Original Design of TOT

[figmentvi]

I just had the MOST interesting conversation with a rep. from General Electric. For many years he was on the design team for Illuminations (remember when G.E. was the sponsor?). But most interesting was his story of when he worked with Otis Elevator and Disney Imagineers designing the Tower of Terror.

Disney originally approached Otis Elevator for the design of the elevator shaft and lift motors. Initially, Otis repsectfully declined. I guess they didn't want to be associated with an elevator that crashes.

Eventually Otis capitulated and joined forces with G.E. and they began work on the lift motors.

Here is the coolest part.....The original story line was very different from the "lightning bolt" striking the tower story.

Riders were led into the elevator, seated and then brought through the same pre-show (holograms, et al). The difference came when the car was in the shaft itself. The car rode to the top of the shaft then stopped. Silence for a while. Soon a light came on overhead that illuminated the upper shaft, exposing gears, pulleys and cables. With the aid of some very incredible holograms, the cables start to disintergrate one strand at a time.
PING !! One strand pops...PING !! another strand pops...PING, PING !! two strands pop. Until only one is left. It shudders, the car that the riders are sitting in shudders...and finally...... A BIG LOUD PING..... and the car plummets at a much higher speed than we see now.

Now is that cool or what??? After quite a few "tests" of the ride, Disney decided that it might be just a little too intense and scrapped the disintergrating cable idea. Too bad, I think it would have been great.

Just a little "What could have been" from your friend figmentvi !!

 

[SeaShelley]

WOW! TOT is the most terrifying ride I've ever been on. Thanks for that tidbit.

 

[perdidobay]

if that had been the final version, I may never have gotten on ANY elevator again!!!!!!! I'm glad it's like it is now, but that does sound really cool
The first time I rode TOT, my knees were shaking and I swore I would never ride again. But in Jan, with no lines and no wait, DH and I rode it 4 times, each time it became more fun. I now hold my hands straight up for more air time

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by figmentvi
.....the cables start to disintergrate one strand at a time.
PING !! One strand pops...PING !! another strand pops...PING, PING !! two strands pop. Until only one is left. It shudders, the car that the riders are sitting in shudders...and finally...... A BIG LOUD PING..... and the car plummets at a much higher speed than we see now.

Now is that cool or what???....

Ahhhhhh, no. I think it is just fine as it is. Even as it is, one plummet a day is sufficient for me.

 

[kinlaw6450]

That would have been cool...

 

[PandyPaws]

I agree...TOO INTENSE **shudder** but did wonder why we don't hear creaking noises or electricity shorting out or something just before the fall...I think I could handle that...at least it would be some sort of warning instead of just momentarily sitting there in the pitch black waiting for the fall, ACK!!

P.S if you ride it in the summer, the wave of HEAT you feel is a dead give-away that you're in the shaft, about to fall, LOL

 

[glo]

That would have been so awesome...what an affect...

 

[helenabear]

While I think that would have been a very cool effect to have on the ride, I do think it might have been just a tad to intense for many. Neat to know about though

 

[Tartan Tigger]

That sounds cool.

 

[Bouncy]

Sounds to cool!!

 

[Zurg]

That would be way cool!

 

[figmentvi]

Too intense was exactly the reason why they didn't go with it. The engineer I was conversing with stated that during the test runs, even though he knew what was coming, he still broke out into a sweat !!! LOL

He also mentioned that G.E. halted being a sponsor of Illuminations after several years due to the response from some "exit surveys" they did. He said that less than 7% of the Illuminations attendees could name who the sponsor was.

Now if you all remember the older shows, G.E. had its name illuminated in about 60 foot high letters at the end of the show. LOL...I guess most folks were heading to the buses during that part.

 

[TXTIGGR]

Thanks figment, that was very interesting.

I'll ride TOT now with a little more ... appreciation
for how scared I really could be ... LOL

 

[Leota]

That sounds wild!

 

[Mickeyfaniam]

YIKES!!! NO WAY!! I shudder at the thought

I know......I shudder anyway the way it is.....but that.....I shudder more

 

[sydally9367]

GOOD LORD!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't like that ride as it is, had it been done that way.....YYYYYYYYYYYYYIKKKKKKKKKKES!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tina]

After reading your post, the Imagineers show from Monday night (Travel Channel) makes more sense now. They said in the original design, the ride was so fast that the build-up of air under the elevator blew out the walls at the bottom of the shaft!

 

[antnee]

Sounds Cool
Maybe they will change it to that someday

 

[cotye]

Wow, that would've been great.... Sounds really exciting to me.

 

[NHAnn]

Oh me oh my...NO thank you. I'd hate it ! LOL I swear every time I go that I won't do it as it is, then everyone says I have to...so I do...and then swear I never will again I'd absolutely lose it with pinging cables and a faster drop?!?!?!...