Theme Park Insider

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror reviews

Theme Park Insider readers offer their ratings and reviews for Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a drop ride in Sunset Boulevard at Disney's Hollywood Studios. (The minimum height to ride is 40 inches.)

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Posted: July 5, 2008

The story takes place in the Hollywood Tower Hotel, an old hotel in Hollywood from the late 30's. As you pass through the overgrown foliage of the garden, you make your way into the once-abandoned hotel. Bellhops greet you and, while they "prepare your rooms", you wait in the library. All of a sudden, the lights go out as the old, black-and-white television turns on to reveal that "The Twilight Zone" is on. Rod Serling explains what happened in the Hollywood Tower Hotel many years ago, and that you, the riders, are "about to star in your own episode of... The Twilight Zone." As these words are said, the TV turns off as lightning is heard. The bellhop comes to take you to the boiler room, where you will ascend to your room in a Service Elevator. Just as the doors of the elevator close, a sinister look comes over the bellhop's face. "You've just crossed over into... The Twilight Zone!" Prepare for the elevator ride of your life! Up and down it goes. Which direction is next? It's up for you to find out, while this runaway elevator has been terrifyingly programmed to drop you 13 stories, at random, into the "Twilight Zone"!

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Readers' rating:

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140 votes, so far

This is a great, thrilling ride, and can easily be compared to Haunted Mansion! 9/10 - Eric Cartman

i rode this when i was 5 still enjoy it today buuut!!!! my brother does not enjoy it ha!!! wuss only if he understanded that ToT IS THE BEST RIDE beside RNRC, IN THE WHOLE DAGUM PAAARK!!!!! a must ride!!!! - Manny Rodriguez

My second favorite ride in all of disney! The setting is tremendous and the drops are intense. First time riders will feel scared to death, but after you ride it once, its a blast! - Matthew Harackiewicz

I really like this ride 7/10 love the theme. - Giovanny Cruz

One of the top 5 theme park rides ever and one of my all time favorites also the best ride in Disney if your over 12 - Tom Cunningham

Top ride of all time! Forget all your bog-standard roller coasters where you know what to expect, Tower of Terror tells you a story and really throws you into it. Superb exterior and interior. To top it all, you dont just go up and then down, it actually plays with your mind true Twilight Zone style! Theming of this is top notch and it hardly ever has a ridiculous queue as most of them head to Toy Story or Rock n Roller Coaster! 10/10 - James McGee

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios is one of Disney's best rides. From the moment you enter the queue you are immersed into the story. There are so many details to check out along with the beautiful lobby that looks as though it has been abandoned for many years. The pre-ride video is superbly done and spells out the story. The basement queue is well themed and holds cast members who seem to be at their best down there. As for the ride itself no detail has been overlooked. Ghosts appear, windows smash and you ride forward through the title sequence (a feature that is missing in some of the other versions). Add to that the air-time, the random drops and the fact you are pulled to earth faster than the pull of gravity. Even better at night. Queue - The queue is amazing with a lot of details to see. Most of it is outside but sheltered by trees and then the verandah. At night the queue adds to the effect especially if there is mist hanging around. - Mark Williams

Rode the Tower on Saturday 8/13. The multi-drops were a great addition. The effects are the same leading up to the drops. There was a lot of screaming each time we would fall, it was great fun. The ride is also gentile, no banging or rough moments. - Mitchell Botwin

This is Disney's best ride... the Orlando version, that is. I've been on the cheaper versions at both California and Paris... Unlike Orlando, those versions don't include any forward travel... the coolest part of the ride! Score is 9 out of 10! - Russell Fox

I love this one! If only they'd let us look out from the top longer before plummeting to the basement! 9/10 - D H

While every else is probably going to focus on the ride, I'd like to point out the cast members on this ride!! They're usually the funniest and most in character out of all the WDW rides. They go out of their way to be the "creepiest" they can possibly be and it's awesome!! Most of them will interact with you if you give them a try. - Sarah Durden

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