Tower of Terror Show Building

[stargrl33]

I was at Disney World 2 weeks ago and I was just curious: is there anything else in the Tower of Terror building? I looked it up online and heard there was a break room in between the 2 elevator shafts but I couldn't find any other information. Seems like such a big building.

 

[Tom]

I was at Disney World 2 weeks ago and I was just curious: is there anything else in the Tower of Terror building? I looked it up online and heard there was a break room in between the 2 elevator shafts but I couldn't find any other information. Seems like such a big building.

I'm sure there's a break room for the CMs, along with a control room, several mechanical rooms and everything that makes up the ride system.

The shorter building behind the tower is where the four lifts are, including their respective hallway and 5th Dimension scenes. There are also staircases and service elevators, as well as the maintenance room for the ride vehicles.

The tower houses the 2 drop shafts, along with additional staircases, maintenance access ways, and perhaps even another service elevator - I'm not positive.

The huge drop-shaft motors are in the top of the main tower.

It's a huge building, but necessarily so.

 

[stargrl33]

Thanks for the info! It's easy to forget just how much space is necessary for that ride to operate. I just get lost in the experience when I ride it.
I read this online as well:
"Disney Imagineers have calculated that if both towers were to drop at the same time that Rock'n Roller Coaster launched it would bring down the Studio's power grid. This is prevented because the Imagineering department decided to build a power sub-station that services just this section of the park."
If it's true, that is pretty amazing.

 

[litaljohn]

plus thy had to equip the ride with proper shielding so cast members don't go into a break room only to wind up in..... the twilight zone. you step in for a snickers and you pop out 15 minutes later but 20 years older or something. then they need a doctor to exain to you about the off time leap in the break room how even though you've aged 20 years it only been 15 minutes and Bon Jovi has yet to replace Aerosmith in rock n roller coaster, it's hard to brace people for that trauma, it's easier to just design it the way they did.

 

[stargrl33]

plus thy had to equip the ride with proper shielding so cast members don't go into a break room only to wind up in..... the twilight zone. you step in for a snickers and you pop out 15 minutes later but 20 years older or something. then they need a doctor to exain to you about the off time leap in the break room how even though you've aged 20 years it only been 15 minutes and Bon Jovi has yet to replace Aerosmith in rock n roller coaster, it's hard to brace people for that trauma, it's easier to just design it the way they did.

You're right, that would be pretty traumatizing.

 

[lego606]

The break room is in between the two shafts and when the elevators drop it shakes O.O

 

[Tom Morrow]

The unique thing about Tower of Terror is that, it isn't a "show building"... it IS a building. Unlike, say, Everest, which is more or less a "hollow" structure, Tower of Terror is a complete building with 9 floors, and all the space inside is used for something.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the info! It's easy to forget just how much space is necessary for that ride to operate. I just get lost in the experience when I ride it.
I read this online as well:
"Disney Imagineers have calculated that if both towers were to drop at the same time that Rock'n Roller Coaster launched it would bring down the Studio's power grid. This is prevented because the Imagineering department decided to build a power sub-station that services just this section of the park."
If it's true, that is pretty amazing.

I've seen that explanation before, and while I can't personally vouch for the validity, I can definitely say that it's plausible (there is indeed an electrical substation over there). The motors that power each drop shaft are enormous and certainly utilize an immense amount of electricity. And so does the launch system for RnRC.

 

[Magenta Panther]

The break room is in between the two shafts and when the elevators drop it shakes O.O

Sounds awesome!

 

[Rob562]

I'm sure there's a break room for the CMs, along with a control room, several mechanical rooms and everything that makes up the ride system.

The shorter building behind the tower is where the four lifts are, including their respective hallway and 5th Dimension scenes. There are also staircases and service elevators, as well as the maintenance room for the ride vehicles.

The tower houses the 2 drop shafts, along with additional staircases, maintenance access ways, and perhaps even another service elevator - I'm not positive.

The huge drop-shaft motors are in the top of the main tower.

It's a huge building, but necessarily so.

The elevator that you see in the middle of the Unload area (you walk around it when exiting the ride and heading toward the photo preview) is the service elevator that goes up into the main tower portion of the building. Top floor of that elevator is the motor room at the top of the tower. The "chicken elevator" seen in the Boiler Room connects to the Unload area via a service hallway. Off this hallway are an office for supervisors/managers and the main Tower control room where CMs sit and monitor the ride.

The only part of the structure that isn't really "real" and in-use is the two-story front section that sticks out in front of the front face of the Tower. (This is intended to be the base of the wings that disappeared in 1939) From the RnRC courtyard you can see that it's just a facade. (You couldn't see it before, and why they never added the third wall when they built RnRC I'll never know)

-Rob

 

[marni1971]

Have a look at bing maps aerial view. You'll see what's false (very little)

The building is a rabbit warren of ride paths, elevator shafts, show rooms, mechanical and electrical rooms, service areas, break rooms, control room, bathrooms and staircases. Very little unused space.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

plus thy had to equip the ride with proper shielding so cast members don't go into a break room only to wind up in..... the twilight zone. you step in for a snickers and you pop out 15 minutes later but 20 years older or something. then they need a doctor to exain to you about the off time leap in the break room how even though you've aged 20 years it only been 15 minutes and Bon Jovi has yet to replace Aerosmith in rock n roller coaster, it's hard to brace people for that trauma, it's easier to just design it the way they did.

That happened to me too! Only two months ago I too was twenty years younger and a hot and beautiful 21 year old.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'm sure there's a break room for the CMs, along with a control room, several mechanical rooms and everything that makes up the ride system.

The shorter building behind the tower is where the four lifts are, including their respective hallway and 5th Dimension scenes. There are also staircases and service elevators, as well as the maintenance room for the ride vehicles.

The tower houses the 2 drop shafts, along with additional staircases, maintenance access ways, and perhaps even another service elevator - I'm not positive.

The huge drop-shaft motors are in the top of the main tower.

It's a huge building, but necessarily so.

So you say that you enter in the front, then move to the dark basement in the back to go up the shaft from behind, only to move back to the front for some up and down action as you scream your lungs out?

 

[bethymouse]

It's an awesome building!

 

[Tom]

So you say that you enter in the front, then move to the dark basement in the back to go up the shaft from behind, only to move back to the front for some up and down action while screaming your lungs out?

Pretty much. Although you enter through the east side of the building, and pass through one of the libraries, also located in the east 2-story section (look at it on Bing). You leave the library and travel west (northwest) through the little hallway into the Boiler Room, which is the back part of the building.

On Bing you can also see the motor penthouse for the 4 show shafts, which sticks up about 20' past the short part of the building in the back. Your first elevator climbs in that shaft, then travels forward through the shorter building and into the drop shaft.

Then of course your vehicle lands, backs out of the shaft, and rotates toward the center of the building. You exit, turn and head toward the photo station, through the gift shop, and back out the east side of the building, a floor below where you entered.

 

[marni1971]

Here's a rough idea of what's where:

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Cheers. Got any for DSP or DCA?

 

[Tom]

Here's a rough idea of what's where:

View attachment 28919

I knew you'd come through on this one Martin

 

[litaljohn]

Pretty much. Although you enter through the east side of the building, and pass through one of the libraries, also located in the east 2-story section (look at it on Bing). You leave the library and travel west (northwest) through the little hallway into the Boiler Room, which is the back part of the building.

On Bing you can also see the motor penthouse for the 4 show shafts, which sticks up about 20' past the short part of the building in the back. Your first elevator climbs in that shaft, then travels forward through the shorter building and into the drop shaft.

Then of course your vehicle lands, backs out of the shaft, and rotates toward the center of the building. You exit, turn and head toward the photo station, through the gift shop, and back out the east side of the building, a floor below where you entered.

.....I don't think you're doing it right; If you are, God do I have a lot to learn.

 

[Tom]

.....I don't think you're doing it right; If you are, God do I have a lot to learn.

I literally have no idea what you mean by this.