Why is the Tower of Terror 199 feet?

For a time, The Tower of Terror held the distinction of being the tallest attraction in all Walt Disney World. The building stands at a monumental 199 feet. Why that number specifically? According to Florida law, a 200 foot building would have required a red light to be placed atop the structure.



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Some little known fact about the tower is that Florida state law requires that a building that reaches or surpasses 200 ft must have an aircraft beacon be placed on top. The imagineers built the building at 199 ft to avoid putting a beacon on, which they felt would detach guests from the illusion of the Orlando hotel.

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The Tower of Terror buildings are among the tallest structures found at their respective Disney resorts. At 199 feet (60.7 m), the Florida version is the second tallest attraction at the Walt Disney World Resort, with only Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom being taller by 0.5 feet (0.2 m).

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Local TV news WFTV initially reported that Reedy Creek Fire Department had been called to rescue guests stuck on the Twilight Tower of Terror ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. According to the report, 28 guests were stuck on the ride for 45 minutes.

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According to Cast Members we spoke with earlier, Tower of Terror is refurbishing one set of elevators, so only one half of the ride is currently running. That's why the wait times for the ride have been pretty high and because only half of the ride is going, it's probably more likely to go down.

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Tower of Terror includes sudden, fast drops in a dark, enclosed space which may be frightening to some guests. Also, if you bring any bags or backpacks with you, keep them closed and tucked securely between your feet. The drop sequences will cause them to shift around or fly up.

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While there's plenty to see throughout this attraction and its queue, it's a bit spookier than it may seem at first glance. In fact, there are various hidden facts and secrets located throughout Tower of Terror.

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Those screams are meant to entice Guests to go ride Tower of Terror. However, those screams are totally fake! The screams you'll hear along Sunset Boulevard are actually a recording from speakers strategically placed on the walkways near the ride.

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Here, you'll step inside the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel and take a ride through an elevator shaft where, on Halloween 1939, some of the hotel guests mysteriously disappeared. Complete with a creepy atmosphere and 13-story drops, this attraction has remained a must-do for guests for nearly 30 years.

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Guests can book a hotel suite in The Hollywood Tower Hotel, which is inside The Tower of Terror. Tower of Terror is one of Disney World's most thrilling attractions.

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It is definitely tame compared to drop tower rides at a lot of other parks, since on many of those, you're out in the open with your legs dangling; TOT is a lot less intimidating since you're enclosed in an elevator and don't see how high up you are.

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The park cited focusing our investment on the future and delivering new, world-class attractions for you to enjoy as the reason for closing the attraction, along with initial details regarding a multi-million dollar expansion to the park.

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Exterior: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios is the taller of the two at 199 ft. tall while Disney's California Adventure's version tops 183 ft.

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Evidently, when you're riding the Tower of Terror, you can place a penny in the palm of your hand. Once you plummet 13 stories, the penny will float in the air a few inches above your hand because the elevator is moving faster than the speed of gravity.

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