DisneySea Tower of Terror

[CaptainMichael]

I was right...WDW's is still the best!

 

[DarkMeasures]

The video shows everything as I expected from what I read. But you cannot actually judge the ride if you haven't ridden it. But I throw that away anyway.

I don't know why OLC opted for the Disneyland version of the ride. Maybe the imagineers pushed for it because the horizontal movement is difficult. I don't know. But that leads the WDW version in a way still superior as unlike all the other towers, the WDW version actually had a whole land built around the ride. The Tokyo version also does in a way but it seems the story was more or less retrofitted like with what happened with Dinoland USA and Dinorama.

It would be nice to see another park get the gardens, sunset blvd, and everything the WDW has but that will probably be very unlikely unless the Hong Kong Disney decides they want a studio park. (English was the official language of Hong Kong until 1997 wasn't it? I am sure some Chinese know of the twilight zone.)

 

[Madison]

That video is interesting; thanks for the link. I love the preshow. I think it is on par with what we've got in the States, if not superior because it doesn't rely on recognition of a big property like The Twilight Zone. Particularly, I like how the idol disappears.

I don't really care much for the rest of the ride. It seems that the idol 'jumping' at the rider effect is hokey, but it's probably a bit better in person. Tokyo's show building is heinously ugly, as far as I'm concerned. It's too bad, really, since I think the elimination of the 5th Dimension scene in the 2nd generation towers is a vast improvement over the original. That scene just doesn't work, I think, though maybe it'd be better if a second incarnation had more to look at or involve the rider. As it stands, though, the single shaft really adds believability to the attraction.

 

[JoeInJpn]

Thanks for the nice comments on the video folks.

JoeInJpn
http://www.jtcent.com

 

[dolbyman]

great video .. my sister and I were at the edge of our seat following what happend .. she just took of with a copy of this vid to her boyfriend (he's japanse) to get it translated for me .. hehe

I loved the preshow .. this disapearing idol is great ..

the ride itself is ok although a forwad movement would been great ... imagine a scnene where a giant idol head swallows the elevator lift into the drop sequence...

 

[dxwwf3]

I thought that video was awesome. I think the building and queue area is the best Tower by a mile. The preshow was very interesting, but I was pretty lost without knowing the language. The 2nd queue also looked very impressive.

I don't know why people miss the 5th dimension room that much. I think it is the weakest portion of the MGM version and the best thing about it is that it adds a few seconds to the ride overall.

I must admit that I the idol storyline caught me a little offguard, but I'm sure if I can see a transcript in English, I will understand everything better.

Without really knowing the story, I don't know if I can say this is the best Tower of them all. But to me, it is just as good as MGM's, in a completely different way. Another home run for TDS.

 

[TDRFAN]

Tokyo's show building is heinously ugly, as far as I'm concerned.

You're the first person I've heard say that. I thought it was beautifully elaborate and charming in a spooky kind of way. In my eyes, it's nowhere near being "ugly". If anything, I think MGM's looks more "ugly".

 

[CaptainMichael]

You're the first person I've heard say that. I thought it was beautifully elaborate and charming in a spooky kind of way. In my eyes, it's nowhere near being "ugly". If anything, I think MGM's looks more "ugly".

I'm not a fan of it either.:wave: Although, I don't find it ugly.

 

[TDRFAN]

I'm not a fan of it either.:wave: Although, I don't find it ugly.

What don't you like about it may I ask? :slurp: Is it because it's out of scale and mixes a bunch of architectural styles together? If so, that's what makes it unique! :sohappy:

 

[Madison]

You're the first person I've heard say that. I thought it was beautifully elaborate and charming in a spooky kind of way. In my eyes, it's nowhere near being "ugly". If anything, I think MGM's looks more "ugly".

I seem to have quite a few unpopular opinions about the Towers, it seems Tokyo's building is nothing if not elaborate, but I think that's part of what I dislike most about it. There's so much elaborate detail that it nearly becomes distracting and you can't see the forest for the trees, as it were. I think that detail and style works beautifully for the smaller forecourt building, but the main tower itself looks a bit too much like a large gingerbread house.

 

[CaptainMichael]

What don't you like about it may I ask? :slurp: Is it because it's out of scale and mixes a bunch of architectural styles together? If so, that's what makes it unique! :sohappy:

That's definitely part of it.

I seem to have quite a few unpopular opinions about the Towers, it seems Tokyo's building is nothing if not elaborate, but I think that's part of what I dislike most about it. There's so much elaborate detail that it nearly becomes distracting and you can't see the forest for the trees, as it were. I think that detail and style works beautifully for the smaller forecourt building, but the main tower itself looks a bit too much like a large gingerbread house.

Exactly!

 

[imagineer boy]

I seem to have quite a few unpopular opinions about the Towers, it seems Tokyo's building is nothing if not elaborate, but I think that's part of what I dislike most about it. There's so much elaborate detail that it nearly becomes distracting and you can't see the forest for the trees, as it were. I think that detail and style works beautifully for the smaller forecourt building, but the main tower itself looks a bit too much like a large gingerbread house.

You can never have enough detail. Keep in mind that TDL's ToT is made to resemble a new york building ( since its in a New York themed area ) and it also complements architectural styles from around the world because of the story. I think it looks wicked awesome. Although I agree, its not quite as scary and intimidating as WDW's looks, TDL's tower probably takes the take in terms impressiveness. DCA's tower exterior is by far the worst. Its not spooky looking, its not detailed, and most important of all, it looks brand new, not very old at all.

 

[TDRFAN]

You can never have enough detail. Keep in mind that TDL's ToT is made to resemble a new york building ( since its in a New York themed area ) and it also complements architectural styles from around the world because of the story. I think it looks wicked awesome. Although I agree, its not quite as scary and intimidating as WDW's looks, TDL's tower probably takes the take in terms impressiveness. DCA's tower exterior is by far the worst. Its not spooky looking, its not detailed, and most important of all, it looks brand new, not very old at all.

One little correction....it's TDS's ToT, not TDL's. :animwink:

 

[Connor002]

You can never have enough detail.

I'm not sure I agree. On the one hand, we've come to expect all-encompassing experience from the Disney brand (and even more-so for OLC's management), however, I would be willing to put forth the argument that there is a point of "overkill." Common sense would dictate that at a point, it becomes frivolous to add "more," as it is only possible for a quest to see so much. Now, this is not to say I advise Disney remove thematic elements and sacrifice to the Six Flags business model, but I would suggest that it is wiser to distribute funds in accordance with the perspective of the guest in mind. For example, I, personally, would have a difficult time distinguishing between a ancient artifact placed in, say, the Indiana Jones adventure, from a faux reproduction.\, now, assuming most guests are subject to the same ignorance of said subject, it only makes more sense to use a reproduction, while still acquiring the same effect as would a original. It's not to doubt the intelligence of a guest, or to menacingly fool them, it's simply matter of spending wisely.

 

[CaptainMichael]

You can never have enough detail.

Yes you can...see TDS's ToT.

Although I agree, its not quite as scary and intimidating as WDW's looks, TDL's tower probably takes the take in terms impressiveness.

Exactly, it just looks like a big pretty building. When you look at the one at the Disney-MGM Studios, you can tell something isn't right. Maybe it's different to see in person but from the pics I'm more awestruck than taken over by an aura of forboding. It's a beautiful building...but not my idea of a "Tower of Terror".

 

[Madison]

You can never have enough detail. Keep in mind that TDL's ToT is made to resemble a new york building ( since its in a New York themed area ) and it also complements architectural styles from around the world because of the story. I think it looks wicked awesome. Although I agree, its not quite as scary and intimidating as WDW's looks, TDL's tower probably takes the take in terms impressiveness. DCA's tower exterior is by far the worst. Its not spooky looking, its not detailed, and most important of all, it looks brand new, not very old at all.

The thing is, there are comparably few buildings with that level of ornate, intimate detail in Manhattan as compared to say, buildings that evoke a classical style. Many of our most elaborate structures are classical, really, and the few larger building I've seen that call on the sort of European influences TDS' Tower shows do so with much greater moderation. There may be a single pinnacle that has ornate molding and the like, but not the whole building.

I guess it just doesn't sit right with me. I think it's a miss, but there's no doubt that a lot of thought and research went into it. This discussion and looking at some pictures of Disney hotels like The Wilderness Lodge made me start thinking a bit about whether you can fairly judge these sorts of things as unique pieces of architecture on their own. They're clearly meant to be derivative and evocative of a romanticized reality, so I don't know how to properly approach criticizing their design. Just a random thought, I guess.

 

[TDRFAN]

Everybody has their opinions. I for one, am not a big fan of MGM's Tower of Terror. Why? It just isn't my taste, and I find the whole 5th dimension room really cheesy and boring. The tower looks spooky and worn down, but it really doesn't look appealing to me. In fact, I find the whole design of that building bizzare and hideous (with the lower section in the back instead of the the front). And knowing that the very front of the tower isn't even connected to the main tower just about ruins it for me. DisneySea's Tower of Terror is the kind of architecture I prefer, and I could just sit there and look at the details for hours.

 

[Rayray]

And knowing that the very front of the tower isn't even connected to the main tower just about ruins it for me.

Huh?:veryconfu Elaborate.

Btw, even if you like TDS's architechture better, it cannot be placed on MGM's Sunset BLVD. WDI used architechture that matched HTH's era. Clashing architechture is a big no no at WDI.

 

[TDRFAN]

Huh?:veryconfu Elaborate.

Btw, even if you like TDS's architechture better, it cannot be placed on MGM's Sunset BLVD. WDI used architechture that matched HTH's era. Clashing architechture is a big no no at WDI.

I never said I wanted to move TDS's Tower to MGM Studios. It wouldn't work at all, as they're both from different time periods and locations.

And yes to the comment about TDS's Tower being elaborate. They obviously spent a lot of time and money on the structure.

 

[S.E.A.]

ridden it, it had nice effects and a fantastic queue and preshow, but it really is just DCA all over again...not as great as the Florida version.

as for TDRFan's reasons why he doesn't like the Tower, it's all mostly irrational and hating for the sake of hating. The tower is supposed to look old, dilapitated and spooky, it kind of is supposed to help with the whole tower of terror thing.