How scary is the tower of terror?

[JReneeW]

My husband and I are not HUGE fans of thrill rides - moderate roller coasters are fun for us, but the really big ones are not our cup of tea. I think almost everything at Disney is small enough for our tastes, but we were wondering how scary the tower of terror is? What is the ride like? What can we expect? (My husband is afraid of heights - is that an issue on ToT?)

Thanks everyone!

 

[Robo]

1-how scary the tower of terror is?
2-What is the ride like?
3-What can we expect?
4-(My husband is afraid of heights - is that an issue on ToT?)

1- 7 out of 10

2- Elevator to the 13th floor (doors open and you can see the park from that height) followed by a series of high-speed "drops" (faster than free-fall... it PULLS you down the shaft... then back UP and drops you again, several times.)

3- Thrills, butterflies in the stomach and FUN! Each time you ride, the "drop pattern" can be different. It is chosen by computer each time.

4- It's all about the height (and the drops.) Be forewarned.

We consider ToT to be one of the top 5 attractions (must-do) at WDW.
We LOVE this ride!

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

ToT is my absolute favorite thing ever! The show part of the attraction is fantastic with the Twilight Zone preshow in the library, and the visuals once you're in the hotel are top-notch. The actual drop part is so much fun. If your DH is afraid of heights, the only part that might be an issue is when you enter the elevator shaft and they open the "window". You can then see that you are thirteen stories up, overlooking the park. It is only a brief view really, mixed in with the various drops. I am sure there are people who are terrified of it, but that is true of most any thrill ride. I seem to notice people laughing along with their screaming on the attraction most of the time. It really is a lot of fun. I would suggest giving it a try. If you end up hating it, it's only a couple of minutes or your life and then you never have to do it again! At least you will know what you might have been missing! Go for it!

 

[singingpixie]

I think you'll be ok. Most of the Tower of Terror experience isn't scary in a "roller coaster" sense, but is instead really good, creepy theming. It's only the very end of the ride that is physically thrilling, and it's over quickly.

SPOILER WARNING:

You start out moving through the old lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. It looks eerily like its occupants have left abruptly- everything is in place as if someone just got up for a moment and expected to return. You then move into a library, where you watch a film of The Twilight Zone's Rod Sterling telling you about a night long ago where an elevator full of hotel guests disappeared in a lightening strike. You're then invited to take a maintenance service elevator to the upper floors of the hotel. You move through the boiler room of the hotel (line area) to board the elevators (where you're obviously seated and buckled in). On the way up, the elevator makes several stops where you see creepy things. On the last one, the elevator actually moves forward on a track, passing more eerie scenes. You finally end up in the section of the ride where the elevator drops. This part is random, but lasts less than a minute (or at least it feels that quick). Often, you pause at an open window that gives you a great view of the park- this part may make your husband nervous since he's afraid of heights, but it's over very quickly and you're all strapped in, so I've never felt unsafe (and I don't like heights either). Really quickly, it's over and you're back on solid ground.

I think you should try it. It's really well-done theme wise!

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Most of your questions have been addressed, but to answer the main one about how scary it is, I'd have to say that's a very subjective question.

I'd say it's as scary as any of the major "thrill" type attractions at WDW such as Rock-n-roller coaster as you wait for it to take off, or Splash Mountain as you anticipate being "thrown" into the briar patch, or not knowing which direction you're going to turn next on Space Mountain. To me, it's the anticipation that's more scary than anything your first time. For TOT, that anticipation occurs as the elevator enters the shaft, the doors close and it's dark and you're not sure if you're going to fall or go up first. (I'm assuming they still do the random drops and you don't know if you go up or down first).

This was my first Disney attraction that I experienced and it started many years of Disney trips with the family. The theming of this attraction is top-notch as are the special effects. As I said, I think the only really scary part is just knowing that a drop is going to occur. Since it's mostly enclosed you don't really notice the "height" issue with the exception of the opening of the doors for a brief moment at the top.

ETA: My DW hates the types of rides at amusement parks that take you up and drop you, but she enjoys TOT.

 

[inkkognito]

I don't consider it scary at all. To me it's more of a dark ride that bounces you up and down at the end. I love it dearly, but "scary" is not a word I would use to describe it (well, except the one night when I was literally the only one in the elevator...for some reason that really gave me the willies!).

 

[liznboys]

I don't like the vertical dropping type rides, so I think ToT is very scary because of that!!!! I rode it once, I had to do it at least once! But that was enough.

 

[vhartwell]

I am very scared of heights and it actually made me cry!!! I hate to admit it but it did!!! I do love walking through the hotel and checking things out though!!

 

[jb01]

I would not call it scary as in the typical amusement park roller coaster. It does have it's thrills.

 

[Ktharee]

1- 7 out of 10

2- Elevator to the 13th floor (doors open and you can see the park from that height) followed by a series of high-speed "drops" (fast than free-fall... it PULLS you down the shaft... then back UP and drops you again, several times.

3- Thrills, butterflies in the stomach and FUN! Each time you ride, the "drop pattern" can be different. It is chosen by computer each time.

4- It's all about the height (and the drops.) Be forewarned.

We consider ToT to be one of the top 5 attractions (must-do) at WDW.
We LOVE this ride!

Can I just say Robo, my palms started to sweat when I read your #2!

Has anyone ever felt any pain? Like is it jolting at all? That Dinosaur ride in AK was a killer and I'm curious to know if the falling does anything like that to you. Thanks!

 

[TinkerBrie]

I am very scared of heights and it actually made me cry!!! I hate to admit it but it did!!! I do love walking through the hotel and checking things out though!!

Oh nooo!!!!
I am scared of heights too! I don't really like soarin' for this reason and decided to skip it this trip, but I did go on ToT and LOVED it!! I will skip soarin' again, but I will go on ToT~ Top 5 for me!!!!

 

[singingpixie]

Can I just say Robo, my palms started to sweat when I read your #2!

Has anyone ever felt any pain? Like is it jolting at all? That Dinosaur ride in AK was a killer and I'm curious to know if the falling does anything like that to you. Thanks!

No, nothing like that at all. Since the movement is all vertical, the worst you feel is momentary weightlessness. To most people that's not at all unpleasant, but if you're not used to it it might feel a bit weird.

 

[jimd176]

I am scared of heights too.

I have been visiting WDW for the past 5 years and I still get nervous walking up to TOT.

It is amazing.

Another thread has it as a ride they wouldn't do again.....

 

[HayGan]

Can I just say Robo, my palms started to sweat when I read your #2!

Has anyone ever felt any pain? Like is it jolting at all? That Dinosaur ride in AK was a killer and I'm curious to know if the falling does anything like that to you. Thanks!

I've never felt any pain. In fact I think it is actually a pretty smooth ride (shifts in gravity have something to do with that!)

I will say that I think the first time on is terrifying. You don't really know what to expect and your nerves are really at their peak. Once your ride it once, you can enjoy it even more because you know what to expect.

 

[goofygal531]

Oh nooo!!!!
I am scared of heights too! I don't really like soarin' for this reason and decided to skip it this trip, but I did go on ToT and LOVED it!! I will skip soarin' again, but I will go on ToT~ Top 5 for me!!!!

DH and I are both afraid of heights and all "thrill rides" (RNR). We've never been on ToT but LOVE Soarin. I just make sure to focus on the center of the screen and the height doesn't bother me.

We also love Splash Mountain and BTMRR.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Has anyone ever felt any pain? Like is it jolting at all? That Dinosaur ride in AK was a killer and I'm curious to know if the falling does anything like that to you. Thanks!

I've had back surgery, so I'm very careful about doing things that might hurt my back. That being said, ToT gives me absolutely no trouble at all. The feeling of weightlessness is awesome! I just make sure my lap belt is on very tightly, so I don't "float" too much.

 

[LilMommyBug]

I do not like ToT... but not because it's "scary". I wouldn't use that word to describe it. I had fun up until the drops... I just HATE that feeling in my stomach.

 

[Jamie77]

That Dinosaur ride in AK was a killer and I'm curious to know if the falling does anything like that to you. Thanks!

Now THAT'S scary!

 

[Jaffa]

the 1 time I went on it...I can honestly say....it's the 1 time in my life that my life flashed before my eyes.

I will never go on it again.

 

[kparc]

SCARY? My DW described the ride as being a HUMAN YO-YO!