Are you ready to descend into the world of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World?
You unlock this article with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension.
A dimension of sound. Dimension of sight. Dimension of mind.
You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.
You’ve just crossed over into… The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!
Tonight, you are the stars of one of the most amazing shows to have ever grace a television set.
Not to mention, it gave inspiration for one of the best attractions at Walt Disney World and one of the best TV movies.
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Why We Love the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a true marvel to match the show. It continues to be beloved as it beckons those who walk down Sunset Boulevard to find out its secrets within.
Tonight’s story on The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction.
I invite you, if you dare, to step aboard because in tonight’s episode, you are the star. And this elevator travels directly to… The Twilight Zone.
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Let’s Begin with the Twilight Zone Television Show
Considered as one of the greatest TV series ever, Rod Serling, the Creator/Host of the Twilight Zone, presented viewers with a fresh standalone narrative each week, culminating in a surprising twist or moral insight at the conclusion throughout its five seasons.
The show ranged from Science Fiction to Fantasy to Horror, running from fall 1959 to the summer of 1964.
- Rod Serling (Actor)
- English (Subtitle)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Rod Sterling co-wrote on 92 out of the 156 episodes and crafted the opening and closing monologues for each episode.
He gained recognition for developing the show to subtly address topics such as racism and censorship, which were sources of disagreement with studio executives.
The Twilight Zone was praised for giving many stars that we know today their big breaks such as:
- William Shatner
- Mickey Rooney
- Elizabeth Montgomery
- George Takei
- Robert Redford
- Ron Howard
- Dennis Hopper
During its run, the show was nominated for four primetime Emmy awards, winning two.
The Fall and Rise of The Twilight Zone TV Show
Following the show’s cancellation, Serling sold the rights to CBS and the series continues to be syndicated to this day.
The show has been rebooted 3 times, the most recent being 2019 by Jordan Peele.
- Charles Aidman (Actor)
- English (Publication Language)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Serling’s legacy lived on through his widow, who passed in January 2020. The show has firmly embedded Serling into our culture for the years ahead.
- Jenna Elfman, Tony Hale, Tracy Morgan (Actors)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
It was also inducted in the television hall of fame in 1985 and the show being referenced in various mediums over the years, including...The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
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The History of Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World
The tale begins on a night just like this….in the second development phase for Disneyland Paris.
In its inception, the ride was designed to blend the thrill of a free fall with elements of a roller coaster, propelling guests rapidly upwards through a shaft.
The proposed Disney attraction, “Geyser Mountain,” was slated to be situated in Frontierland.
Although the concept was conceived in the late 1980s, it ultimately did not come to fruition.
Fortunately, during this time, progress was being made on the construction of Disney’s MGM Studios, scheduled to open in May 1989.
MGM Studios, the third park expansion for Walt Disney World, was in need of an E-ticket attraction.
Tower of Terror starring Eddie Murphy
At first, several ideas for attractions were proposed but then the drop shaft idea came up. Several haunted ideas were given including:
- One based on a Stephen King’s novel
- A ride based on an actual hotel lore
- One based on an awards show type deal honoring classic movie monsters hosted by Eddie Murphy and Elvira and a Vincent Price ghost tour
Personally, while I love the concept of the Stephen King and Vincent Price ideas, I am very glad the awards show idea did not progress beyond the blue sky phase.
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What Does Twilight Zone Have to Do with Tower of Terror?
Eventually, inspiration came in the form of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone television show.
Imagineers thought it would be a great idea to use the show as a base for the attraction’s backstory.
Imagineers envisioned a captivating attraction that would unveil the fifth dimension frequently referenced by Serling in his anthology series, and the project received approval.
Following the acquisition of licensing rights from CBS for “The Twilight Zone,” Disney proceeded to finalize the storyline.
Ultimately, Imagineers selected a 1930s Hollywood hotel concept intertwined with the iconic Twilight Zone theme.
At one point, it was rumored that Disney even considered the idea of making it a real hotel.
However, most guests would totally not be into hearing screaming from riders on the attraction, so that idea got nixed real quick.
Upon being announced in Fall of 1991, it was described as a friendlier version of “The Haunted Mansion.”
Preparation went full speed ahead in 1992 but was paused due a sinkhole forming, leaving the Imagineers to move the location slightly.
Casting a New Host for Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World
Disney thought it was crucial to have Rod Serling in the ride since it was his brainchild, and Twilight Zone just isn’t the same without him. They go hand in hand.
The snag was that Serling had already passed away two decades ago.
With Serling’s widow, Carol on board as a consultant, Disney held auditions for the man who would voice Serling in the attraction.
In the end, Mark Silverman was chosen by Carol to provide the voice. He would later add to the Disney California Adventure version and even to the 2019 season finale revival by CBS.
Is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror a Real Episode?
Contrary to popular belief, the Tower of Terror ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is NOT based on a particular episode of the Twilight Zone.
Instead it a melting pot of a few plot points and Easter Eggs from the original episodes.
As far as seeing Rod visually, archival footage from the famous episode “It’s a Good Life” was used.
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Where is Twilight Zone in Disney World?
Once you head inside of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll make your way down the main welcome path of the park. You’ll then turn right onto the famous Sunset Boulevard.
As you began to make your way back, you’ll see the mysterious Hollywood Tower Hotel standing tall in the Florida sky!
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Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World: A New Kind of Ride Vehicle
Now the work really began and that was with the ride vehicle itself. The hotel elevator.
The Imagineering team worked with the Otis Elevator Company to create the vertical ride system while Eaton-Kenway created a vehicle that could bring itself forward.
Together, with Imagineering, they managed to create the specialized system.
Is Twilight Zone Tower of Terror a Roller Coaster?
Disney’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is not a roller coaster. The vehicles are self guiding, with the ability to move in and out of the elevators, through the fifth dimension scene in into the drop shaft.
The attraction has a dual system installed for a unique loop system.
There are four shafts total that merge into two after the fifth dimension sequence then go into the single drop shaft.
After the vehicles are brought into the basement and unloaded, they are sent back up to do it all over again.
More Drops Added to the Disney’s Tower of Terror Ride
The attraction originally opened with one drop but since 2003, the attraction was installed with a randomized multi-drop sequence selected by the computer.
My personal favorite is when it drops and then the vehicle shakes a bit.
Believe it or not, you are not actually free falling on the attraction either.
Cables attached to the bottom of the vehicle allow it to pull it down at a slightly faster rate than what a free fall actually would!
With the assistance of two huge motors with the ability to generate 275 times the torque of a Corvette engine, it allows for fifteen times the speed of normal elevators.
The goal for Imagineers was to give riders the motion beyond the thrill of a free fall while managing safety and the structural management of the tower.
At 199 feet, it can reach speeds of 39 MPH (miles per hour).
The Eerie Architecture of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World
The interior and exterior of the attraction gained its inspiration from actual landmarks like the Biltmore Hotel and features Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
This was purposely chosen due to its color and to blend in with the color scheme of the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase in the distance.
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When Did The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
It was originally going to have a holiday opening of July 4th, 1994, but it was decided that it would open with the Sunset Boulevard expansion of MGM Studios on July 22, 1994.
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Now for the Fun Part… The Backstory of the Tower of Terror at Disney World
Let’s start backwards a bit! One stormy night in 1939, five guests entered an elevator in the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
The hotel was like a shining beacon of glitz and glamour, just like Serling mentioned, truly a star in its own way.
As the elevator doors opened, in walked a young celebrity, her nanny, a famous couple, and a helpful bellhop carrying their bags to their rooms.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt strikes the tower of the hotel causing all five people, the elevator and an entire wing of the hotel to disappear seemingly into the Twilight Zone!
Ever since the incident, the hotel was quickly left behind and has been in a sorry state ever since.
Strolling through the overgrown gardens, you’ll end up at the front of the hotel, where you’ll be guided through the lobby and into the charming library.
Shortly after, it suddenly thunders loudly and lightning strikes causing the power to go out.
The TV set then comes on, showing Rod Serling telling the tale I just shared and letting you know that you will be boarding a service elevator to become the next stars of…the Twilight Zone.
I won’t give too much away but trust that what I have shared will not take away from the immense detail that Imagineering put into the attraction.
Disney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Ride Stats
To start, you must be at least 40 inches to ride. The tower itself tops off at 199 feet and has a drop of 130 feet.
Riders will plummet at 39 MPH (miles per hour) while hitting 1.3 G forces. The ride experience is a total of a little over 3 and a half minutes.
Disney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride vehicle can seat 21 people at a time and has a total of 8 vehicles.
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7 Fun Facts About Disney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Now let’s look at some fun facts about the amazing and mysterious attraction!
- Imagineers reportedly watched every single episode TWICE.
- If you are seated on the right-hand side of the elevator when being seated in the first or second row, you can see a nod to one of the Twilight Zone episodes. The elevator inspection license states that it was inspected on Halloween 1939 and by a person named Cadwadaller, who was discovered to be the devil in “The Escape Clause” episode of the show.
- There’s a Mystic Seer machine from the episode “Nick of Time” can be seen sitting on the high shelf in the libraries, nearby the television.
- The book titled “To Serve Man”, from the episode of the same name, can be found in both libraries.
- Chalk marks can be seen on one of walls of the waiting area that leads from the elevator unload, a reference to the episode “Little Girl Lost”.
- In the pre-show, the child star is holding an old Mickey Mouse Doll.
- The lobby is decorated with authentic antiques found at various Los Angeles auctions to truly sell the realism of the story.
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My Final Thoughts on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney World
There is so much more to the story behind one of Disney’s most audacious and continuously beloved attractions.
And while the Disney California Adventure version has been lost to make way for the epic Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, you can visit the other versions at Tokyo Disney Sea and Disneyland Paris.
With there being various versions, it is a credit to how popular the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is to fans of both the Twilight Zone and the Disney magic.
Turning onto Sunset Boulevard, you are immediately drawn to that mysterious towering hotel, curious to see what lies inside.
I recommend watching the “Behind the Attractions” series on Disney+.
It will give you a feel for the work that goes into one of the best attractions Disney ever created. And to think that it almost ended up in Disneyland Paris’s Frontierland!
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Until next time, Happy Hopping Hipsters!
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About the Author
Victoria is a professional solo traveler here to make your solo trips as stress free AND enjoyable as possible for you.
She has over 5 years of Disney and Non-Disney travel experience and was featured by POPSUGAR as one of the Top 50 Black Disney Creators you should follow.
She is a Proud Native to Baltimore, Md but always will call Disney World home.
(Original Article Date: October 10, 2022/Updated by Editor on January 18, 2024)