Why it's there: Tower of Terror

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Matt Hochberg

Without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite element of theming at Walt Disney World is the subtle references. Sometimes it’s to cast members, cultural references or something in the back story of the attraction. What I love about it is the fact it’s not overtly stated but with a little thinking and maybe some research, you can discover a little secret. Some are better known than others but the Studios have a number of references and in this week’s column, I’ll take a look at the mother of them all, the Tower of Terror.

By far, Twilight Zone episode references are littered all over this attraction and for good reason; during the designing of the attraction, Walt Disney Imagineers watched each of the 156 episodes of the Twilight Zone twice in order to under to get a full understanding and appreciation for the series but also for inspiration when theming the building. Most folks know the most obvious one in the preshow of the attraction when Rod Serling appears on the screen and delivers the introduction from the Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life”. What many don’t know is that episode is referenced in many other places in the attraction such as the poster when you enter the hotel lobby advertising Anthony Fremont and his Orchestra playing in the Tip-Top Club. The name Anthony Fremont is a reference to that episode as the little boy possessed with the ability to read minds, coupled with mysterious destructive powers. Anthony bristles whenever he senses that someone is thinking bad thoughts -- and whenever he bristles, something really bad happens to them.

There are quite a number of Twilight Zone references in the attraction so I’ve selected a few of the more interesting ones such as in the load area out side of the elevator there is an inspection certificate that is dated October 31, 1939. It is also signed by "Cadwallader", who is a character is the Twilight Zone's "Escape Clause". It turns out that he is the devil. Also the certificate number is 10259, which stands for October 2, 1959. The date the first Twilight Zone episode premiered. In addition, the "fifth dimension" scene of the attraction was inspired in part by the "Little Girl Lost" episode of The Twilight Zone. In the episode, a little girl rolls under her bed and disappears into another dimension.

Not everything is Twilight Zone related however it all tries to recreate that 1930’s feel with some interesting props such as the luggage set is made from genuine alligator skin from a company that made the same set of luggage back in the 1930’s. Moreover, the architecture of the building looks the way it looks for a reason; the architecture of the Hollywood Tower Hotel was inspired by the revival styles that swept California in the early 20th century. The hotel is modeled after the style of such landmarks as the Mission Inn (Riverside, CA), the Château Marmont (Hollywood, CA), and the Biltmore Hotel (Downtown Los Angeles, CA). Even the landscaping is a reference to the chaparral-covered hills of Griffith and Elysian Parks located in Los Angeles, California.

If you’re not impressed yet, my favorite element of theming is the thought process that went into the building as the building can be seen from outside the park if you’re close enough-like in Epcot. Disney Imagineers actually themed the Tower of Terror to blend in with the buildings in the Morocco pavilion at Epcot so if you look at it at the right angle, the Tower of Terror looks like it’s just another building in the Morocco pavilion.

There’s quite a bit more references and secrets behind the attraction and if you want to read about more of them, be sure to check out my Tower of Terror site at towerofterror.org.

Agree with what I said? Disagree? Have a story to share sparked by this column? Share your own idea by posting a comment below.