Photos of Tokyo version of Tower of Terror

[dbm20th]

This building looks incredible.

 

[ktulu]

Wow that is impressive. DisneySea, this ToT, seems like the Japanese get the really cool looking stuff :/

 

[Cricket2]

Yeah, but when Godzilla kicks it, it's going over post haste.

 

[2Xited4Disney]

That is AMAZING


I am judging by the Fishing boats it is giong to be in the Cape Cod section... How does that fit into the Hollywood idea

 

[Another Voice]

At Tokyo DisneySea, they've dropped the entire Hollywood backstory. Instead, if I recall the plot correctly, it's a brand new hotel built by the same tycoon who built the S.S. Columbia docked nearby. There's a swank party in the hotel's rooftop lounge to celebrate the maiden voyage of the luxury liner and we're all invited. We just have to take the service elevator...

 

[Cricket2]

they've dropped the entire Hollywood backstory.

Still "Twilight Zone" or does that not export well either?

 

[Another Voice]

As far as I can recall, the 'Twilight Zone' has been dropped from the Tokyo version - both because the television show is little known in Japan and because of expenses for the royalities.

The "official" description of the show (which is slightly different than the version I had heard a while ago) has been posted on an excellent TDL site JTCENT.com (http://www.jtcent.com/main.php):

The once lavish Hotel Hightower, built by multimillionaire Harrison Hightower III, is the setting for the "Tower of Terror" attraction. Harrison Hightower was a great collector of cultural artifacts, and explored various exotic regions in search of valuable relics to take home. Once back in New York, Hotel Hightower was the adventurer's favorite place to show off his latest prizes and boast about the exploits it took to obtain them. The somewhat less-than-scrupulous Hightower apparently used whatever methods were necessary to acquire the items he wanted, even at times engaging in outright plunder, according to rumor. Still, the parties he threw when unveiling the latest additions to his collection were thronged with high-profile guests and reporters.

On New Year's Eve, 1899, during a party he was throwing to introduce a strange statue he had gotten hold of in one of the far corners of Africa, Harrison Hightower III abruptly disappeared on his way to his penthouse. After that night, the hotel was closed, and no one has seen Harrison Hightower since.

After its closing, the aura of mystery and foreboding around the Hotel Hightower has only deepened. However, since there is obvious historical and architectural value to the building, the New York City Preservation Society has now started a "Tower of Terror" tour to allow interested parties a peek inside the hotel.

What happened to Harrison Hightower the night of his fateful party? You may find the answer by joining one of the New York City Preservations Society's "Tower of Terror" tours.

You'll also find a much larger and spolier filled "unoffical" description on the site at http://www.jtcent.com/disneysea/american/amwtot.html .

If you haven't seen much of Tokyo DisneySea, you owe yourself the treat. It's proof that Disney can still manage to be themselves again, even though they don't choose to do it the United States anymore. Another excellent site that covers the entire Tokyo Resort is Barry Bedford's at http://www.barrybedford.com/index.html . He has a large number of full length ride videos from both both parks and extensive coverage of Disney's mini Hong Kong Disneyland (which even WDI jokes is so small that it includes a drive-thru window).

 

[Cricket2]

Some of that themeing is just stunning. I wonder how sad our parks must seem to them if they were to go there first and then visit here.

 

[Greg K.]

One reason the Tokyo park is so spectacular is that Disney partnered with Japanese-based company to build it. Disney doesn't have to foot the entire bill.

It's amazing what you can buy when someone else is picking up the tab

 

[Moobooks]

You've got your facts mixed up.

The parks in Tokyo are both owned and operated by the Oriential Land Company. Disney owns neither, nor do they own any percentage of them.
Disney merely receives a royalty from Oriental Land Company.

The Oriental Land Company spends more money on its parks than the Disney company does. There are more cast members, every single AA figure is every single ride is functioning at all time. The place is so clean its unbelievable.

I say this reluctantly, but after visiting the Tokyo parks half a dozen times there's no way to avoid it: they are the nicest and best kept Disney parks in the world.

 

[ktulu]

Moobooks,

Knowing how the Japanese are (I work for a very large Japanse company), that does not surprise me at all. I hope to take my family there in the near future, hopefully my company will send me to Tokyo for a business trip, and I'll extend the stay and just have to pay for the extra nights in a hotel and my wife and daughters plane ticket

darren

 

[Moobooks]

Ktulu, here's some advice about visiting the Tokyo Disney Resort.
Do NOT spend $350 to $450 a night to stay in the Miracosta or Ambassador hotels. Normally, when I visit a Disney park, I ALWAYS stay in a Disney hotel, but at the Tokyo Disney Resort there's really no need.
If you want my advice, stay at the Hilton Tokyo Bay. It's a few steps from the monorail line and is one of the official resort hotels. I can usually get a room for about $200 a night: a large room with two queen beds and an ocean view. It is a lovely hotel and the staff is wonderful (as nice as any Disney hotel) and the hotel is absolutely as nice as the Miracosta or Ambassador (both of which I've stayed at). There's just no reason to blow another $150 to $250 a night on the hotel.

 

[idofabric]

So glad I found this thread. I have been to the TD lots, but not since 1990, and it has changed. I might have the chance to go this summer with my DH, who goes to Japan on business trips. I lived over in Japan for 7 years, and in Southern Cal for over 10 years, and go to Fl several times a year.. so I have had a few dozen visits to these 3 Disney parks. I can't wait to see all the new stuff at TD!

I see there is a Thread for Disney Paris... is there on for Tokyo Disney?

Thanks for the photos!

 

[LOLA2]

I really want to go to DisneySea, but am really scared of sound barrier. Any English spoken over there? How long is the flight over there fromU.S. I am just so scared we would get lost over there.

 

[ktulu]

Moobooks: Thanks for the advice! I would be a complete noobie going to TD, aside from that fact that I'd recongize the characters

Lola2: English is taught pretty wide spread in Japan these days, I had a friend who taught english for three years in ***uoka. My brother in law has been twice and never had any issues, so you should be fine I know a little bit of Japanese, probably just enough to get me in trouble

darren

 

[ryley26]

Godzilla comment is great

 

[LOLA2]

Disney has the new Adventures by Disney on their website. That would be cool if they added Tokyo that way you could have someone pick you up from airport and you have help whenever you need it throughout the vacation. That would be an ideal situation.

 

[pezpam]

I really want to go to DisneySea, but am really scared of sound barrier. Any English spoken over there? How long is the flight over there fromU.S. I am just so scared we would get lost over there.

I assume you mean the language barrier?

Anyway, yes, you will find that there is enough English ability in Japan that you will be able to get around. Often people will understand more than they will actually speak English, but I lived there for over a year and whenever my Japanese failed me, there was always someone to help, though sometimes it took a few tries to find someone. I suspect that a theme park will make sure that there will be help, just like WDW and DL do for foreign guests.

Now the flight....... the total time depends on layovers, but it will be loooooong. You'll likely see two or three movies, get some sleep, have two meals....... However, I did the non-stop Tokyo to Philadelphia flight a few times with a toddler in tow, so it is possible. Not fun, but possible. I enjoyed being in an entirely different culture, which made it all worthwhile. It's probably possible to stay on Disney property, minimizing the chance of getting lost, but if you can roll with the punches and enjoy other cultures, getting lost in Japan isn't the worst thing in the world. I would NOT suggest driving anywhere in this situation, just to keep your stress level down.

 

[LOLA2]

Oh gosh, I can't believe I said sound barrier!!! Good reason to preview your post!!! I think I would love to go there some day DisneySea looks spectacular!!!

 

[Ghost]

and here is some artwork from a Official Disney Tokyo Fanclub calendar
Including a nasty looking ghost