Tower of Terror effects status watch

[thelookingglass]

I thought that Tower of Terror deserved it's own watch thread since it's widely considered by many to one of the best or best rides, anywhere.

Let me start off by noting that Tower of Terror is generally considered on the forums to have acceptable show quality for WDW, but if you're like me and know the ride extremely well, there are often many flaws that just aren't as obvious as a broken animatronic, but really detracts from the experience when you know what it *could* be.

EDIT: as of Winter 2014, common issues known and reported are:
- boiler room (load area) lit up relatively bright instead of being dim and creepy
- various projections and special effects either looking shabby or missing altogether.
- library TVs replaced with HDTVs that are backlit the entire time
- audio problems - audio being too quiet to hear well, garbeled audio, missing audio, popping and busted speakers, tracks out of sync with scenes

Another thing to consider is that Tower of Terror has four possible ride routes (load lifts) which combine into two separate 5th dimensions/drop shafts/unloads, two pre-show rooms (libraries), and four different drop sequences, so the chances of two people getting the same ride experience and noting the same things are a lot slimmer than most rides. So, if you post in this thread, try to describe what you rode.

Here's a diagram by @marni1971 to help!
http://www.towerofterror.org/media/ToT_WDW_Diagram.jpg

 

[disney fan 13]

I feel like a lot more attraction need a status watch thread. (Dinosaur,KRR,everything in FW, Maelstrom, etc...)

 

[thelookingglass]

Bumping my own thread because I think more of these threads should get off the ground.

On a recent visit to ToT:
- the TV in my library has been replaced with what appears to be a backlit LCD TV (placed behind the old-timey TV facade). It looks bad. For one thing, CRT TVs have the advantage of being able to appear "off" even if they are not, except in perhaps pitch black lighting. Currently, no HDTV can do that. So the TV is obviously on when you walk into the room, and during the show it was blindingly bright.
- Also, the sound in the library was so quiet, there was little more than quiet idle mumbles, but I could barely hear the show at all.
- The boiler room lights were at "work light" levels - way too bright, so the creepy ambiance was lost.
- I rode "Alpha" (far left), all in all everything looked and sounded okay until after the drop sequence. After that, the audio was garbled.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I think the fact that the third elevator shaft in the DL version was off the entire time I was there bothers me a bit more.

Just saying.

 

[marni1971]

I think the fact that the third elevator shaft in the DL version was off the entire time I was there bothers me a bit more.

Just saying.

Thats where the cheaper design wins. Loosing one shaft at DCA, WDSP or TDS and you loose 1/3 ride capacity. Loose one drop shaft in DHS and you loose 50%.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Is it me, or was the lighting in the 5th dimension sequence a bit on the bright side? The tracks and show support structures were all too visible, detracting from the magic a bit.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Thats where the cheaper design wins. Loosing one shaft at DCA, WDSP or TDS and you loose 1/3 ride capacity. Loose one drop shaft in DHS and you loose 50%.

Peculiarly, I might prefer DL/WDSP over DHS. Yes, it is the cheaper design, but I feel the show is tighter. Also, I am in love with the star field effect then wham! drop. Totally works for me.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I think the fact that the third elevator shaft in the DL version was off the entire time I was there bothers me a bit more.

Just saying.

Maybe they were doing that thing that Disneyland actually does - routine maintenance and upkeep to ensure that it still looks and sounds as good as it can? Their Tower may be "inferior", but they maintain it as if it just opened yesterday. The same can not be said for Florida's Tower. Personally, I'd rather have part of a ride shut down than ride something where everything looks and sounds awful and worn out... but that's just me.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Maybe they were doing that thing that Disneyland actually does - routine maintenance and upkeep to ensure that it still looks and sounds as good as it can? Their Tower may be "inferior", but they maintain it as if it just opened yesterday. The same can not be said for Florida's Tower. Personally, I'd rather have part of a ride shut down than ride something where everything looks and sounds awful and worn out... but that's just me.

I understand, but I don't understand why it took almost a week.

 

[DfromATX]

I thought that Tower of Terror deserved it's own watch thread since it's widely considered by many to one of the best or best rides, anywhere.

Let me start off by noting that Tower of Terror is generally considered on the forums to have acceptable show quality for WDW, but if you're like me and know the ride extremely well, there are often many flaws that just aren't as obvious as a broken animatronic, but really detracts from the experience when you know what it *could* be.

Another thing to consider is that Tower of Terror has four possible ride routes (load lifts) which combine into two separate 5th dimensions/drop shafts/unloads, two pre-show rooms (libraries), and four different drop sequences, so the chances of two people getting the same ride experience and noting the same things are a lot slimmer than most rides. So, if you post in this thread, try to describe what you rode.

Here's a diagram by @marni1971 to help!
http://www.towerofterror.org/media/ToT_WDW_Diagram.jpg

@thelookingglass, quick question and sorry to get off topic, but are you a Lost fan?

 

[wdwmagic]

Tower has unfortunately had a lot of show problems for years now. Particularly with the audio.

 

[marni1971]

Tower has unfortunately had a lot of show problems for years now. Particularly with the audio.

And then some.... grrrrr....

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Bollox.

There is no audio on ToT.

 

[wdwmagic]

And then some.... grrrrr....

Yep sadly so. I always hope the show quality issues will get addressed, but they never are. What is particularly frustrating about the ToT issues is that they seem comparatively easy to rectify. How difficult can it be to level the audio properly and have it fully audible to the riders?

 

[marni1971]

Yep sadly so. I always hope the show quality issues will get addressed, but they never are. What is particularly frustrating about the ToT issues is that they seem comparatively easy to rectify. How difficult can it be to level the audio properly and have it fully audible to the riders?

I'm told the issues are logged by Bellhops who know and care. Third shift have done what they can too. Anything else is deemed "good enough" by uppers who decree WDI need to be involved. Things went particularly bad when solid state was introduced.

 

[wdwmagic]

I'm told the issues are logged by Bellhops who know and care. Third shift have done what they can too. Anything else is deemed "good enough" by uppers who decree WDI need to be involved. Things went particularly bad when solid state was introduced.

I know the old audio system was no longer maintainable, and they switched to solid state etc. But that has been a couple of years now at least hasn't it? I think at this point it is going to take a HM type refurb to sort it.

 

[marni1971]

I know the old audio system was no longer maintainable, and they switched to solid state etc. But that has been a couple of years now at least hasn't it? I think at this point it is going to take a HM type refurb to sort it.

Indeed. I dare say the whole system needs a complete overhaul and not bits added on. VVCs that have crackling speakers. Unbalanced drop fx. Timing that's sometimes five seconds out or more for musical cues. And now new preshow systems that are not only too-bright LCDs like SSE originally had, audio thats too quiet, and badly digitised imagery.

 

[juniorthomas]

I know the old audio system was no longer maintainable, and they switched to solid state etc. But that has been a couple of years now at least hasn't it? I think at this point it is going to take a HM type refurb to sort it.

Agreed. And as one of the featured rides at DHS, you'd think it would have happened sooner.

 

[tare]

Still an awesome ride!!!!

 

[DfromATX]

Still an awesome ride!!!!

We love it! There's 6 of us and this summer my youngest rode it for the first time and now he loves it too!