The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Live · 6:46pm
Today
Best time to ride35Min wait
| 8a | 13 min |
|---|---|
| 9a | 18 min |
| 10a | 32 min |
| 11a | 35 min |
| 12p | 35 min |
| 1p | 29 min |
| 2p | 33 min |
| 3p | 31 min |
| 4p | 28 min |
| 5p | 29 min |
| 6p | 35 min |
| 7p | 28 min |
| 8p | 27 min |
Field notes
- Height
- 40 in (102 cm) or taller
- Ride length
- 5 min
- Top speed
- 39 mph (63 km/h)
- Biggest drop
- 130 ft (40 m)
- Setting
- Indoor
- Access
- Transfer to wheelchair, then ride vehicle
- Opened
- 1994
- Lightning Lane
- Yes
- Single rider
- Not offered
- Rider Switch
- Available
The ride
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a haunted-hotel elevator that drops you, several times and in a random order, inside a 199-foot tower at Hollywood Studios.
The story
On a stormy Halloween night in 1939, lightning struck the Hollywood Tower Hotel while five people rode the elevator: a singer, an actor, a little girl, her nanny and a bellhop. They vanished, along with a whole wing of the building, and the hotel closed for good. You walk through the dusty lobby to the library, where Rod Serling invites you into an episode of The Twilight Zone from an old television. Then you board the service elevator. It rises past the missing guests, slides into the Fifth Dimension, and drops.
History
Tower of Terror opened July 22, 1994, on Sunset Boulevard at what was then Disney-MGM Studios. Imagineers gave the hotel Spanish-style details so its back would blend with EPCOT's Morocco pavilion. The ride vehicles roll out of the elevator into a separate drop shaft, pulled down faster than free fall. The single drop became two in 1996 and three in 1999, and since 2002 a computer picks the sequence at random.
Good to know
- The drop pattern changes every ride, so the second time isn't the same as the first.
- You sit in rows with a seatbelt, and PhotoPass captures a photo and video during the drop.
Look for
- The elevator's inspection certificate is signed by Mr. Cadwallader, the devil from the episode "Escape Clause", and dated October 31, 1939.
- The library holds props from the series, including a copy of "To Serve Man".
- The little girl in the preshow holds a Mickey Mouse doll. Spot it again in the hallway scene.
More at Hollywood Studios
All ridesQuestions
What is The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror?
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a haunted-hotel elevator that drops you, several times and in a random order, inside a 199-foot tower at Hollywood Studios.
What is the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror wait time right now?
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is posting 35 minutes as of Nov 12, 6:46 PM EST. That compares with a typical 29 minutes across the day.
What is the best time to ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror?
Over the last four weeks, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has posted its shortest waits around 8a (about 13 minutes) and its longest around 11a (about 35 minutes). Posted waits are often a little longer than the real wait.
Can I get an alert when the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror wait drops?
Yes. In Parky you can set a wait-drop alert for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and get a notification when it falls to your number, or when it reopens after going down. One ride alert is free; Parky Gold makes them unlimited.
How long is The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror?
The ride itself lasts about 5 min, not counting the line or any preshow.
How fast does The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror go?
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror reaches a top speed of 39 mph (63 km/h), with a biggest drop of 130 ft (40 m).
When did The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror open?
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 1994.
Can you ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in a wheelchair?
Guests using an ECV transfer to a standard wheelchair, then from the wheelchair to the ride vehicle on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
What is the height requirement for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror?
Riders must be at least 40 inches (102 cm) tall. Rider Switch is available, so a group can take turns without waiting twice.