The faulty tower

Image: Disney

I could spend the rest of this piece listing the accolades of the Tower of Terror, but you know the broad strokes. It’s in the conversation for most triumphant Disney ride of all-time. It’s also the favorite attraction of the overwhelming majority of readers of Theme Park Tourist. It is, in simple terms, a masterpiece.

What’s amazing is that at its core, this is the basic drop tower ride that you’ll find at theme parks virtually everywhere. The difference, as always, is in Disney’s theming. In choosing Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone as the baseline for the Tower of Terror, Disney could build a supernatural tale that didn’t need much backstory. It simply needed to provide a creepy vibe for guests. That’s Rod Serling’s motif.

Disney Imagineers delighted in finding the perfect accentuating touches for a long-abandoned hotel. They emphasized the most chilling aspect of the Tower of Terror. It had stood largely untouched by time for decades, almost as if it existed in its own pocket universe. Then, they added slight elements of aging to show that while the hotel building may seem eternal, the decor inside was subject to the ravages of time, at least somewhat. Dust has accumulated, accoutrements are unkempt, and a few items didn’t survive the (possibly supernatural) lightning strike.

Walking into the Tower of Terror is an incongruous mix of classic 1930s Hollywood extravagance and horror movie-esque abandoned building. The 13-star hotel (no, really) looks like somewhere Cary Grant might have stayed. Simultaneously, it also gives off the same vibe as Crystal Lake, the place where Jason Voorhees won’t stay dead. The disconnect between what it was and its current state only adds to the pervasive feeling that the Tower of Terror is just plain wrong.

Once they had the details right about the hotel theming, they could explore the drop tower construct, improving it through Disney plussing. Imagineers did something particularly clever here. They randomized the ride, at least from the perspective of the user. A standard drop tower does one of two things. It either pulls the bottom out from under the rider, thrusting them to the ground at virtual gravity, or it throws the rider into the air. The technology is similar both ways, and while drop towers are undeniably fun, they’re also predictable. That’s precisely because so many amusement parks have them.

Disney went a different way with the concept. They built a lift system that wouldn’t function the way that the rider would anticipate. Instead, the randomization means that at any point, the elevator cart could go up or down. Everyone onboard has to hold their breath and wait for each new surprise. Some iterations of the ride even include fake endings to add further intrigue and excitement.

The highlight is when they reach the level where they can see daylight, a sublime introduction of a basic element into the darkest of dark rides. The bright light offers the rider brief hope of escape before the cart speeds back into the blackness of the abyss below. The brief glimpse of the outside world is a cruel tease.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a drop tower in the same way that Michael Jordan is a basketball player. Yes, the description is true in a broad sense, but it almost diminishes the party involved by describing the entity in the most basic way possible. Drop towers are straightforward and stylistically lacking. The Tower of Terror is a gorgeous, thematic building filled with impeccable touches and a ride that reduces the heartiest of individuals to screams of horror. And delight.

So, what changed about the situation that caused the Happiest Place on Earth to diminish one of the greatest Imagineering achievements ever? Blame a foul-mouthed, weapon-lovin’ raccoon.

Excellent value

Image: Marvel

Over the past 20 years, The Walt Disney Corporation has acquired some amazing properties. They scored ESPN and then evolved it into the most powerful cable channel ever. They bought Pixar and thereby redeemed their flagging animation division. They even picked up Star Wars, a franchise few observers believed George Lucas would ever sell.

What was their bravest acquisition? That answer might surprise you. In August of 2009, Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. Coincidentally or not, that’s the same purchase price as Star Wars, but financial experts agreed that buying Lucasfilm was a masterstroke. Many in the industry felt that Disney overpaid for Marvel, a company that was only 13 years removed from bankruptcy proceedings.

The timing of the deal was also curious. Marvel delivered a blockbuster with Iron Man, a film that reminded viewers why Robert Downey Jr. is so respected as an actor. Then, they failed to do the same with The Incredible Hulk, which earned basically the same as The Hulk five years earlier. And the latter title was a huge box office disappointment. Marvel’s current status as a box office powerhouse was merely a possibility when Disney purchased the company…and a fairly remote one at that.

Disney wasn’t overly concerned about box office, oddly enough. They deduced that their powerhouse marketing arm could take care of that part of the equation. Instead, they wanted the toy sales that come from Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the various Avengers. The fact that they’ve released megahit after megahit in the interim is a serendipitous bonus. The most shocking of these successes, however, is one set in outer space.