Help settle a family dispute over the Tower of Terror!

Disnerd2003

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hi guys! My mom and I have been conflicting over a topic for a while now. She claims that in the late 90's, after the 5th dimension scene and Serling's narration in the drop shaft (you are about to discover...), the lights would come on in the elevator and you'd see a wall directly in front if you, like you hit a dead end, then you'd drop. I believe it's her imagination or incorrect memory because I haven't seen it documented anywhere. Can any of you back up her story with your memories, or if I get lucky, a video or picture? Thanks!
 

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Hi guys! My mom and I have been conflicting over a topic for a while now. She claims that in the late 90's, after the 5th dimension scene and Serling's narration in the drop shaft (you are about to discover...), the lights would come on in the elevator and you'd see a wall directly in front if you, like you hit a dead end, then you'd drop. I believe it's her imagination or incorrect memory because I haven't seen it documented anywhere. Can any of you back up her story with your memories, or if I get lucky, a video or picture? Thanks!

She is correct. It may also be something in one of the ride profiles now......but it was like a stucco wall (kinda weird)

What's even weirder? If you ever happen to be in TOT with the lights on, you'll see on the right side of the vehicle, just before the drop area....a sideways elevator door. Apparently it was supposed to be to show you're going a different direction than you are? It's very strange to me.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Found this video on Youtube from August 25th 1994...While it doesn't show the stucco wall it does show how short the original version was and also a glimpse of the original ending of the ride which I found to work better than slowly creeping backwards hearing the closing of the ride...
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
It did this until the "fear every drop" iteration of Tower of Terror. The Fear Every Drop profile is now one of the four that have been used since it began randomizing the drop sequences (aka randomly choosing one out of four).

My favorite iteration of Tower of Terror was "Twice the Fright." You would see the wall light up, fall, rise to the top, then essentially drop the entire shaft twice. The movements were also more aggressive and really ripped you out of your seat and slammed you down.
 

TrojanUSC

Well-Known Member
This was called the "oh sh*t" light by the bellhops because that's what people would always yell when it came on. It was an overhead light that shone directly on the wall directly in front of the lift in the drop shaft, just before you dropped. The light, combined with the wall texture, gave the whole thing almost a weird 3D look. It was primarily used during the "Twice the Fright" drop profile, as it was the last thing you saw before you dropped. Once they switched over to "Fear Every Drop," which was the three drop profile, WDI added some additional effects in the drop shaft and the wall effect went away forever.
 

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
Good memories too. Remember when WDI was proud of their Tower and loved it? They would regularly enhance it, and make it greater! The last tweak it had was for Summer Nightastic...am I right??

Now the poor Tower has audio issues and syncing concerns, plus effects that are hit or miss.
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
The wall light would also stay on for a split second after you started dropping, giving you a visual point of reference that you were indeed falling.

Good memories too. Remember when WDI was proud of their Tower and loved it? They would regularly enhance it, and make it greater! The last tweak it had was for Summer Nightastic...am I right??

Now the poor Tower has audio issues and syncing concerns, plus effects that are hit or miss.

Yep. And every change for Summer Nighttastic was removed the same year. Though some of it was pretty bad, like covering up the entire 5th dimension scene with fabric fiber optic star curtains obviously intended for a live theater stage.
 
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surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
Yep. And every change for Summer Nighttastic was removed the same year. Though some of it was pretty bad, like covering up the entire 5th dimension scene with fabric fiber optic star curtains obviously intended for a live theater stage.

I remember the sheets and that was garbage. But that drop profile was great, as was the eerie violin music from the Tip Top Club!
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
I remember the sheets and that was garbage. But that drop profile was great, as was the eerie violin music from the Tip Top Club!
There were also green lights in the drop shafts to make them glow at night, and faders to make the lights in the boiler room go out occasionally. I don't know why they didn't keep these. I can understand not wanting the lights to go out completely for safety reasons, but the boiler room would look a lot creepier if all of it's lights had a fader effect on them similar to the Dinosaur loading bay.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
There were also green lights in the drop shafts to make them glow at night, and faders to make the lights in the boiler room go out occasionally. I don't know why they didn't keep these. I can understand not wanting the lights to go out completely for safety reasons, but the boiler room would look a lot creepier if all of it's lights had a fader effect on them similar to the Dinosaur loading bay.
Boiler room light levels are a bone of contention.
 

Rodj

Well-Known Member
The green lights are still there, though it will only come on if the profile is the "Fear Every Drop" profile. I am a bit confused with the boiler room light argument though, because the overhead and wall lights close to the loading doors will dim once the fake motor starts running still.
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
The green lights are still there, though it will only come on if the profile is the "Fear Every Drop" profile. I am a bit confused with the boiler room light argument though, because the overhead and wall lights close to the loading doors will dim once the fake motor starts running still.
I'm saying that the entire boiler room's lights should have a fade effect, not necessarily in sync with the load elevators, or the fake motors that barely work anymore with the sound effect that you can barely hear.

Another issue is the lighting level of the boiler room in general. It used to be much darker and creepier. For a while it was very bright. Now it is better and somewhat atmospheric again, but still brighter and less creepy than it should be.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
The green lights are still there, though it will only come on if the profile is the "Fear Every Drop" profile. I am a bit confused with the boiler room light argument though, because the overhead and wall lights close to the loading doors will dim once the fake motor starts running still.
I'm saying that the entire boiler room's lights should have a fade effect, not necessarily in sync with the load elevators, or the fake motors that barely work anymore with the sound effect that you can barely hear.

Another issue is the lighting level of the boiler room in general. It used to be much darker and creepier. For a while it was very bright. Now it is better and somewhat atmospheric again, but still brighter and less creepy than it should be.
Long story short the boiler room lighting is now locked to “rain mode”. Prior to this it would be lightened if it was raining outside and the floor was slippery. Dry outside used to equal darker inside.
 

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
Long story short the boiler room lighting is now locked to “rain mode”. Prior to this it would be lightened if it was raining outside and the floor was slippery. Dry outside used to equal darker inside.
I love information like this. Omg.

Long live wdwmagic
 

Disnerd2003

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This is so amazing! Thanks for all the info @marni1971 and others! Let's keep this thread growing! I love the "vintage tower" topic it has!
What happened to the fog machines in the boiler room and the sparkling sign?
Any other abandoned/defunct effects?
 
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