News Tower of Terror to operate at reduced capacity due to an extended refurbishment

Rodj

Well-Known Member
I have watched a few livestreams this week of the Tower of Terror and I believe that neither are profile locked unless Foxtrot is profile locked on Fear Every Drop.
Here is all of the missing or messed up things on the ToT currently that I have seen:
A-Alpha B-Bravo C-Charlie D- Delta E-Echo F-Foxtrot
-A&B: Incorrectly timed ding
-Fake door close sound/"drone" is incorrectly timed on A,B and C. All are too quiet and the ding sound effect is quiet as well compared to videos of Tower1.
-"Tease" sound when entering E is MIA
-All: Front facing wall light strobes in hallway scene are disabled
-F&E: Strobes on VVC do not work
-F&E: Most lightning strobes do not work besides the ones on the 5D level
-Sign strobes and static sound effect to accompany it do not work(A video of a camera person standing on the sign platformed proved the sound effect was still present in Tower4)
-E: 3rd set of exterior doors do not open and top set is slow to open and stays open when it first opens until the last time the doors close
-Both 5D's: Eyeball effect uses stock image
-E: Many speakers are messed up at unloading level, including the one which gives the exit spiel(It currently sounds very muffled)
-Both 5D's: Starfield door's line shows up dim before it is supposed to show and the stars shut off abruptly
-F&E: Motion Delay. Foxtrot has about a 3 second delay behind in motion while Echo's is about 0.5-1 second behind.
-Sound. This is a big problem. A,B,C, and D all are missing the "audio skipper"(I call it this), which "skips" forward in the BGM to the bell part when the doors open at the hallway scene(this is the reason why the hallway scene is not in sync), and the audio levels for all of them are different. A&B have a louder voice but quieter BGM while C&D have a quieter voice and louder BGM. In E the dialogue when you enter the drop shaft sounds very loud and is cracking. F&E are a mixed bag on audio levels for the drop profiles, sometimes the shaft audio is loud and the VVC audio is quiet, sometimes the shaft audio is quiet and the VVC audio is loud, sometimes both are quiet, and sometimes both are loud.
-Library and Boiler Room problems listed in the watch thread.

Here is what I hope is done during the refurbishment:
-All of the issues I listed above
-Summer Nightastic Profile is re-added, it is the same length as the other profiles
-More lighting effects for the drop profiles(Such as making the wall lights in the VVC work again, lightning effects added to the VVC, and green lights at the top used more)
-Better way to time the 5th Dimension transition audio to start. It currently starts checking to play it when the hallway scene doors are about halfway closed. I think they should make it either A. Check once the window shatters and if it the audio starts up late, it should play a shortened version, or B. Make it so it always starts playing when the doors start closing but have it slightly vary in length(IE making the "suspenseful" part a few seconds longer) if there is a hold up. But not the way how Tower2/Early Tower3 handled it. The way how Tower1/Tower1.5 did it was fine.
-Have the ready to dispatch light on the operator panel come on 3-5 seconds later. The current way it is timed makes it so if the CM sends it right when it comes on, the transition audio to the 5th dimension scene doesn't play until about 1 second after the doors fully close on the hallway scene, which causes for the very awkward silence and messed up beginning of the 5th dimension scene.
-Have the exterior sign sparks work again, but only when the mist is active, possibly adding some more misters below the sign.
-Redo the movement system for the AGV's where instead of a wire, there could be a colored line on the floor for a camera or sensor(s) to follow and if it gets slightly off, it will try to find the line again instead of stopping completely. Also the rollers should be made softer/bigger or like tires, or a ramp should connect the VVC to the 5th dimension so when the AGV gets in/out of the shaft it is much smoother.
-The fog effect for the 5th dimension should be relooked into and see if there is a way to have it without fogging up the glass(Maybe having them plastic instead of glass).
-When the "tease" sound plays when entering the drop shaft, there should be a big rush of wind onto the riders, I think this would help enhance that effect.
 
Last edited:

PizzaPlanet

Well-Known Member
Oh thank god. What great news!

I'm a little nervous though...somebody here said that some time ago, the lighting had been "updated" for the corridor scene (the one where you see the floating picture) so that it was obvious that the effect is actually a film. Whereas before the "update" the scene was deep rich pitch velvety black - you could only see what the Imagineers wanted you to see. If true, that "update" is appalling. And then there's apparently been an "update" for the TV in the library - the original TV screen has been replaced so that it's always on, where before the TV only turned on after the lightning strike. ***?

I hope this refurb will TRULY fix what's broken, and ENHANCE the ride experience, rather than put "updates" in for the sake of new technology even if doing so will lessen the impact of convincing special effects. I'd hate to see the Tower get the same "improvements" a la the new Haunted Mansion hitchhiking ghost effect...
The TV works fine as of last summer. Maybe that was just an issue when they were installing the new screen?
 

DisneyCane

Well-Known Member
Oh thank god. What great news!

I'm a little nervous though...somebody here said that some time ago, the lighting had been "updated" for the corridor scene (the one where you see the floating picture) so that it was obvious that the effect is actually a film. Whereas before the "update" the scene was deep rich pitch velvety black - you could only see what the Imagineers wanted you to see. If true, that "update" is appalling. And then there's apparently been an "update" for the TV in the library - the original TV screen has been replaced so that it's always on, where before the TV only turned on after the lightning strike. ***?

The corridor issue is that the film projection was replaced with digital projection. Film is capable of very deep black. Digital is not unless you are using Dolby Cinema or IMAX ultra high end laser projectors. It isn't worth the 6 figure additional cost per corridor and those didn't exist yet when they made the change anyway.

The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.
 

CoasterSnoop

Well-Known Member
Looks like we're in the good timeline (for now). This is excellent news! There's definitely plenty of room for improvement. I'm just glad to hear it's staying the same ride, and they're giving it some TLC. I really hope it's as thorough as we imagine or at least close.
 

TOCPE82

Well-Known Member
I have watched a few livestreams this week of the Tower of Terror and I believe that neither are profile locked unless Foxtrot is profile locked on Fear Every Drop.
Here is all of the missing or messed up things on the ToT currently that I have seen:
A-Alpha B-Bravo C-Charlie D- Delta E-Echo F-Foxtrot
-A&B: Incorrectly timed ding
-Fake door close sound/"drone" is incorrectly timed on A,B and C. All are too quiet and the ding sound effect is quiet as well compared to videos of Tower1.
-"Tease" sound when entering E is MIA
-All: Front facing wall light strobes in hallway scene are disabled
-F&E: Strobes on VVC do not work
-F&E: Most lightning strobes do not work besides the ones on the 5D level
-Sign strobes and static sound effect to accompany it do not work(A video of a camera person standing on the sign platformed proved the sound effect was still present in Tower4)
-E: 3rd set of exterior doors do not open and top set is slow to open and stays open when it first opens until the last time the doors close
-Both 5D's: Eyeball effect uses stock image
-E: Many speakers are messed up at unloading level, including the one which gives the exit spiel(It currently sounds very muffled)
-Both 5D's: Starfield door's line shows up dim before it is supposed to show and the stars shut off abruptly
-F&E: Motion Delay. Foxtrot has about a 3 second delay behind in motion while Echo's is about 0.5-1 second behind.
-Sound. This is a big problem. A,B,C, and D all are missing the "audio skipper"(I call it this), which "skips" forward in the BGM to the bell part when the doors open at the hallway scene(this is the reason why the hallway scene is not in sync), and the audio levels for all of them are different. A&B have a louder voice but quieter BGM while C&D have a quieter voice and louder BGM. In E the dialogue when you enter the drop shaft sounds very loud and is cracking. F&E are a mixed bag on audio levels for the drop profiles, sometimes the shaft audio is loud and the VVC audio is quiet, sometimes the shaft audio is quiet and the VVC audio is loud, sometimes both are quiet, and sometimes both are loud.
-Library and Boiler Room problems listed in the watch thread.

Here is what I hope is done during the refurbishment:
-All of the issues I listed above
-Summer Nightastic Profile is re-added, it is the same length as the other profiles
-More lighting effects for the drop profiles(Such as making the wall lights in the VVC work again, lightning effects added to the VVC, and green lights at the top used more)
-Better way to time the 5th Dimension transition audio to start. It currently starts checking to play it when the hallway scene doors are about halfway closed. I think they should make it either A. Check once the window shatters and if it the audio starts up late, it should play a shortened version, or B. Make it so it always starts playing when the doors start closing but have it slightly vary in length(IE making the "suspenseful" part a few seconds longer) if there is a hold up. But not the way how Tower2/Early Tower3 handled it. The way how Tower1/Tower1.5 did it was fine.
-Have the ready to dispatch light on the operator panel come on 3-5 seconds later. The current way it is timed makes it so if the CM sends it right when it comes on, the transition audio to the 5th dimension scene doesn't play until about 1 second after the doors fully close on the hallway scene, which causes for the very awkward silence and messed up beginning of the 5th dimension scene.
-Have the exterior sign sparks work again, but only when the mist is active, possibly adding some more misters below the sign.
-Redo the movement system for the AGV's where instead of a wire, there could be a colored line on the floor for a camera or sensor(s) to follow and if it gets slightly off, it will try to find the line again instead of stopping completely. Also the rollers should be made softer/bigger or like tires, or a ramp should connect the VVC to the 5th dimension so when the AGV gets in/out of the shaft it is much smoother.
-The fog effect for the 5th dimension should be relooked into and see if there is a way to have it without fogging up the glass(Maybe having them plastic instead of glass).
-When the "tease" sound plays when entering the drop shaft, there should be a big rush of wind onto the riders, I think this would help enhance that effect.

Damn, this is thorough!
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
The corridor issue is that the film projection was replaced with digital projection. Film is capable of very deep black. Digital is not unless you are using Dolby Cinema or IMAX ultra high end laser projectors. It isn't worth the 6 figure additional cost per corridor and those didn't exist yet when they made the change anyway.

The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.

My god, how horrible. That scene was mind-blowing, and TDO screwed it up. Will THAT be fixed in this refurb, I hope?
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
The corridor issue is that the film projection was replaced with digital projection. Film is capable of very deep black. Digital is not unless you are using Dolby Cinema or IMAX ultra high end laser projectors. It isn't worth the 6 figure additional cost per corridor and those didn't exist yet when they made the change anyway.

The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.
Easy ways around it. Like some ND on the projector lens.

There’s also the issue of the screen flexing under air pressure should a drop shaft drop.
 

tissandtully

Well-Known Member
The corridor issue is that the film projection was replaced with digital projection. Film is capable of very deep black. Digital is not unless you are using Dolby Cinema or IMAX ultra high end laser projectors. It isn't worth the 6 figure additional cost per corridor and those didn't exist yet when they made the change anyway.

The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.
The screens in the FoP loading pre-show would actually work well for this. Not sure what they are using there, some sort of rear projection or OLED, but they are huge screens and the blacks are insane.
 

GlacierGlacier

Well-Known Member
The screens in the FoP loading pre-show would actually work well for this. Not sure what they are using there, some sort of rear projection or OLED, but they are huge screens and the blacks are insane.
I'd guess 4K OLED behind a black acrylic/plexiglass panel. Multiple panels, too. The secondary room seems to have three screens, the first has one big one (I think)
 

DisneyCane

Well-Known Member
Easy ways around it. Like some ND on the projector lens.

There’s also the issue of the screen flexing under air pressure should a drop shaft drop.

ND? The biggest issue now is when the corridor is dark and the window is on a gray background.

The screen flexing must have been the same since opening.
The screens in the FoP loading pre-show would actually work well for this. Not sure what they are using there, some sort of rear projection or OLED, but they are huge screens and the blacks are insane.

I'm guessing those are OLED. Just much smaller than the corridor screen.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom