Why is the Tower of Terror only 199 feet tall?

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.



People Also Ask

The tower only goes up to 199-feet tall because if it had been built up to 200 feet, airplane beacons would have had to been added! Take a look at the inspection certificate right before you enter the ride elevator.

MORE DETAILS

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).

MORE DETAILS

On August 18, 2010, a 20-year-old man was hospitalized after falling 25 feet (7.6 m) from the platform of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. He was waiting in line to ride the attraction and climbed over a barrier before losing his balance.

MORE DETAILS

The People Mover Becomes the People Killer On Aug. 21, 1967, 17-year-old Ricky Lee Yama was crushed to death while riding on the People Mover. Ricky decided that he would jump in between two of the moving cars just as the ride was entering a tunnel.

MORE DETAILS

Tower of Terror and Haunted Mansion posted a 13-minute wait time on July 1st in Disney World which means that they had no wait! Since these are the two spookiest rides in Disney World, they say 13 minutes instead of 5 minutes like many other rides do when they don't have a wait.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Here's how it works: When the elevators reach the top, the cables pull the elevators down at a faster speed than you'd experience during an actual free-fall. Even though it feels like you are falling 13 stories, the reality is that the cables are creating that feeling by pulling you down at a speed faster than gravity!

MORE DETAILS

Tower of Terror's final day of operation at Disney California Adventure was January 2, 2017; the ride then closed January 3.

MORE DETAILS

Splash Mountain has permanently closed at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. While the structure and ride path will remain the same, the story will be changed to and rethemed to The Princess and the Frog Disney Animated movie based on New Orleans. There are a few reasons for this change.

MORE DETAILS

Tower of Terror places riders on board a rickety elevator. After taking guests through the Twilight Zone the elevator will plunge 13 stories in the dark. The elevator will then rise and drop unpredictably a few more times. The darkness and suddenness of the drops often cause our stomachs to flip and flop.

MORE DETAILS

A notable “exception” is Tower of Terror, which can (ironically) operate through severe weather. With no lightning, its incredibly rare for heavy rain to shut down a ride for very long, if for no other reason than exceptionally heavy rain usually just can't fall that long.

MORE DETAILS

Lost Kids at Disneyland The first time I went to Disneyland, I had just turned 12 years old and I got separated from our family. Now as a 12 year old, I thought it was no big deal. I sat down on a bench near the last place I was with our group and waited. About 20 minutes later, my family found me and all was well.

MORE DETAILS

The first baby was born inside the theme park in 1979. Parents Rosa and Elias Salcedo unexpectedly welcomed their daughter, Teresa, at the Happiest Place on Earth – but she didn't receive a lifetime park pass!

MORE DETAILS