Will ToT change at WDW?

[Douglas Dubh]

Just interested - what is the Tokyo park storyline? ToT is one of my classic favorites

Henry Hightower is member of S.E.A. And built a hotel in which to display his collection of artifacts. Unfortunately one of those artifacts is cursed and causes bad things to happen.

 

[BrianL]

Henry Hightower is member of S.E.A. And built a hotel in which to display his collection of artifacts. Unfortunately one of those artifacts is cursed and causes bad things to happen.

It is actually Harrison Hightower III - he mocked the idol called Shiriki Utundu, which cursed him and his hotel. The pre-show for this is the best!

 

[Bandit2018!]

It is actually Harrison Hightower III - he mocked the idol called Shiriki Utundu, which cursed him and his hotel. The pre-show for this is the best!

Thank you sounds very cool - would love to visit one day!

 

[BrianL]

Thank you sounds very cool - would love to visit one day!

I highly recommend it. Tokyo Disney kind of blows the US parks out of the water!

 

[Scalemaster34]

Just interested - what is the Tokyo park storyline? ToT is one of my classic favorites

It' part of the bigger Society of Explorers and Adventurers back story behind many Disney Attractions

"Harrison Hightower III was retconned into being a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers that often operated in corrupt and illegal methods in collecting artifacts. This would become his downfall when in 1899, his discovery of Shiriki Utundu in a remote African village, would lead to his demise and the closure of his home at Hotel Hightower. By openly disbelieving and scoffing at any notion of the idol's power, he angered the trickster god and disappeared on New Year's Eve that year. The hotel was re-opened to tours in 1912 by the New York Preservation Society, though Hightower's restless spirit still remains in the hotel, tormented by Shiriki Utundu. Part of this retcon might include a floor labelled as a meeting place for the, "Explorers Club" being intended to represent the S.E.A.."

 

[Scalemaster34]

I highly recommend it. Tokyo Disney kind of blows the US parks out of the water!

And they are always updating things and adding more to these land locked parks. Tokyo Disney is easily the best Disney Theme park in the world.... but Fantasy Springs that is in the works now, it is set to likly make the overall Tokyo Disney Complex of two parks even better than Walt Disney World with it's four.

The key is "The Oriental Land Company is the only Disney Resort business company in the world that has no capital relationship with Disney." In other words they do what they want (within the guidelines) and tend to focus more or less be on making their parks great and drawing in more guest to their associated hotels and restaurants.

They are not worried about if ABC Network or ESPN is going to bring in any revenues, or if Streaming is something they have to pump billions into for content, or even what the costs might be for building out the Disney Fleet and getting another private island constructed, or if comic book heroes and space rebels movies are still popular. It's clear the Parks and Resorts are making them a TON of money. But what comes after TRON... that was announced five years ago. Yeah COVID delayed it, but most projects do take a number of years (Galaxy Edge took six years). Heck redoing Splash was "supposedly" already in the works... and still not sure when it will start or really be finished (I know they said late 2024... anyone want to bet?), and that just a retheming.

 

[BrianL]

And they are always updating things and adding more to these land locked parks. Tokyo Disney is easily the best Disney Theme park in the world.... but Fantasy Springs that is in the works now, it is set to likly make the overall Tokyo Disney Complex of two parks even better than Walt Disney World with it's four.

The key is "The Oriental Land Company is the only Disney Resort business company in the world that has no capital relationship with Disney." In other words they do what they want (within the guidelines) and tend to focus more or less be on making their parks great and drawing in more guest to their associated hotels and restaurants.

They are not worried about if ABC Network or ESPN is going to bring in any revenues, or if Streaming is something they have to pump billions into for content, or even what the costs might be for building out the Disney Fleet and getting another private island constructed, or if comic book heroes and space rebels movies are still popular. It's clear the Parks and Resorts are making them a TON of money. But what comes after TRON... that was announced five years ago. Yeah COVID delayed it, but most projects do take a number of years (Galaxy Edge took six years). Heck redoing Splash was "supposedly" already in the works... and still not sure when it will start or really be finished (I know they said late 2024... anyone want to bet?), and that just a retheming.

OLC is the best. They basically write the checks and let WDI run wild. It shows what you can get for Imagineering when there are little to no constraints. Even the original story of how it got built is amazing - Disney didn't want to do it. They were too busy with Epcot and kept pushing off the Japanese, but OLC kept calling. Finally Disney gave them a deal that they were certian to refuse - OLC pays for EVERYTHING up front and we'll do the work. That'll get them off our backs! OLC was like here's a check, when can you start?

 

[Smugpugmug]

And they are always updating things and adding more to these land locked parks. Tokyo Disney is easily the best Disney Theme park in the world.... but Fantasy Springs that is in the works now, it is set to likly make the overall Tokyo Disney Complex of two parks even better than Walt Disney World with it's four.

The key is "The Oriental Land Company is the only Disney Resort business company in the world that has no capital relationship with Disney." In other words they do what they want (within the guidelines) and tend to focus more or less be on making their parks great and drawing in more guest to their associated hotels and restaurants.

They are not worried about if ABC Network or ESPN is going to bring in any revenues, or if Streaming is something they have to pump billions into for content, or even what the costs might be for building out the Disney Fleet and getting another private island constructed, or if comic book heroes and space rebels movies are still popular. It's clear the Parks and Resorts are making them a TON of money. But what comes after TRON... that was announced five years ago. Yeah COVID delayed it, but most projects do take a number of years (Galaxy Edge took six years). Heck redoing Splash was "supposedly" already in the works... and still not sure when it will start or really be finished (I know they said late 2024... anyone want to bet?), and that just a retheming.

I've said this before but TDL makes WDW look like a Six Flags in terms of how the resort is operated (CMs, customer service and ride maintenance). Don't get me wrong, I love WDW but the Tokyo parks are superior in every way possible. I want to go back when the new expansion opens and even visit Universal in Osaka...if Japan will let tourists in anyway.

 

[BrianL]

I've said this before but TDL makes WDW look like a Six Flags in terms of how the resort is operated (CMs, customer service and ride maintenance). Don't get me wrong, I love WDW but the Tokyo parks are superior in every way possible. I want to go back when the new expansion opens and even visit Universal in Osaka...if Japan will let tourists in anyway.

Right there with you! I would definitely hit Osaka when I go back. We did Tokyo and Kyoto, but Universal looks great too (I didn't want to overburden my sister with theme parks). Osaka is also the foodie destination, so that'd be nice too. Come on, Japan - open those borders!

 

[Brett Wyman]

Uh...Mission Breakout is better...

 

[GoingSince1990]

As the percentage of guests who have ever even heard of the Twilight Zone falls lower and lower, it’s absolutely inevitable that the ride will be re-themed, especially given the smashing success of the GOTG re-theme at DCA. The Imagineers are probably already coming up with concepts like “Buzz Lightyear Plummets from a Great Height”, “Mickey and Minnie Get Trapped in an Unreliable Elevator”, and “Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Gets Stuck in Vertical Mode”. (OK, there’s a reason I’m not employed by Disney Imagineering).

 

[BrianL]

As the percentage of guests who have ever even heard of the Twilight Zone falls lower and lower, it’s absolutely inevitable that the ride will be re-themed, especially given the smashing success of the GOTG re-theme at DCA. The Imagineers are probably already coming up with concepts like “Buzz Lightyear Plummets from a Great Height”, “Mickey and Minnie Get Trapped in an Unreliable Elevator”, and “Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Gets Stuck in Vertical Mode”. (OK, there’s a reason I’m not employed by Disney Imagineering).

With the "Tower of Terror" movie in the works I don't think they will stray too far from the theme. It is more likely they could remove the Twilight Zone branding and add the movie charactes. ScarJo is attached to the film at this time, so I think they expect it to be big.

 

[Scalemaster34]

I've said this before but TDL makes WDW look like a Six Flags in terms of how the resort is operated (CMs, customer service and ride maintenance). Don't get me wrong, I love WDW but the Tokyo parks are superior in every way possible. I want to go back when the new expansion opens and even visit Universal in Osaka...if Japan will let tourists in anyway.

It's sounding like Six Flags with all these fights breaking out....

I know that climate plays a part in dress and grooming at WDW... but most in Japan have a very different idea of casual dress. But Asians also have a different view of litter or vandalism, which likly is one reason they are able to keep these small park... immaculate. Even so there was a time when Disney didn't let paint fade and chip, or rust be visible... unless it was fake, nor allow dust to accumulate where visible inside of attractions. They didn't patch seats with duct tape, not have multiple affects in a ride no longer working. I get some things no longer working on Splash as they are waiting to redo it. But Pooh Bear?

But that's way off topic.... but at this point I think the spiderwebs and dust in ToT need some attention.

 

[BrianL]

It's sounding like Six Flags with all these fights breaking out....

I know that climate plays a part in dress and grooming at WDW... but most in Japan have a very different idea of casual dress. But Asians also have a different view of litter or vandalism, which likly is one reason they are able to keep these small park... immaculate. Even so there was a time when Disney didn't let paint fade and chip, or rust be visible... unless it was fake, nor allow dust to accumulate where visible inside of attractions. They didn't patch seats with duct tape, not have multiple affects in a ride no longer working. I get some things no longer working on Splash as they are waiting to redo it. But Pooh Bear?

But that's way off topic.... but at this point I think the spiderwebs and dust in ToT need some attention.

Oh, the Japanese have a VERY different view of cleanliness, like insanely so. Just ride their subway for proof - they are unbelieveable! At Disney, that is taken to a whole diffrerent level. We were waiting for the parade in the hub in front of the Castle and a kid dropped his soda. Within seconds - I swear seconds, two CM's swooped in to clean it up and scrubbed the pavement - the GROUND, eliminating all traces of the accident. They were like a NASCAR pit crew!

 

[maverik85]

With the "Tower of Terror" movie in the works I don't think they will stray too far from the theme. It is more likely they could remove the Twilight Zone branding and add the movie charactes. ScarJo is attached to the film at this time, so I think they expect it to be big.

Yea I can see Twilight Zone getting dropped and a new preshow/5th dimension floor redo, but otherwise the attraction staying the same. The movie coming out will likely extend it's thematic life.

That said the idea I had for a retheme if one had to be done was to create a new Muppets area (to allow the old one to be rethemed and used as a new land (Monstropolis or Indiana Jones) or an expansion space for Galaxy's Edge or other areas. Tower of Terror becomes a hotel run by the Muppets and their antics cause the elevator to go haywire. RnRC gets rethemed to Electric Mayhem, and the Lightning McQueen Racing Academy becomes either a revamped MuppetVision or a Muppet darkride.

 

[BrianL]

Yea I can see Twilight Zone getting dropped and a new preshow/5th dimension floor redo, but otherwise the attraction staying the same. The movie coming out will likely extend it's thematic life.

That said the idea I had for a retheme if one had to be done was to create a new Muppets area (to allow the old one to be rethemed and used as a new land (Monstropolis or Indiana Jones) or an expansion space for Galaxy's Edge or other areas. Tower of Terror becomes a hotel run by the Muppets and their antics cause the elevator to go haywire. RnRC gets rethemed to Electric Mayhem, and the Lightning McQueen Racing Academy becomes either a revamped MuppetVision or a Muppet darkride.

You know, I would never want to see the ToT rethemed, but I might give it a pass for The Muppets. Good ideas!

 

[DisneyMama811]

Even so there was a time when Disney didn't let paint fade and chip, or rust be visible... unless it was fake, nor allow dust to accumulate where visible inside of attractions. They didn't patch seats with duct tape, not have multiple affects in a ride no longer working.

my first ever trip to WDW was as a child in 1999, one thing I vividly remember was my dad being amazed at how CLEAN and brand new everything looked...not an overflowing trash can...or even a 3/4 full one to be seen anywhere..
no gum on the pavement...fresh paint on everything and I've kind of always carried that in my mind as Disney wants their customers to be amazed, Disney wants everything to be perfect for you their special guests..... now I'm an adult and the rose coloured glasses haven't just come off .. they've shattered on the ground. Disney of today cares about one thing and that certainly isn't a satisfied customer