20 Facts For The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s 20th Anniversary

Today we’re celebrating a special milestone on the Disney Parks Blog – it’s the 20th anniversary of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!

In honor of today’s milestone, here are 20 fun facts about the attraction.

1. Our Walt Disney Imagineers viewed 156 episodes of “The Twilight Zone” for inspiration when creating The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
2. The ride vehicle is an elevator car.
3. The storyline of the attraction sets the date as Halloween night – October 31, 1939.

4. The architecture of the tower was inspired by multiple Southern California landmarks, such as the Biltmore Hotel and the Mission Inn.
5. The building features 27,000 roof tiles.
6. The outdoor queue area features the songs “Inside” by Fats Waller and “Mood Indigo” by Duke Ellington.

7. The grounds of the Hollywood Tower Hotel were inspired by the look of California’s Griffith Park and Elysian Park.

8. The lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel was outfitted with antiques and furniture purchased at Los Angeles-area auction houses.

9. Some of the sculptures featured in the lobby are the work of 19th century sculptor Auguste Moreau.
10. A copy of “Four Pages of Hilarious Star Caricatures by Walt Disney” is featured in Photoplay Magazine on the lobby’s concierge desk.

11. The Library room features a hidden nod to Mickey Mouse in this sheet music, which is for the song “What! No Mickey Mouse?”
12. The clip of film in which Rod Serling introduces the attraction was taken from a “Twilight Zone” episode called “It’s a Good Life.”
13. While actor Rod Serling appears in the film in the Library room, the voice you hear is actually voice actor Mark Silverman.
14. The young girl who disappears in the elevator carries a Mickey Mouse doll.
15. The attraction’s “Fifth Dimension” scene was inspired in part by the “Little Girl Lost” episode of “The Twilight Zone.”
16. The attraction offers a 13-story drop.
17. The drop sequence for each elevator car is selected at random by the attraction’s computer system.
18. Measuring 199 feet tall, Tower of Terror is one of the tallest attractions at Walt Disney World Resort.

19. There are now four Tower of Terror attractions at Disney Parks: Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Walt Disney World Resort), Disney California Adventure park (Disneyland Resort), Walt Disney Studios Park (Paris), and Tokyo DisneySea (Tokyo – pictured above) each have their own version.
20. The attraction will take center stage during runDisney’s Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend this fall, which will feature a The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler, a 5K fun and kids races.

The Twilight Zone® is a registered trademark of CBS, Inc. and used with permission pursuant to a license with CBS, Inc.

20 Facts For The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s 20th Anniversary by Jennifer Fickley-Baker: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog