Tower of Terror - how random is random

[lfontaine]

I think everyone knows that every time you ride TOT, the drop sequence could be different. The question is, how random is it?

Is every drop sequence randomly generated for every ride?

OR

Is there a fixed set of drop sequences one of which is randomly selected for every ride?

Does anyone know for sure?

[ericalynn1979]

According to everything I've read, each drop is random. But I'm not so sure.

ETA - the computer builds each individual drop sequence rather than having a set number of sequences chosen at random.

[BuzzBiteyear]

Maybe a technicality, but I don't believe it is truly random. By having a minimum and maximum number of drops, I don't think by definition it can really be random. Though, there would be so many possible sequences, that for all intents and purposes it will still give the results of being random, i.e., it's unlikely one rider would ever receive the same ride (1,000-visit Disers that spend rope drop until close riding TT being the exception, haha).

[cymbaldiva]

The way I understood it there are several different drop scenerios - I have no idea though

What I can say for sure is the current drop sequence that's running at DL is wayyyy better than anything I've experienced at WDW in the past couple years.

[seashoreCM]

Somewhere I read that there were four drop sequences. I think it would be best to have at least twelve sequences to choose from, all premade so that each ride is guaranteed to have certain attributes such as at least one big drop and also it would be difficult for someone to remember what a sequence was and predict how the rest of the ride will go.

[ericalynn1979]

I agree with seashore, every ride should have at least one big drop.

I rode ToT for the first time in 7 years this past week, and I missed the BIG drop that you used to get when it first opened.

[Micca]

Originally Posted by cymbaldiva

The way I understood it there are several different drop scenerios - I have no idea though

What I can say for sure is the current drop sequence that's running at DL is wayyyy better than anything I've experienced at WDW in the past couple years.

Wow!! Please elaborate Cymbaldiva. How is it better? Is it longer? I've heard the theming is much better on this attraction at WDW, but never heard much about the actual experience. TIA

[bradk]

it randomly chooses from one of the available drop profiles as suggested above. they can customize the profiles any way they want though using several different elements (e.g., the false-ending).

that came with the T4 software. the DCA version, which lacks the 5th dimension but includes a thermal mirror technology, is running older software in which the drop profiles are hardcoded (unless they upgraded which they were supposed to years ago, but never heard about it).

[OB1]

I also wonder if the random drops are increased or decreased according to crowd level. I rode in SEPT, and it was not busy at all. It seemed to all of us that we had more drops than normal.

[Iwant2BAprincess]

For some reason I always assumed you would go up first regardless (you know, have somewhere to drop from)-I learned that wasn't so-we got dropped first and it scared me to death

[DebbieB]

I was at DCA last month, rode it twice, and thought WDW's was better. It didn't seem as fast for some reason.

[choirchic]

This is our favorite ride, and we rode it a LOT this past trip! On 2 different days we rode it 3 times in a row. Our observation was that it was indeed random, however, the line to the right tended to have bigger drops while the line to the left tended to have more frequent/fast/and shorter drops.

It would be interesting to see if anyone else agrees!

[Missus Toad]

Originally Posted by cymbaldiva

The way I understood it there are several different drop scenerios - I have no idea though

What I can say for sure is the current drop sequence that's running at DL is wayyyy better than anything I've experienced at WDW in the past couple years.

This I have to agree with, as does my sister, who is not a huge DCA fan. I can't explain why, unfortunately, just that the drops felt longer, more out of control, if that makes sense. For both of us, as WDW ToT vets, it was startling (and awesome!).

[lfontaine]

Originally Posted by choirchic

This is our favorite ride, and we rode it a LOT this past trip! On 2 different days we rode it 3 times in a row. Our observation was that it was indeed random, however, the line to the right tended to have bigger drops while the line to the left tended to have more frequent/fast/and shorter drops.

It would be interesting to see if anyone else agrees!

I don't think that 3 different experiences in 3 different rides (or 9 different experiences in 9 different rides or even 20 in 20) necessarily means it is "random". It just means you got diffrerent experiences in each of your rides.

I think there is some level of randomness to the experience. What I don't know is if the drop sequence is randomly generated at ride time (or shortly before).

For example, if there are 20 different drops to choose from and 7 are randomly chosen for any particular ride, there would be 390,700,800 different ride experiences you could get. Of course, if there are specific criteria that have to be met for any one experience (like there must be at least one 5 story or more drop in any ride), then that number would be lower.

OR

If the ride designers designed 30 (or 50 or 100 or whatever number they decided to design) different drop sequences and for any one ride, one of those 30 are randomly chosen for your ride.

If I were designing the ride, I think I'd design a fixed set of drop sequences and have one randomly chosen at ride time. It seems more of a "known quanity" kind of thing. And would guarantee a more consistent experience (as far as the thrill factor) for guests.

[skier_pete]

While I haven't been on the ride as much as many people have, my experience tells me it's pretty random, to the point where sometimes the sequences are a bit lousy...too short and not enough drops...to stellar...one ride two trips ago, the elevator got to the "end" and they even started showing the final movie on screen...and it shot back up and did a couple more drops. That was truly cool. While I don't know if it truly "random" or if there are just several dozen / hundred different options, it is random to the casual observer.

One thing I would like to see is it to hang up at the opening a little longer, so you have more time to look out at the park.

SkierPete