Tower of Terror drops

[rsoxguy]

I ask that you pardon my ignorance if this has been discussed, but I was looking at at the ToT photo gallery, and I looked at the page with the drop profiles. There was a photo of four profiles. I thought that the drops were randomly unlimited. Are there only four different drops?

 

[ABigBrassBand]

"The result of the reprogramming is that the ride system allows for any number of randomized drops and lifts. Regardless of the number of randomized drops in lifts, each drop sequence always features one "faux drop" meant to startle the riders, and one complete drop through the entire tower"--Wikipedia

Pretty sure its random...

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I'm fairly certain that there are four specific sequences (or drop profiles), one of which is chosen randomly each time you ride. It was definitely that way when "Tower 4" was unveiled around New Year's 2003, and I don't think anything has changed since.

 

[rsoxguy]

Hmm... the page to which I refer is on this website, which led me to believe that it was accurate. Perhaps the whole unlimited drop thing is an old concept, and I am not up to speed on the facts regarding the ToT.

 

[Lee]

Your drop profile is randomly chosen from four pre-programmed sequences.

It is "unlimited" only in that the computer could hold as many sequences as the programmers wanted to create, and the hardware could handle.
So, no.....technically not "unlimited".

 

[rsoxguy]

Your drop profile is randomly chosen from four pre-programmed sequences.

It is "unlimited" only in that the computer could hold as many sequences as the programmers wanted to create, and the hardware could handle.
So, no.....technically not "unlimited".

Semantics were doing me in. Thank you very much for clearing this up for me.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Check out this story from when "Tower 4" was unveiled: http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...ower-of-Terror-4-drop-profile-information.htm

Pertinent quote:

"The really, really neat thing about Tower4 is that you're never, ever going to know which sequence you'll get until you're in the drop shaft and it begins. But it goes one step further than that.... two sequences start with a drop from the fifth dimension just like every sequence (except the original 1.0) has done. The other two start with you blasting up from the fifth dimension to the top immediately. You're not even going to know if you're going to start falling down or up. "

You'll also find this on the ToT attraction page:

Tower of Terror drop profile timeline:
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" - July 22, 1994
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Twice the Fright" - Mid 1996
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Fear Every Drop!" - March 1 1999
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Never the Same Fear Twice" - December 31 2002

I didn't ride the first two iterations, but my understanding is that you got one drop straight through when the ride opened, which switched to two drops for "Twice the Fright." The third incarnation featured a longer set of lifts and drops that was always the same, and finally came "Tower 4," which we have now.

As noted above, the idea of "unlimited drops" probably refers to the potential the ride technology possesses.

 

[rsoxguy]

^
Very interesting. Thanks!

 

[rsoxguy]

If anyone is interested, this link provides the four drop sequences. http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...08Nov2002-Tower-of-Terror-4-drop-profiles.htm
I'm constantly amazed at the information available on this website.