Tower of Terror

[Networth]

So I have been to WDW 30+ times and never have ridden Tower of Terror. I love roller coasters(not just Disney ones). I ride everything at Universal(The Hulk,Rip Ride Rocket, Dueling Dragons etc), Busch Gardens Tampa, and Wild Adventures Coasters.

Now given my back story I feel like ToT should be nothing but I have this terrible fear of straight drops. Can anyone share some of their experiences? How bad is ToT? Can any compare it to some of the coasters I enjoy if you have ridden both? Are the drops very intense 30feet? 60 feet? 120 feet? I know most of this is subjective but ANY input would be appreciated. Riding ToT is litteraly on my list of things in life to do in 2014.

I really want to try it on my next trip but every time I look at one of those videos my stomach turns. Yet I can ride The Hulk or RNRC over and over. Please someone help me conquer this fear lol. Thanks for any input.

 

[Canooknic]

If you've done Dr Doom at Universal then ToT won't be a problem.

The drop wasn't a problem for me but being in the dark was!! I'm such a baby!

 

[caravarela]

It's really not that bad, my kids 8 and 7 have been riding it since they were tall enough. Before I ever tried it I was terrified thinking you literally free fall from the top to the bottom, but it's not like that at all. You go to the top, then drop a little, up a little, drop a little, up a little, several times in a random sequence. If you can handle big drops on coasters you can definitely handle TOT.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Laketravis]

So I have been to WDW 30+ times and never have ridden Tower of Terror. I love roller coasters(not just Disney ones). I ride everything at Universal(The Hulk,Rip Ride Rocket, Dueling Dragons etc), Busch Gardens Tampa, and Wild Adventures Coasters.

Now given my back story I feel like ToT should be nothing but I have this terrible fear of straight drops. Can anyone share some of their experiences? How bad is ToT? Can any compare it to some of the coasters I enjoy if you have ridden both? Are the drops very intense 30feet? 60 feet? 120 feet? I know most of this is subjective but ANY input would be appreciated. Riding ToT is litteraly on my list of things in life to do in 2014.

I really want to try it on my next trip but every time I look at one of those videos my stomach turns. Yet I can ride The Hulk or RNRC over and over. Please someone help me conquer this fear lol. Thanks for any input.

Net, you probably want to stay away from it. I read on another thread that just last week three people died from sheer terror. And they were still in the FP+ line.

Seriously, it was the biggest thing my 5 year old was looking forward to on his first trip, he would watch the video over and over and over.

So of course, when we got there he rode it over and over and over.

And he's still around. He's 8 now and came pretty close to calling it "lame" last month.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

So I have been to WDW 30+ times and never have ridden Tower of Terror. I love roller coasters(not just Disney ones). I ride everything at Universal(The Hulk,Rip Ride Rocket, Dueling Dragons etc), Busch Gardens Tampa, and Wild Adventures Coasters.

Now given my back story I feel like ToT should be nothing but I have this terrible fear of straight drops. Can anyone share some of their experiences? How bad is ToT? Can any compare it to some of the coasters I enjoy if you have ridden both? Are the drops very intense 30feet? 60 feet? 120 feet? I know most of this is subjective but ANY input would be appreciated. Riding ToT is litteraly on my list of things in life to do in 2014.

I really want to try it on my next trip but every time I look at one of those videos my stomach turns. Yet I can ride The Hulk or RNRC over and over. Please someone help me conquer this fear lol. Thanks for any input.

~You have to try ToT if you can. It's one of the best themed attractions ever. I hate drops, but there is more to this ride than the dropping part.

~And, the drop isn't that bad because it's staggered. You don't go all the way down, it's only like halfway and then it shoots back up and down. The first drop is the worst one, but after that it's gets easier. Have fun!!!

 

[PJ]

Sounds like you've ridden everything I've always been scared to death to try, and TOT is one of my faves, so I'd be pretty surprised if you had a problem with it. Its definitely exhilarating - my legs are like jelly when I get off but it doesn't scare me.

 

[Micca]

TOT is absolutely an E-Ticket attraction. Seriously, the theming is outstanding, and the drops are not jarring--it's just a ton of fun. If you can handle the more extreme coasters, you may feel like TOT is a kiddie ride (but STILL worth it for the theming.)

 

[PinkBudgie]

I do not like straight down drops either. I tried The Edge at Great America as a teenager once and decided no more for me. Well, then ToT came along and the theming was so amazing I had to try it once. Not as bad as The Edge was because ToT breaks the falls up. But it would be one of those rides that I would tolerate once each visit.

Last trip I went on it and decided to relax. Normally I grip the handles, hold on tight, and tense up. This time I barely had my hands on the handles and didn't tense up. Wow! What a difference! It was so fun and we rode it over and over again! At some points you even feel like you are floating. I could not get enough of this ride. I even got to the point where I put my hands up in the air and I never do that on rides.

So my suggestion is to make yourself relax. If you just go where the ride goes (so to speak) and not "fight" it, you may find out you really like it.

Now, the above applies to the DLR version of ToT as I've never been to WDW. It is my understanding that the only difference is that the sequence of drops are random at WDW where they are not at DLR. I'm looking forward to trying this at WDW, although I guess I won't be riding again and again. At DLR FPs are fairly easy to get often through out the day.

 

[crazyventures]

Now, the above applies to the DLR version of ToT as I've never been to WDW. It is my understanding that the only difference is that the sequence of drops are random at WDW where they are not at DLR. I'm looking forward to trying this at WDW, although I guess I won't be riding again and again. At DLR FPs are fairly easy to get often through out the day.

You will LOVE the WDW version if you like the DLR one. I usually think the rides both parks have are pretty comparable/better at DLR but WDW's version of ToT is the exception.

 

[csmith041177]

TOT is one of my top 10 rides period. If you can handle the Hulk at Universal, you can handle TOT.

 

[princess_ariel_85]

I was terrified of this ride for ages. Now I've been on it I kick myself for not doing it sooner.

It looks far worse from the outside than it actually is. As another pp has said the drops are staggered.

Also if you keep your eyes open before one of the drops the views pretty cool

 

[seashoreCM]

If you have ever been on a vertical drop ride and said, "never again" only then would I suggest not going on Tower of Terror.

I "chickened out" of ToT for several years but eventually got up the guts to do it and nowadays I do it at least twice on every trip.

A drop can be over 100 feet but the actual ride sequence varies (Walt Disney World) and you might not get a drop that long every time. Some of the rises between drops can be quite aggressive, too.

You are actually pulled down faster than you would go down with a "free fall" drop.

 

[Nixie]

Unlike everyone here, I will never ride it again. I am glad I pushed myself to try it, but never again. We got 3 full drops in our sequence. It went straight down, straight back up, straight back down, straight back up to the lower window then bumped up to the higher window and then straight down again. The themeing was amazing. I really only went through the line with the hubby because I wanted to see everything. When we got up to the elevator, I chickened out on chickening out LOL. Guess my body doesn't see plummeting to its death as fun. I couldn't relax. I had to remind myself to breathe. Was not fun, but at least I can say I did it.

 

[SA mom]

I love roller coasters, but hate the straight drops. I rode when ToT first opened and there was one drop. I can do one drop. A few years later, I rode again because I knew I could handle one drop. Well, they changed the ride and it now has a random sequence of drops. It can drop you up to 7 times. It felt like 20 drops. By the time it was over, I was slumped in the seat so far that my back was on the seat and I was almost sitting on the floor. That was 1999.

So, the theming is amazing, and, after 15 years, I may try it again in July, just because I like the rest of the ride so much.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm learning to love ToT. Some trips I do it several times. Some trips I just pass and let my daughter use my FP slot.

I will say that we did the DLR version several times last month and I loved it to bits. I'm thinking the drops there weren't as severe there. But I am looking forward to the WDW version again next time we're back. The pre-drop stuff is far better at WDW.

Just remind yourself they haven't lost anyone yet. And that which does not kill us makes us stronger. Sounds fun, huh?

 

[Karbase8]

I rode if for the first time twice August 2013. The first ride we had very small drops and I actually felt like Tigger bouncing up and down. I quoted you because the 2nd time the sequence was the same as yours 3 full straight drops in a row I was petrified. I did't ride again after that, if you get a good mild sequence it's great but the 3 straight drops wow that was intense! I would try it again though!

Unlike everyone here, I will never ride it again. I am glad I pushed myself to try it, but never again. We got 3 full drops in our


sequence. It went straight down, straight back up, straight back down, straight back up to the lower window then bumped up to the higher window and then straight down again. The themeing was amazing. I really only went through the line with the hubby because I wanted to see everything. When we got up to the elevator, I chickened out on chickening out LOL. Guess my body doesn't see plummeting to its death as fun. I couldn't relax. I had to remind myself to breathe. Was not fun, but at least I can say I did it.

 

[automaticsoap]

I'm not a fan of drops either, but ToT really isn't that bad. I always psych myself out before my first ToT ride of every trip, but after I ride it once, I'm not afraid to ride it again!

 

[MisWal]

DD and I rode it for the first time in 2011 , WDW, and swore we would never, ever ride it again. Hated every, single second of it.

Went back in 2012 with my niece, DD and DS, who really, really wanted to try it since he chickened out in 2011. So we went again and really liked it!!!! I think knowing what to expect helped a lot.

DD and I went to DL in 2013 and I wanted to ride, but she didn't. I finally talked her into it and she was nearly in tears when we loaded. We rode, she loved it and we rode it 4 more times that day.

So.... definitely ride it. And then ride it again!

 

[mikepizzo]

Does anyone know if the WDW ToT always had staggered drops, or when it first opened did it just have a straight 13 story drop?

 

[DisneyDetective]

My brother and Dad have done Dr Doom and Tower of Terror and they both said Doom was worse.