Best Tower of Terror

[GoBears]

I've only been on Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios (or MGM when I went) and loved it, even though I was pretty young. I was just curious, out all of the Tower of Terrors, which one is the best? It's more of an opinion I suppose, but it would be interesting to hear from people who have ridden multiple ToT's and how the fun factor compares. Hopefully I covered all of them in the poll.

[KBrylczyk]

Orlando. I haven't been to DisneySea so I can't comment on that one (though it looks AMAZING), but California and France are exact copies and they screwed the pooch with the access hallway between the boiler room and elevator. Completely takes you out of the experience.

 

Orlando has the better track design (two drops shafts, four show shafts) and the 5th Dimension room, which was the first use of their trackless tech that Pooh in Japan went on to perfect. Also the starfield effect is better in Orlando, I feel. California and Paris never get completely dark because the picture is too bright at the end of the hall.

[rctneil]

I have to say Tokyo's as I have done Paris, California and Tokyo's. I prefer the Tokyo story with Shiriki but I hear the ride system is much better in the Orlando one.

 

I've heard people saying the Orland ride system with the Tokyo story and theme would be the best Tower of Terror!

[GoBears]

Orlando. I haven't been to DisneySea so I can't comment on that one (though it looks AMAZING), but California and France are exact copies and they screwed the pooch with the access hallway between the boiler room and elevator. Completely takes you out of the experience.

 

Orlando has the better track design (two drops shafts, four show shafts) and the 5th Dimension room, which was the first use of their trackless tech that Pooh in Japan went on to perfect. Also the starfield effect is better in Orlando, I feel. California and Paris never get completely dark because the picture is too bright at the end of the hall.

 

My favorite part of the ride was the 5th dimension room that you move through! It built up the suspense leading to the drop sequence.

[Kyle Coleman]

I have been on the California and Orlando version and the Orlando one is the better version. The higher capacity, fifth dimension room and the random drop sequence make it the much better one.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

I'd say the original Tower in Florida is the best in terms of infrastructure and the actual ride experience, and the Tokyo one is the best in terms of theme and story.

[Mstankow]

Do any of the towers have that awesome starfield converging and becoming the door seam effect like the Orlando one does? Cause that effect gives me chills every single time.

[GoBears]

Do any of the towers have that awesome starfield converging and becoming the door seam effect like the Orlando one does? Cause that effect gives me chills every single time.

 

I think that's just the Orlando one since that's the only one with the 5th dimension room. Do they still have that gust of wind blow at you when the doors open after the stars merge together? I can't remember exactly, but I thought I there was wind that blows at you when it opens. Perhaps I'm confusing that effect with another dark ride I rode a long time ago.

 

Also, what's Tokyo's story about exactly? I've watched some videos but I don't know what they're saying so I can't follow the story.

[11slataus]

DisneySea's version is totally unique, and the theming is absolutely stunning. Best one, definitely.

[Coasterbp]

Orlando has the better track design (two drops shafts, four show shafts) and the 5th Dimension room, which was the first use of their trackless tech that Pooh in Japan went on to perfect.

 

While Pooh and Tower are both trackless, they are slightly different in their methods.

 

Tower uses an embedded wire in the floor that the AGV follows. It wasn't their first use of this tech. Universe of Energy used it before Tower. Don't know off-hand if it was used in another attraction before UoE.

 

Pooh uses a matrix of special tiles and a Local Positioning System to navigate throughout the attraction. So, similar, but different.

 

-=CoasterBP

[larrygator]

Also, what's Tokyo's story about exactly? I've watched some videos but I don't know what they're saying so I can't follow the story.

 

I'm sure I'm forgetting details and specifics but here's the gist.

 

Harrison Hightower takes an idol "Shiriki Utundu"from an African tribe and returns to his New York penthouse with the idol. However, the idol is cursed and plunges the elevator in the Hightower Hotel to the ground. Presumably killing Hightower, who has disappeared. The hotel closes, but years later the Hotel is reopened for tours, and you are one of the guests.

Edited May 17, 2014 by larrygator

[Nrthwnd]

This is one of those polls, where the whole thing is too slanted towards the WDW Original.

And this was The One that all future Towers were supposed to be like. Then Disney

started having major maintenance upkeep with this one. So they made Tower of Terror LITE,

and that's what all the others are like.

 

Except Disney Sea's. The locals had not known of The Twilight Zone, so Disney had to create an

entirely different (but believeable) storyline, that would work in Japan. And this one did and does.

Even if you don't understand Japanese, if you know some of the story on this one...it's still a win.

So based on these three versions (Anaheim, Paris, Tokyo), Tokyo Sea's is the easy winner for myself.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Disney's Hollywood Stuido's all the way! Still one of my all time favorite rides!

[XII]

Can't comment on Japan's, but out of the three I've done, Orlando is without a doubt, the best one.

[Heth]

I've only been on two Tower of Terror rides: Orlando and Paris.

 

I'm clearly in a minority here, but I actually preferred the Paris one. I prefer the art-deco style of the exterior, and like that the Paris ride is a bit 'punchier'. I always found that the 5th dimension room kind of spoilt the pace of Orlando's version, and with the Paris one I was genuinely more excited and scared as a result of the 'distilled' ride experience.

[gisco]

I like all 4 but for theming I would take Tokyo's. They did an outstanding job. They also have a different story which makes it unique. For the on ride experience it's Orlando all the way. To bad the others don't have the same ride system.

[cal1br3tto]

I won't vote, since that would automatically require voting for California's version.

 

However, it is a taste of greater things to come! When I first rode it, it was my favorite ride. I loved the detail put into the theming and ride experience, and I didn't know what airtime was, so I thought it was terrifying! Last year when I rode it, it was more just "nice" with slightly above average thrills at best, but still a must-ride at DCA.

[Meteornotes]

Having been on all of them, I'm going to go with Orlando, but the Tokyo one comes so close to being just as good, it's almost a tie. I suppose one could make the case that the theming is so different between the two that they can't really be compared, and I could accept that. Just know that both are amazing rides that everyone should experience at least once in their lives.

 

The other two are an absolute joke compared to these rides, and shouldn't even be allowed to share the name.

 

dt

[KBrylczyk]

The other two are an absolute joke compared to these rides, and shouldn't even be allowed to share the name.

 

Well, I wouldn't go that far. Yes, they're inferior but the actual drop sequence is still a ton of fun.

[cfc]

It's a tough call, but I would agree with this.

 

 

I've heard people saying the Orlando ride system with the Tokyo story and theme would be the best Tower of Terror!

[Woodie Warrior]

I voted for the one at DHS, since it is the only one I've been on.

[GoBears]

My favorite ToT exterior is the Tokyo one. I've only seen photos and I'm impressed by it.

[cfc]

^It's the most impressive looking of the ToT rides, although the ride itself is the weakest (still fun). The pre-show is the best, too.

[Mrlittle]

Whoops, I'm half asleep. I voted the wrong one. I meant to pick DHS version. I absolutely love TOT (any version).

[BeachsideThrills]

Even though Cali Adventure is my home Disney park, Orlando's TOT literally turns DCA's into a kiddie ride. The lighting and video effects at DHS's are much more superior. So is the feeling of not knowing what will happen, whereas in DCA there is a fixed drop pattern. And, come on, you MOVE in Orlando's. In DCA's you just sit there in the shaft. Though they're both good rides, Orlando's crushes DCA's.