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[Anthony]

Tower of Terror
at Tokyo Disney Sea

Opening Date: 4th September 2006
Location: American Waterfront, Tokyo Disney Sea
Cost: ¥21billion  (about €152million)

Height: 51 metres
Elevator car capacity: 21

The Story:

 Welcome to the Glorious "Hightower Hotel" and the "Hightower Trust". Mr. Harrison Hightower welcomes you to his humble, but peculiar establishment filled with antiques and artifacts from his travels around the world. The Hotel is located on 1st Park Avenue in New York City across the street from Waterfront Park.

Inside the Hightower Hotel, guests will enter the hotel establishment which has been abandoned since the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Hightower. The hotel lobby is filled with various artifacts and murals depicting Hightower's various travels around the world. In one of the murals, it depicts a visit to the Lost River Delta to a mysterious ruins, ala Raging Spirits.

As guests venture deeper into the hotel's dilapidating innards, they arrive at Hightower's private office. Inside, guests are greeted by a mysterious Cast Member dressed as a bellhop inviting them to come inside. When guests enter the room, they will notice various books, maps, objects and paperwork scattered around through the room.

The real focal point within Hightower`s office is several stain-glassed windows. As the guests are finally situated in the office, the mysterious bellhop exclaims to the them that Mr. Hightower has left them all an important and most urgent message. The bellhop cranks up an old time phonograph and mysteriously the room darkens leaving the only illumination in the room through the stained glass windows.

As the record plays, Mr. Hightower explains what happened to his glorious empire and establishment and the doom to come if his warnings are not abided. He discusses a certain ancient idol which he collected (read: stole) from a certain far-off expedition. This particular idol is, of course, cursed! A little further into the recording, something appears out of thin air on an adjacent bookshelf. It's the idol itself!

The idol's eyes turn ablaze! A frightening laugh can almost be made, as the darken room transforms into a star-field leaving still the stained-glass windows in view. Lightning can be heard and eventually it hits the windows. They are shattered to pieces as the room goes completely dark. Seconds later, the light comes back on, but the idol has not disappeared, and only one window is gone (replaced with an entryway into Hightowers private trust or so-called vault.

As guests walk through the vault, they will notice different individual areas dedicated to certain locations around the world. They are filled with corresponding artifacts and booty along with opened and closed boxes filled with Mr. Hightower's personal collection. Guests come to a merging point to where they are escorted in groups to these individual areas.

Unbeknownst to the guests, no mention of an elevator or even elevator doors are present upon entering the loading areas. They virtually are looking at a wall in front of them. Hightower's voice is once again heard, ala safety spiel, and the wall in front of them slides away revealing a cargo elevator. Once in the elevators, your friendly bellhop gives you a warning or two before your journey. The elevator doors close.

Virtually, the ride at this point is almost identical to DCA's version. The elevator pulls back, it travels up to scene one. Scene one consists of the mirror effect, but directly in front of the mirror stands the idol, which zaps your elevator making the guests disappear. The lift then travels up to the corridor scene. Hightower's ghost appears and next to him on a table is the cursed idol. He reaches over to pick it up and he get's zapped by the idol! He's thrown into an empty elevator across the hallway which then drops! The idol then turns to the elevator with the guests and they get zapped. What comes next is.....AHHHHHHH!

When the ride ends, you hear Hightower's deep voice explain how lucky you were surviving this time, but perhaps not the next time. The bellhop, not necessarily knowing what has just taken place, opens the door and greets the thrilled guests not necessarily knowing what has just taken place.

Info source: http://www.jtcent.com

[Anthony]

Construction update from 24th February 2006:



 

 



photos by TDLfan

[Patrick]

Well that's impressive, but to me a bit out of place, looking at it from the first photo with the 20's idea of an American Main Street (nicked from EuroDisney :lol: ) it just doesn't seem to fit in, it looks much too gothic and to be honest to me the roof looks like a tin shed.  Over all Tokyo have spent loads on another ride, but not actually put much effort into placing it at the right place for it's over the topness.

[Kinou]

Well that's impressive, but to me a bit out of place, looking at it from the first photo with the 20's idea of an American Main Street (nicked from EuroDisney :lol: ) it just doesn't seem to fit in, it looks much too gothic and to be honest to me the roof looks like a tin shed.  Over all Tokyo have spent loads on another ride, but not actually put much effort into placing it at the right place for it's over the topness.

Well it may be a matter of tastes, but it fits more than perfectly for me, totally NewYorkish! Gosh I'm not even excited anymore for our TOT....

[Anthony]

I have to agree with Kinou, I think this really completes the American Waterfront area perfectly.  The gothic style fits so nicely with the electric railway, the steamship, and so on.  The turquoise roof of the tower also fits with the railway's supports.  It might seem to be quite far away from the street section of the waterfront, but I think it works well, since it's meant to be next to the sea - what the new story is based around.

It's amazing to see how the Imagineers have taken the basic ride design of our tower (it's all pretty much the same inside, isn't it?) and made it into something completely different, with a totally different look and "feel" to it.  The gothic style makes it look very imposing and scary, actually makes our tower look really friendly in comparison!

I still much prefer the Hollywood Tower Hotel though, mainly because I love Art Deco architecture...



I think the DCA one looks prettier than the TDS version, but then maybe the "Tower of Terror" shouldn't look "pretty"?  :lol:

[Skellington]

On request :
New Tokyo DisneySea Attraction "Tower of Terror" To Open September 4, 2006

URAYASU, CHIBA - The new attraction Tower of Terror will open Monday, September 4, 2006, in Tokyo DisneySea Park. Located in the American Waterfront themed port, Tower of Terror will let guests experience an exciting world filled with thrills and supernatural surprises.

The attraction's story is set in 1912 New York in the old Hotel Hightower. The hotel has been closed for the past decade following the mysterious disappearance of its owner, Harrison Hightower III. Now, however, the landmark hotel has been reopened so that guests can tour the premises and fully appreciate its distinct history and architecture.

Guests on the tour are able to enjoy seeing various artifacts from Mr. Hightower's eclectic collection on display around the premises, such as religious articles from famed, far-away temples and even an Egyptian sarcophagus. The tour makes its way from the hotel's lavish lobby to Mr. Hightower's private office, then heads for the owner's penthouse on the top floor.

While riding the service elevator to the upper floors, the guests encounter a mysterious force. They then experience a series of unexpected, paranormal encounters, culminating in the attraction's spine-tingling climax.

A new shop called "Tower of Terror Memorabilia" will also open on the first floor of the Tower of Terror. Converted from the hotel's spa area, the interior still has tiles and murals from the original spa.

The Tower of Terror is sure to become one of Tokyo DisneySea Park's leading attractions, adding to the lively atmosphere of American Waterfront and increasing the fun of the Park's 5th Anniversary celebrations.

Attraction Outline
Type of Attraction: Free-fall ride
Ride Duration: Approximately 2 min.
Vehicle Capacity: 22 persons
Height of Building: Approximately 59 meters (194 ft.)
Total Capital Invested: ¥21 billion
Guests with a height of less than 102 cm and children under age 3 may not ride. Other ride restrictions may apply.

Tower of Terror will be a Disney's FASTPASS attraction.

Background Story

The History of Hotel Hightower

The once lavish Hotel Hightower, built by multimillionaire Harrison Hightower III, is the setting for the "Tower of Terror" attraction. Harrison Hightower was a great collector of cultural artifacts, and explored various exotic regions in search of valuable relics to take home. Once back in New York, Hotel Hightower was the adventurer's favorite place to show off his latest prizes and boast about the exploits it took to obtain them. The somewhat less-than-scrupulous Hightower apparently used whatever methods were necessary to acquire the items he wanted, even at times engaging in outright plunder, according to rumor. Still, the parties he threw when unveiling the latest additions to his collection were thronged with high-profile guests and reporters.

On New Year's Eve, 1899, during a party he was throwing to introduce a strange statue he had gotten hold of in one of the far corners of Africa, Harrison Hightower III abruptly disappeared on his way to his penthouse. After that night, the hotel was closed, and no one has seen Harrison Hightower since.

After its closing, the aura of mystery and foreboding around the Hotel Hightower has only deepened. However, since there is obvious historical and architectural value to the building, the New York City Preservation Society has now started a "Tower of Terror" tour to allow interested parties a peek inside the hotel.

What happened to Harrison Hightower the night of his fateful party? You may find the answer by joining one of the New York City Preservations Society's "Tower of Terror" tours.

-- Source: Oriental Land Company press release

[Skellington]

It's amazing to see how the Imagineers have taken the basic ride design of our tower (it's all pretty much the same inside, isn't it?) and made it into something completely different, with a totally different look and "feel" to it.

The ToT in Orlando is different then the ones in Anaheim and Paris. The part where the elevators move through the twilight zone on a floor is left out and replaced bt something. I don't remeber what.

[Anthony]

The ToT in Orlando is different then the ones in Anaheim and Paris. The part where the elevators move through the twilight zone on a floor is left out and replaced bt something. I don't remeber what.

I knew about the differences in Orlando, and when I first heard about the Tokyo version I initially thought that maybe they would return to that design, since it's a bit more advanced and, well, expensive (which they like over there).  :wink: The Tokyo version is definately looking like the California/Paris though.  Is it known for sure what kind of effects will be in the Tokyo tower?  Will it have the 2 floors for special effects before the drop, or more?

[Skellington]

http://www.jtcent.com/disneysea/american/amwtot.html  has a whole lot of new pictures from the ToT.

[experiment627]

Am I the only one who can't warm up to this design?

I find it more than a bit "too much". Looks like the Haunted Mansion on steroids - which is *not* a good thing.

I'm sure it looks and feels quite different in "real life" ... but honestly, I much, much more prefer the sleek design of the DCA's / WDS' Hollywood Tower Hotel (even to the original in Orlando... though not by much in that case...)

[Kristof]

Yes Experiment627, I have the same feeling, but didn't know how to express it... lol

I think I'll prefer the DCA/WDS one too, because it's more symplistic, compared to the other 2.  The Florida one looked a bit too *plastic* to me.

[Skellington]

Yes Experiment627, I have the same feeling, but didn't know how to express it... lol

I think I'll prefer the DCA/WDS one too, because it's more symplistic, compared to the other 2.  The Florida one looked a bit too *plastic* to me.

Plastic?? If i didn't like the Tokyo better i'd be insulted! The CA is 100% ugly and the original ToT is just cool and totally not plastic looking

[Patrick]

Really Art Deco is probably the best design ever for such a tower ride and i give my full support to the WDS DCA version, it's wonderful design and works so well with the storyline.  I have to agree WDW's looks tacky in many ways and not really real like and as I have kind of said I hate the TDS design for over the topness :lol: .

[experiment627]

Plastic?? If i didn't like the Tokyo better i'd be insulted! The CA is 100% ugly and the original ToT is just cool and totally not plastic looking

Storywise, the Californian Hollywood Tower Hotel looks the most like a real 1930's hotel. I just prefer its more "streamlined" form to the "Chateau"-like design of the Florida one. (Though it has a beautiful kind of "otherworldliness")

Tokyo's is just way over the top, IMO. And no, I don't feel insulted not liking it. It's like they took all of lower Manhattan's very wonderful architecture (just take a stroll from Union Square down to City Hall and you know what I mean) - and put all of that onto one single building. For me, it doesn't work. Maybe just a bit less of all that "stuff" would have made the building a lot prettier. The way it looks now, it's just overdressed. (But they seem to like that in Tokyo...)

[Kristof]

Plastic?? If i didn't like the Tokyo better i'd be insulted! The CA is 100% ugly and the original ToT is just cool and totally not plastic looking

Let's keep it nice and friendly.