Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! vs. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Hoo boy! I know that I’m about to step in it.

Nobody’s going to be right or wrong on this one. Purists have a strong opinion about Disney’s decision to shut down one of the best rides ever created at a Disney theme park. Fans of the new and different appreciate that the Anaheim version of Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was always a bit lacking in comparison to the one at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Also, change isn’t always the boogeyman that will ruin lives.

Keeping the above in mind, here’s the tale of the tape. Disney introduced Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios in 1994. The Disney California Adventure didn’t arrive until a decade later in 2004. Both versions have the same wonderful theme: theme park tourists are guests at the formerly luxurious Hollywood Tower Hotel, once a vacation playground to the rich and famous. It’s since fallen into disrepair due to a supernatural event that eviscerated a group of people on an elevator, instantly turning them into remnants that haunt the abandoned facility.

Fans of spooky hijinks will never find a more satisfying thrill ride that Tower of the Terror. It’s an award winner for a reason. Disney maxed out on big ideas here. Generally, the blue sky phase of ride design is when all the best ideas flow freely. Then, reality sets in. Imagineers have to compromise on those grand ambitions. The best parts of Tower of Terror somehow escaped this fate, which is why it’s basically a perfect ride.

At Disney California Adventure, Tower of Terror was also a masterpiece yet also criticized as mimicry. To some, the attraction never felt like an integral part of the second Disneyland gate. It also felt like a mismatch in theme and tone with the Golden State design. Less than 13 years after its arrival, park planners felt okay with its removal.

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! is the proverbial phoenix that has risen from the ashes of Tower of Terror. It uses the same ride structure as its predecessor, only with the intellectual property theme of the wildly popular Marvel characters. The two movies have earned more than $1.6 billion worldwide, and kids in particular love the foul-mouthed but fuzzy Rocket Raccoon, and his laconic friend, Groot.

The new attraction follows Disney’s recent trend of ride variation. The Peter Quill-approved song that you hear as the ride begins is the tell about which ride experience that you’ll have. Each one is different enough that you’ll want to ride all six iterations. Importantly, the humor from the movie franchise is omnipresent during the drops. This attraction is modern Disney in both tone and structure. It’s just not Tower of Terror.

Yes, I’m a purist. I’ll take Rod Serling over Star-Lord any day.