Disney’s Tower of Terror Gets Electrifying New Update, Changes Made to 30 Year-Old Ride

A legendary Disney World ride gets a surprising update.

A tall, aged, pinkish-brown building with a sign reading "Hollywood Tower Hotel" stands against a bright blue sky with white clouds. With its old-fashioned design and worn-out facades surrounded by greenery, one might imagine Disney World characters exploring its partially exposed brickwork. — Credit: Inside the Magic

The Walt Disney World Resort is filled with an incredible list of rides and attractions for guests to explore and enjoy. However, few experiences match the thrills and chills found in Disney’s Tower of Terror. This spooky drop ride stands tall above Disney’s Hollywood Studios, sending shivers down the spine of guests as they explore the action-packed theme park.

Costing a reported $130 million, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was one of Disney’s most ambitious undertakings at the time. One part dark ride and one part drop tower, Walt Disney Imagineering sought to blend multiple ride elements into one terrifyingly fun attraction.

Tower of Terror recently turned 30 years old, with Disney updating the attraction in numerous ways to commemorate the ride’s birthday.

These updates include the return of scorch marks in the lobby, as well as more mood lighting throughout the queue.

These changes can be seen in a new YouTube video from Super Enthused.

Disney Updates Tower of Terror After 30 Years

Small cracks and char marks can be seen near the elevator doors, details that were part of the original version of Tower of Terror but had since vanished.

The attraction’s story centers on a group of hotel guests who were riding an elevator during a storm in 1939. A bolt of lightning strikes The Hollywood Tower Hotel, sending the guests into the afterlife.

These people have haunted The Hollywood Tower Hotel since, with guests getting up close and personal as they cross over into “The Twilight Zone.”

The ride is intended to act as its own episode of The Twilight Zone, with guests becoming the stars, sending them on a terrifying and spine-chilling journey.

Tower of Terror has become an icon, not only for Disney but for the entire theme park industry, showcasing Disney’s incredible design and engineering skills.

The return of these small details help depict the aftermath of the lightning strike that sets off the events of Tower of Terror’s story.

In addition to the restored theming of the ride’s indoor queue area, the attraction’s gift shop now offers multiple new pieces of merchandise.

An image of the Tower of Terror, a gloomy, haunted-looking building, illuminated by a neon sign under a stormy sky with a lightning bolt striking. — Credit: Disney

Tower of Terror officially opened on July 22, 1994. Since opening, the ride has undergone several changes, most notably to its actual ride system.

When Tower of Terror first opened, guests were only taken up and down a total of one time, making for an exciting yet somewhat disappointing ride experience. Over time, Disney tinkered with the ride, eventually adding a new program that could provide guests with randomized drop sequences.

Now, guests never truly know what they are going to get when they climb aboard the maintenance service elevator and buckle up.

A version of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was built at Walt Disney World, Disneyland in California, and Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris. Disneyland’s version has since been converted into a Marvel-themed attraction, though the ride still remains a fun drop tower experience.

Do you enjoy riding Tower of Terror at Disney World?