Fate of WDW's ToT?

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
I've not once experienced chuckles at the end of that scene. Actually, I really like it the way it is. I grew up watching the TLZ late at night after Star Trek DS9 so the first time I rode it in 98 I was blown away. Still 20 years later I enjoy it just as much as I did that first ride. It's a classic. Bobs should just leave it alone. Maybe if more folks these days actually watched the show, they would appreciate the effects and enjoy the attraction instead of laughing at it as you suggest is happening..

I can credit this attraction for so much. It got my family and I into the classic Twilight Zone episodes. This, and the HM, gave me ideas for a realistic halloween setup. The music got me into electroswing. I think it's one those rides that represents everything that's right with Disney, up there in the ranks with Indiana Jones in CA, Splash Mountain, etc.

M:B was a rush job with no heart (in my headstrong opinion), as is Pixar Pier and everything else Chapek is bringing to the table.
 

Professortango1

Well-Known Member
I've not once experienced chuckles at the end of that scene. Actually, I really like it the way it is. I grew up watching the TLZ late at night after Star Trek DS9 so the first time I rode it in 98 I was blown away. Still 20 years later I enjoy it just as much as I did that first ride. It's a classic. Bobs should just leave it alone. Maybe if more folks these days actually watched the show, they would appreciate the effects and enjoy the attraction instead of laughing at it as you suggest is happening..

I love the show, but the moment is pretty corny. Especially when you see how they improved upon it in later versions.

And while I would love to see more people watching the show...that isn't going to happen. Fewer and fewer people will watch it as it ages, sadly.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
There's a lot of awkward quiet moments in transitions where the energy dies. After the window breaks is pretty bad with people often laughing out loud at how ineffective that was. Another is the settling into the drop shaft. Great effect with the starfield opening up, but then the music quiets down and nothing happens as we bump and grind into the shaft. It's like the ride is saying Oooo, OOOO,...hold on, let me get this next part set up, just one second...and...okay, here we go...AAAAHHHHH.
The breaking glass reaction is as much a startle effect, with people laughing at how easily they jumped, as anything else.

And the starfield makes my jaw drop every time I see it.
 

graphite1326

Well-Known Member
I am a big TZ fan. I watch it every time it's on TV. ToT theming is perfect. Dated and a little corny. But that is the way TV was. I hope they don't change it.

Sooner or later they will though as the younger generation comes up and don't have any idea what TZ is.

I'm afraid the same fated will happen to RnRcoaster.

They all ready took away one of my other favorites TGMR. What will I do when they make these changes?
 

Rodj

Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of the DCA version at all. The narration by Mark Silverman is garbage and sounds nothing like Rod Serling, just only 1 drop profile, and the lightning effects on the mirror and in the hall scene don't look good at all.

I do really hope that a refurb can happen to where they can retime the audio because recently the synchronization has gotten very bad, to where the music and narration going up to the 5th dimension don't start until a few seconds after it starts moving up the shaft and the AGV moves forward before the 2nd part of the narration even starts:
One other thing I do hope they add is some more drop profiles, such as the Summer Nightastic one, or one that is like Tower1 to where the doors don't open until the elevator reached the top and then drops the full way down, with some other partial drops after it.
 

MileZXO

Active Member
People coming to the parks will slowly not know what TZ is, it's a matter of WHEN it will be rethemed as we already know they want more IP presence in the parks. i can imagine they are waiting for a time when they can take Marvel back and use this whole space for Marvel including RnR. it will happen eventually, i am sure there is some kind of contract discussions always going on with Universal..
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
People coming to the parks will slowly not know what TZ is, it's a matter of WHEN it will be rethemed as we already know they want more IP presence in the parks. i can imagine they are waiting for a time when they can take Marvel back and use this whole space for Marvel including RnR. it will happen eventually, i am sure there is some kind of contract discussions always going on with Universal..
I doubt it.
 

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
I'm fairly certain that Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios is safe for a couple reasons:
1. The layout of the building is different than its California counterpart. Mission: Breakout wouldn't quite fit.
2. It's the icon of Hollywood Studios. If it didn't have Tower of Terror, what would be the icon of the park? They can't use the Chinese Theater as its copyrighted.
3. Again, it is the original and best version of the ride.

I'd like to say this is true. If they get rid of ToT then nothing is safe whatsoever. Pirates can be turned into something that is flavor of the month.
 

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
I hope they do away with the Twilight Zone theme. The DHS TOT has some good bones, but the effects and 5th Dimension Room are very dated and come across a tad corny. This would enable them to remove the themeing and hopefully redo some of the clunky elements to give us a modern day effects in this great ride system.

Oh great, more "modern" themes with the character and mood of a damp washcloth
 

CoasterSnoop

Well-Known Member
There's a lot of awkward quiet moments in transitions where the energy dies. After the window breaks is pretty bad with people often laughing out loud at how ineffective that was. Another is the settling into the drop shaft. Great effect with the starfield opening up, but then the music quiets down and nothing happens as we bump and grind into the shaft. It's like the ride is saying Oooo, OOOO,...hold on, let me get this next part set up, just one second...and...okay, here we go...AAAAHHHHH.

That isn't the fault of the original Imagineering. The audio has gotten out of sync with the visuals over the course of several years. Here's how it's supposed to look/sound. This along with things like the terrible digital projector responsible for the breaking window effect would be easy fixes. As far as the 5th Dimension scene goes, ToT has become a staple of DHS and WDW in general, clearly shown by the furious outcry that came from the replacement at DCA. If Disney thinks the effects in ToT need updating, they'll do it, as it's an incredibly popular ride. I think what's holding them back right now is about half of DHS is behind a construction wall. Closing down another ride would leave guests with a grand total of 3 rides. Just my opinion there, though.

Also, gonna have to call horse-swaggle on people laughing at the ToT. If a ride has that bad of an effect on guests as often as you say, would wait times not be dying down by now? Even then, it's one of, if not my favorite ride on WDW, so I've had my fair share of experience riding this thing, and not once have I heard anyone snicker or burst into laughter throughout the entire ride. They're often too busy shaking in their seats because the design, queue, and preshow are just so good.
 

Magicart87

No Refunds!
Premium Member
In no way am I advocating a removal of the TZ theme but if the powers that be wish to remove it I can really only think of two other IPs that could work in the space without massive re-themeing. God forbid we get the garish facade of GotG.

Assuming the Twilight Zone IP is removed the only IPs that I would find acceptable would either be Doctor Strange or possibly Indiana Jones using a similar-to-Shanghai storyline centered around a supernatural/mystical artifact.

Am I for such change? No not really.
 

NormC

Well-Known Member
I saw a shirt or some kind of artwork for sale of the "4 parks" and it included Graumann's as an icon for Disney Studios. Granted, they use ToT the other 99% of the time, but it was nice to see.

(I MISS THE DARN EARFUL TOWER! ARRRRRGH!)
There was lots of merchandise over the years with the Chinese Theater on it. There was no copyright issue.
 

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
I'm curious as to why they've let the audio go out of sync? You would think they could close even one side and spend a week (or a few) fixing all of its issues, and then do the same for the other, even before they announced to close the other rides.

When was the last time ToT went down for a major refurb? I don't think that it being a TZ property and not a Disney-owned one is a proper excuse to the let the quality fall. Surely Disney management KNOWS about these problems and refuse to fix them? But if i'm going to be honest, if I see it going under a major refurb today i'll be terrified unless they specifically announce what they're doing.

There is a question about the contract; do you think the one at DHS was extended and/or contingent on other conditions and not time based? It's older than the one at DCA and managed to survive this far. I would think CBS wants this relationship to continue, ESPECIALLY since they're reviving The Twilight Zone.
 

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Just read this in the rumor and timeline tracker by MisterPenguin:



Tower of Terror will not get the Guardians of the Galaxy overlay that the one in Anaheim is getting [confirmed by Bob Chapek]
  • Reaffirmed: ToT will remain untouched by GotG [strong]


Does anybody have a clip or quote of Bob Chapek stating this? Also, I (as i'm sure all of you), already knew this. But perhaps digging into Chapek's quote can provide clues as to if the ToT is still in danger of a re-theme in other ways, such as the removal of the TZ?
 

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