Tower of Terror Relevance

[Animaniac93-98]

Why? Going into the parlor sets the stage for the ride even if you never heard of the show before.

Exactly. They literally show you a video explaining everything (including the TV show connection) before you even get a chance to board.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I have a question for everyone...

Do you think that Tower of Terror will ever be taken down due to lack of relevance? sure, people are well aware of The Twilight Zone now, but perhaps one day it will be forgotten, or do you think it will always be a ride that people will be attracted to despite not knowing the series, knowing only the ride, as many people ride Splash Mountain, but know little to nothing about Song of the South.

Personally, I think people will be attracted to it even if they do not know about The Twilight Zone. However, I think something like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster will eventually experience at least a retheming, as that ride depends heavily on the awareness of Aerosmith and their music, while it seems ToT can be ridden without having seen one episode of the show.

The Tower is one of the best attractions ever created. It's note-perfect in architecture, theme, storytelling, effects, thrill-factor, and immersion. And as for its IP - everyone knows about The Twilight Zone in one way or another, even if they've never seen the show. Everyone certainly knows the theme song, as it's practically become the national anthem for everything weird or creepy. So I don't think the Tower will ever become irrelevant. Everyone loves haunted places, everyone loves Old Hollywood, so they're an unbeatable combination. TDO would have been idiotic to ruin that attraction for a third-rate Marvel IP consisting of talking trees and raccoons. Thank god that horrific idea has been shelved, hopefully permanently.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Its an attraction in a theme park, a place for those who enjoy such things to be entertained. Beyond that I dont think it has much to contribute to the EU / Brexit debate, the quality of the candidates in the presidential election or even on the price of dairy produce, particularly cheese.

 

[JohnD]

Its an attraction in a theme park, a place for those who enjoy such things to be entertained. Beyond that I dont think it has much to contribute to the EU / Brexit debate, the quality of the candidates in the presidential election or even on the price of dairy produce, particularly cheese.

LOL! Nor the American Presidential election for that matter.

 

[Matt_Black]

The Tower is one of the best attractions ever created. It's note-perfect in architecture, theme, storytelling, effects, thrill-factor, and immersion. And as for its IP - everyone knows about The Twilight Zone in one way or another, even if they've never seen the show. Everyone certainly knows the theme song, as it's practically become the national anthem for everything weird or creepy. So I don't think the Tower will ever become irrelevant. Everyone loves haunted places, everyone loves Old Hollywood, so they're an unbeatable combination. TDO would have been idiotic to ruin that attraction for a third-rate Marvel IP consisting of talking trees and raccoons. Thank god that horrific idea has been shelved, hopefully permanently.

... You can't build something up without trying to tear something you don't like down, can you?

 

[GVentola]

I haven't been on it because I'm scared of it. I'm planning, at Dad's insistence, on going on it in a couple of weeks. I'm not looking forward to it. If they were to retheme it, I hope I'd get on it before that happened so I could see all the Twilight Zone-theming.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Personally, I think people will be attracted to it even if they do not know about The Twilight Zone. However, I think something like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster will eventually experience at least a retheming, as that ride depends heavily on the awareness of Aerosmith and their music, while it seems ToT can be ridden without having seen one episode of the show.

Are you kidding... RnRC would be popular if the music consisted of the Chipmunk song. I have ridden it a number of times and have yet to consciously hear a single song. I couldn't tell you what was playing, honestly. I was to busy praying that I didn't die before it was done. Maybe next time I will try and concentrate on the music. If the primary reason for riding RnRC is the music, someones focus is seriously lacking.

 

[copcarguyp71]

How many 10 year olds know who Stitch, The Little Mermaid, Brer Rabbit or Belle are? I think attractions stay open for the experience more than for the familiarity of subject material. I doubt such a thrilling ride will fall out of favor any time in the near or distant future. The only way I see it going away would be if irreparable structural issues arose.

See also: Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.

 

[Calm Down Rover]

I feel like the general cultural impact of Twilight Zone is underestimated. Most people can hum the main theme, and the words "Twilight Zone" have become synonymous with the strange. Individual episodes may not be remembered, but it's not entirely lost to the cultural void.

And even if no one remembered Twilight Zone, the ride is still a Pirates/Haunted Mansion-tier classic that does not depend on prior knowledge of the property at all. As an anthology show, there were no consistent characters or anything like that to remember. Tower of Terror is its own little story.

 

[Matt_Black]

I feel like the general cultural impact of Twilight Zone is underestimated. Most people can hum the main theme, and the words "Twilight Zone" have become synonymous with the strange. Individual episodes may not be remembered, but it's not entirely lost to the cultural void.

The Simspsons alone cribbed quite a bit from the Twilight Zone over the years.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I feel like the general cultural impact of Twilight Zone is underestimated. Most people can hum the main theme, and the words "Twilight Zone" have become synonymous with the strange. Individual episodes may not be remembered, but it's not entirely lost to the cultural void.

And even if no one remembered Twilight Zone, the ride is still a Pirates/Haunted Mansion-tier classic that does not depend on prior knowledge of the property at all. As an anthology show, there were no consistent characters or anything like that to remember. Tower of Terror is its own little story.

 

[21stamps]

They had this same issue at both Kings Island & Dominion where they have a Launched Coaster (Similar to RRC) that was theme around the other Sci-Fi Franchise....

After the contract was dropped everything that was involved with it was removed and then changed to...

I love Flight of Fear!! It's still great.. The theme and the ride itself.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Exactly. They literally show you a video explaining everything (including the TV show connection) before you even get a chance to board.

And it's extremely well done. Apparently the Rod Serling appearance in the video was taken from an actual TZ episode, with a voice actor dubbing in the stuff about the Tower's history. It's completely seamless and masterful, just like the rest of the attraction. My only quibble is that the library on the right has better sound than the one on the left. Better speakers or something. The lightning strike is more impressive (the one that happens just before the TV turns itself on). Anyway, that's the way it seemed during my last visit...

 

[Matt_Black]

I think the only real problem I have is that The Twilight Zone was a very didactic series, with many episodes having a clear moral lesson to them. Admittedly, some episodes didn't handle that as well as others, but they generally tried to impart something to the audience. The "story" of ToT really lacks that element. But that is a minor quibble.

 

[Maerj]

I feel like the general cultural impact of Twilight Zone is underestimated. Most people can hum the main theme, and the words "Twilight Zone" have become synonymous with the strange. Individual episodes may not be remembered, but it's not entirely lost to the cultural void.

And even if no one remembered Twilight Zone, the ride is still a Pirates/Haunted Mansion-tier classic that does not depend on prior knowledge of the property at all. As an anthology show, there were no consistent characters or anything like that to remember. Tower of Terror is its own little story.

Agreed. The impact of the series on pop culture continues. It's one of those things that has become a classic and will be remembered. I wasn't around for the show when it originally aired but I've seen every episode. Some episodes should be required viewing anyone who loves scifi, horror, twist-endings, etc.

 

[Matt_Black]

Agreed. The impact of the series on pop culture continues. It's one of those things that has become a classic and will be remembered. I wasn't around for the show when it originally aired but I've seen every episode. Some episodes should be required viewing anyone who loves scifi, horror, twist-endings, etc.

It's sad how so many of the episodes are STILL relevant. Like "The Monster are Due On Maple Street" or "He's Alive."

Anyplace, everyplace, where there's hate, where there's prejudice, where there's bigotry. He's alive. He's alive so long as these evils exist. Remember that when he comes to your town. Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others. Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being. He's alive because, through these things, we keep him alive.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I think the only real problem I have is that The Twilight Zone was a very didactic series, with many episodes having a clear moral lesson to them. Admittedly, some episodes didn't handle that as well as others, but they generally tried to impart something to the audience. The "story" of ToT really lacks that element. But that is a minor quibble.

Sure it does, it says don't go into a service elevator in a deserted hotel ushered in by weird acting/looking people.

 

[Matt_Black]

Sure it does, it says don't go into a service elevator in a deserted hotel ushered in by weird acting/looking people.

TV Tropes would refer to that as a "Space Whale Aesop".

 

[Disney Stine]

I haven't been on it because I'm scared of it. I'm planning, at Dad's insistence, on going on it in a couple of weeks. I'm not looking forward to it. If they were to retheme it, I hope I'd get on it before that happened so I could see all the Twilight Zone-theming.

Go on it! I'm the member of my party that needs to be persuaded to go on it (or usually it's me begging my boyfriend to go to Disney World with me and promising I'll go on ToT with him). It's theming is amazing. It's details are incredibly. And you have the goosebumps every bit of your journey. But once it is all over you're sitting there, waiting to unbuckle your seatbelt, and see that horrified face you made that the cameras captured. It's perfect in every way possible. I hate it but I love it. My hate stems more from the "drop" feeling in your stomach more than anything, but I get over it fast.

 

[OliveMcFly]

I think the attraction itself is enough to keep riders coming back. My nieces, 11 and 12, know nothing of the TV show but they do like the ride. What's cool is some kid may wonder "what is the Twilight Zone" and there's a new fan discovering the show.