I know it didn't actually happen. I'm just wondering if there's a reason I remember it happening that anyone could explain.
I certainly don't think it's true just because I remember it that way.

 

[DisneyYorkian74]

I remember when it was just a single drop (so happy they've change it- I love the random drop sequence), but no, I don't remember floating over the park.

Does ToT actually drop the entire 13 stories as advertised?

I like the random drop sequences, but it sucks if you get stuck with a sequence where the first drop feels like you've only fallen 10 feet.

I'd much rather the first drop be the most intense and actually drop the entire 13 stories.

 

[Jaytrod]

I have been riding it from the opening. In the earlier days it would stop for a moment at the top with the elevator doors open, but it never moved forward out of the elevator shaft or anything like that. I think maybe it seems so different now because it doesn't have the pause anymore before the drop, and the elevator doesn't seem to go as high up as it used to. I remember when the doors opened the "cart" would be square with the elevator doors. It doesn't seem that way anymore. Now the cart just goes high enough to get a quick peak outside.

 

[marni1971]

As said, the AGV can not in any circumstance move forward out of the drop shaft VVC.