Unlocking 13 Spooky Tower of Terror Secrets
In this episode, we travel to the fifth dimension to share the very best secrets, 13 to be exact, of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Opened on July 22nd, 1994 as part of the Sunset Boulevard expansion (back then Disney’s MGM Studios), “Tower of Terror” remains one of the most iconic, and very best attractions in Walt Disney World.
The Hollywood Tower Hotel, is a grand hotel built in 1917 and was THE place to be seen during the height of Hollywood also known as the golden age of Hollywood (the time of hollywoods or tinsletowns greatest classic fims). The hotel was where all the celebrities or hollywood elite (basically anyone who was anyone at the time) would visit to spend the night dancing and dining.The glamorous hotel was an iconic landmark in Hollywood.
On a dark, rainy Halloween night, October 31st in the year 1939, during a bustling Halloween party, five hotel guests happily entered the elevator and were brought up to the 13th floor (which in itself was pretty strange since the hotel only has 12 floors). It was at that moment that the hotel was tragically struck by lightning causing the elevator to plummet and the guests riding to mysteriously disappear! They somehow left the elevator to an unknown dimension.
The owner closed the hotel abburptely, and everything inside was left frozen in time.
Legend has it that the hotel is haunted by the ghosts of those that vanished that frightful halloween night but somehow the bellhop survived..
Today, YOU are the star and are able to walk through the remains of the neglected, dusty Hollywood Hotel beginning in the lobby where you see everything that was eerily left behind. Guests belongings strewn about the lobby- luggage left at the check in, real letters in the mailboxes, champagne glasses on a table that belonged to a couple toasting to their wedding anniversary.
Then as you enter the library, once again an untimely thunderstorm suddenly arrives in the distance. Rod Serling (the host of the twilight zone series and whos voice remains timeless) is suddenly seen on a television set that mysterioulsy turns on by itself and explains the story of that unfortunate Halloween night..
Now that you know the backstory, here are the top 13 spooky secrets of the Tower of Terror.
#1. The original concept was a horror-themed concept attraction based on the movie Young Frankenstein
Once Disney aquired the licensing rights of The Twilight Zone from CBS it became the hotel we know today…
#2. Imagineers watched all 156 episodes of Twilight Zone -MULTIPLE TIMES to gather inspiration.
#3. The screams you hear coming from the hotel are actually done intentionally as they are meant to attract you closer to the spooky hotel (sort of like a scene from a horror film when the person keeps walking closer and closer to the scary noise..)
#4. Winding walkways
The next time you make your way up to the hotel, pay attention to the winding walkways in the queue which is all part of the story. The way the walkway twists and turns is all part of the spookiness as it is meant to disoreinet you..
You will see evidence of this abondon hotel with cracks along the decaying foundation, plants that have not been maintained.
#5. The Hollywood Hotel Billboard
An old sign or billboard hangs above Sunset Boulevard, advertising the then iconic hotel back in 1930.
#6. The lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel was outfitted with actual antiques and furniture purchased at Los Angeles-area auction houses.
There is also props from the actual television series, Twilight Zone throughout.
#7. The young girl who disappears in the elevator was inspired in part by the “Little Girl Lost” episode of “The Twilight Zone.”
Bonus- there’s a hidden Mickey.
If you look closely the child in the elevator is seen holding a 1930s mickey doll.
#8. You’re not actually dropping in the elevator.
The ride pulls you- which makes it feel faster than a free fall..
Also the sequence changes randomly so you can never really predict what will happen. This feature alone makes it one of the best thrill rides ever created!
#9. The music in the lobby is meant to send a little chill up your spine.
Some say the music is forever playing from the band that continues to haunt the hotel.
10. Evil Tower, You are Doomed.
Scrambled letters spell out Evil Tower You Are Doomed in the lobby warning you to get out.
11. The elevator you are about to ride has not been inspected since October 31, 1939.
When you are in the boiler room you might find the certificate of inspection or Permit to Operate Certificate with the numbers 10259. These numbers represent the date 10/2/59 – October 2 1959 (when the twilight zone originally aired) and is signed by an inspector named Cad Wallader. Cad was a character in the Twilight episode titled, “escape clause” where it turns out he was the devil.
#12. Part of the attraction is a self riding car.
The car is actually an AGV, or an autonomous-guided vehicle, that moves without tracks or rails.
#13. The Hotel loves to play around with the number 13.
You are brought up to the 13th Floor into the fifth dimension.. where the attraction does a 13 story drop. There is 13 AAA diamond ranking at the lobby of the hotel. Occasionally, there is a ”13 minute wait time” advertised at the entrance which is done all purposefully to make you nervous since the number 13 is considered very unlucky.
Thanks For Listening
Hope you enjoyed this episode!
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