Idea for Tower of Terror

[liquidbase]

This idea of mine is not to offer Disney to incorporate it at the theme parks but to share it with the DIS community. The Tower of Terror is a huge hit worldwide. Unfortunately, there are people who are scared or not capable to ride it because of the long and fast-paced drops. My idea for the Tower of Terror is giving it two different ride experiences. For example, Mission: Space at Epcot started out with just one version of the ride which included G-Forces and spinning. Eventually, Disney added a second version of the attraction that eliminated the G’s and spinning for people who can’t ride the original version. Likewise, Disney could give the Tower of Terror two forms of the attraction, “1st Class Guests” and “2nd Class Guests”. “1st Class Guests” can give riders the 1st class enjoyment of the faster drops. “2nd Class Guests” can allow riders to fall at half the original speed. The shafts in the attraction can each be occupied by one of the two ride versions. If necessary, the attraction can be renovated to add an extra shaft or two to prevent the lines from overflowing. An idea like this can make more Disney guests to ride the attraction, thereby giving it more appeal than ever.

 

[nytimez]

You know they can't just "add an extra shaft or two," right?

The attraction is already one of the most popular at WDW. There's absolutely no reason to make it less thrilling to appeal to a relatively small number of parkgoers.

 

[ChrisFL]

This idea of mine is not to offer Disney to incorporate it at the theme parks but to share it with the DIS community. The Tower of Terror is a huge hit worldwide. Unfortunately, there are people who are scared or not capable to ride it because of the long and fast-paced drops. My idea for the Tower of Terror is giving it two different ride experiences. For example, Mission: Space at Epcot started out with just one version of the ride which included G-Forces and spinning. Eventually, Disney added a second version of the attraction that eliminated the G’s and spinning for people who can’t ride the original version.

Disney only changed Mission:Space after massive complaints about sickness and a lot of bad publicity regarding deaths due to the attraction.

I don't see any reason why they have to dumb down their other thrill rides for a few people. The people who don't like free-fall rides won't go on either version anyway, so why change it?

 

[DC7800]

This is actually a great idea, and has been mentioned previously for a variety of WDW attractions. The problem is just how to fit a typically slower paced ride experience into the existing capacity constraints of the attraction. A slower moving ride vehicle will delay everything behind it, backing things up and reducing the hourly capacity of the attraction.

That said, you might (and I emphasize might) potentially get away with such an option with Tower of Terror, but I'm quite certain its not nearly so simple (or inexpensive) to implement as it appears. Rather than making a series of drops/ascents in the shaft, the elevator car would spend the same amount of time making one slow descent. That may solve the capacity issues, but I don't know that even that would make the experience tame enough to open it to everyone with no height or physical restrictions. Again, its not impossible, and it would indeed open up the attraction to a lot of people who are now excluded (which should be a very important consideration), but no matter how good an idea it's a bit hard to see the executive ranks at Disney ever getting behind such a concept.

I must admit I'm puzzled by people's objections to such an "alternative ride experience" concept. The current Tower of Terror "thrill ride version", for example, would in no way be compromised by a properly implemented slow-ride option (essentially a 'dark-ride' attraction).

I don't see any reason why they have to dumb down their other thrill rides for a few people.

How exactly is a tame or slower-paced attraction experience "dumbed down"? Indeed, while anyone (Six Flags) can do a thrill ride which goes fast (unthemed roller coasters) or flips and spins you around until you puke, a more sedate attraction such as The land or Spaceship Earth I would tend to rate as more intellectually or emotionally thrilling, not less so.

I would also say that between young children, seniors, those with health considerations and maybe those who just prefer a more sedate experience, far more than a few visitors are excluded from thrill rides at Disney (typically more so than most any other theme park). Rather than a "relatively small number of parkgoers", many visitors would appear to prefer less thrilling attractions; There's a reason WDW parks aren't overflowing with thrill rides - you have to consider the audience.

That does not mean there is no place for thrill rides in a Disney park, but the very worst thing you could do would be seperate attractions for children ("kiddie-rides"), thrill rides for teens and young adults, and dark rides for families. Disney is supposed to be about theme-park attractions which the whole family can experience together. So - again - how exactly is making an existing attraction more accessible to the entire family a bad thing?

 

[doconeill]

At Mission: SPACE, they only took 25% of the existing ride capacity to make the green side, and it is popular enough - not 25% of the total ridership I don't think, but they can generally keep it near-full each cycle. They didn't have to massively renovate to do it.

At ToT, they would have to either take one of the shafts and dedicate it to the "less intense" version, reducing the full experience capacity by 50%, alter the mechanisms to support variable speed profiles in one or both shafts, which would likely slow down the total capacity rate of the attraction (each "elevator" would have to wait for the shaft to be cleared, and a slower profile will take longer to clear), or add a shaft, which would be VERY expensive.

M:S was also done due to medical concerns, not about people being afraid in general over the intensity. The effects of M:S on the body are very different than those on ToT.

 

[skiingfast]

If you happen to go to a tall city ride the elevators there. Otis who helped make ToT didn't need to come up with a new concept for a ToT elevator. The forces are not incredible to what a skyscraper's elevator has to offer. The main difference is the darkness and lack of elevator music. Would it be satifying if you could see the inside of the shaft? That is what a tame version would get you. Cold they do this? Sure. If it was a good idea wouldn't they already have done so?

 

[ChrisFL]

This is actually a great idea, and has been mentioned previously for a variety of WDW attractions. The problem is just how to fit a typically slower paced ride experience into the existing capacity constraints of the attraction. A slower moving ride vehicle will delay everything behind it, backing things up and reducing the hourly capacity of the attraction.

That said, you might (and I emphasize might) potentially get away with such an option with Tower of Terror, but I'm quite certain its not nearly so simple (or inexpensive) to implement as it appears. Rather than making a series of drops/ascents in the shaft, the elevator car would spend the same amount of time making one slow descent. That may solve the capacity issues, but I don't know that even that would make the experience tame enough to open it to everyone with no height or physical restrictions. Again, its not impossible, and it would indeed open up the attraction to a lot of people who are now excluded (which should be a very important consideration), but no matter how good an idea it's a bit hard to see the executive ranks at Disney ever getting behind such a concept.

I must admit I'm puzzled by people's objections to such an "alternative ride experience" concept. The current Tower of Terror "thrill ride version", for example, would in no way be compromised by a properly implemented slow-ride option (essentially a 'dark-ride' attraction).



How exactly is a tame or slower-paced attraction experience "dumbed down"? Indeed, while anyone (Six Flags) can do a thrill ride which goes fast (unthemed roller coasters) or flips and spins you around until you puke, a more sedate attraction such as The land or Spaceship Earth I would tend to rate as more intellectually or emotionally thrilling, not less so.

I would also say that between young children, seniors, those with health considerations and maybe those who just prefer a more sedate experience, far more than a few visitors are excluded from thrill rides at Disney (typically more so than most any other theme park). Rather than a "relatively small number of parkgoers", many visitors would appear to prefer less thrilling attractions; There's a reason WDW parks aren't overflowing with thrill rides - you have to consider the audience.

That does not mean there is no place for thrill rides in a Disney park, but the very worst thing you could do would be seperate attractions for children ("kiddie-rides"), thrill rides for teens and young adults, and dark rides for families. Disney is supposed to be about theme-park attractions which the whole family can experience together. So - again - how exactly is making an existing attraction more accessible to the entire family a bad thing?

Because where does it end? Dumbing down means that this is SUPPOSED to be a thrill ride. Do they need to make a slow moving version of Space mountain with brake runs all over the ride? What about Rock'nRoller Coaster...is there any way they could make that launch just a bit slower so my 3 year old can ride it?

Why not let people off Splash Mountain who don't want to go down the big drop? have a separate unloading platform so they can get off...

 

[nytimez]

Because where does it end? Dumbing down means that this is SUPPOSED to be a thrill ride. Do they need to make a slow moving version of Space mountain with brake runs all over the ride? What about Rock'nRoller Coaster...is there any way they could make that launch just a bit slower so my 3 year old can ride it?

Why not let people off Splash Mountain who don't want to go down the big drop? have a separate unloading platform so they can get off...

 

[DizCaptain]

Isnt there already a tamer version of Tower of Terror? Im pretty sure its called the chicken exit, a frightful one story elevator ride.

 

[nytimez]

Isnt there already a tamer version of Tower of Terror? Im pretty sure its called the chicken exit, a frightful one story elevator ride.

Ha! There actually is a tamer, less interesting version of Tower of Terror. It's called Dr. Doom's Fearfall and it's at IoA.

 

[JohnBJr]

This subject addresses the gap between those who like to be "thrilled" and those that don't. Although there are plenty of oldsters who enjoy being tossed, turned, spun, turned upside down, backwards and shot into the air, many do not. Back, heart and other medical issues or even fear can make it impossible for some to participate. So theme parks have to strike a balance. It's a tough balance as well. Thrillseekers, mostly younger, seem to enjoy the newest, fastest offerings and that is a strong demographic to target. Many of us older folks don't enjoy those as much and would like other options. I personally love the Haunted House, Space Mountain, both Frontierland "fast" rides but I still love to hear President Lincoln in the Hall of Presidents. I've done the TofT and love it too. But my mother won't try it! Good luck trying to please everyone.

 

[waltman66]

I really don,t think that disney would consider spending that kind of money to do this , however if you want that slower drop just get into a regular elevator and close your eyes...

 

[DCTooTall]

Didn't I remember a big deal being made a few years ago about the "randomizer" they added to the ToT to make each drop different?

While I don't have a problem with the ride as it is now, How hard might it be to take one of the elevator load points and make it a "tame" version (1 out of how many?) and then instead of doing the up-down thrill profile, do a relatively tame single drop?

I suck at math (and never bothered to try and figure it out), but how much time would it take to do a slightly slower "less intense" version of the drop vs. the current version? With the computerized drop mechanics, would it be real difficult to in theory insert the occasional "tame" drop into rotation? (Hardest part I could see would be possibly keeping track of which car is suppose to get the tame drop)

Then again.... you know what might be a decent "tame" version? A return to the original drop profile. Some people can't really handle the up-down motion of the current ride, but a single drop was much easier to stomach. (literally). LOL, it'd also be nice to get back the doors open to the outside effect you had in the beginning vs the doors open already by the time you finally get to the top.

 

[DizCaptain]

Didn't I remember a big deal being made a few years ago about the "randomizer" they added to the ToT to make each drop different?

While I don't have a problem with the ride as it is now, How hard might it be to take one of the elevator load points and make it a "tame" version (1 out of how many?) and then instead of doing the up-down thrill profile, do a relatively tame single drop?

I suck at math (and never bothered to try and figure it out), but how much time would it take to do a slightly slower "less intense" version of the drop vs. the current version? With the computerized drop mechanics, would it be real difficult to in theory insert the occasional "tame" drop into rotation? (Hardest part I could see would be possibly keeping track of which car is suppose to get the tame drop)

Then again.... you know what might be a decent "tame" version? A return to the original drop profile. Some people can't really handle the up-down motion of the current ride, but a single drop was much easier to stomach. (literally). LOL, it'd also be nice to get back the doors open to the outside effect you had in the beginning vs the doors open already by the time you finally get to the top.

If I understand you correctly, you are wondering how it would work to randomize a tame ride within the generations? If thats what youre asking, first off I dont think thatd be a good idea.

But, while it could work, it wouldnt work well. The random generations on ToT are all relative to eachother to prevent either minimal or large changes in the movements. These being actions like simply bouncing between two stories for a while or doing only full drops. Theres a loop break in the random program to prevent these. So essentially, as an example, if the computer generates the action to drop first, then rise three stories, it would have a loop break to prevent the same action. So the only real option is to go higher or lower, making it the thrill of being out of control.

So to answer your question, in order for a tame ride to be generated, a new program would have to be called on by the ride which would be rather difficult to incorporate to any given elevator. It could work to make one of the elevators equipped with a tamer program and have it load at one of the stations each time, making a "tamer ride" station. In this case, it could have a protocol to simply drop once, then again at half the height and return to its assigned station.

The problem is though, when you take away one elevator from the normal ride, the sync is out for the system already in place. Elevators right now are programmed to travel to whichever shaft is empty and then upon finishing, unload and load at whichever station is open. So bringing this in would essentially ruin the ride capacity present now.

Ok, nerd explanation is done.

 

[Figment632]

No NO NO. If you don't want to ride it don't I am so tiered of DIsney cattering to the people that hate thrill rides this would be a terrible idea no offence.

 

[DOOM1001]

ToT is far from an intense ride,Mission Space I could understand.I actually feel more of that dropping sensation in my stomach from the 25 foot tall frog hopper ride in the Jungala area of Busch Gardens.ToT does not need that,I think 80 percent of Disney visitors can ride ToT as it is.