3 Reasons why I have mixed Feeling About: Guardians of the Galaxy Ride/ Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I totally have mixed feelings about the DCA Tower of Terror getting changed.  I’ll start off by saying that the Tower of Terror is one of my favorite rides in the Disney Parks.  I once meet a group of people on Friday the 13^th to ride the Ride 13 times on Friday the 13^th.    So I obviously love the attraction.

 1.  Nostalgia factor:  Negative 

Every time Disneyland announces that they are going to replace an old Attraction the Disney Community goes a crazy.  It doesn’t matter what that attraction is or whether they even go on it anymore.   I watched a month ago people getting all upset about the old Skyway building getting torn down for Star Wars Land.  People were seriously upset about an abandoned building that hasn’t been used for anything in over a decade being taken away.   The first thing Disney fans will say is that Walt would have never done that or gotten rid of that attraction.  Then within minutes someone will respond back with the Walt Disney quote about how Disneyland will never be finished.  The battle will then go back in forth for hours.   My thoughts on this is generally in the camp of “If it isn’t broken –don’t fix it”.

That being said I love that they occasionally update Pirates and the Haunted Mansion with cool new effects---but I would never want to see them replaced.   Unlike Disneyworld where they pretty much have a ton of space, the Disneyland Resort has limited space.   When they want to do something new and exciting they generally have to remove something.   This is unfortunate, but just a matter of fact.  They pretty much expanded into the remaining space they had with Carsland.  

The Twilight Zone is one of my favorite TV shows.  The Tower of Terror fits perfectly into the theme of Hollywood Blvd and the feel of the Buena Vista Street area.   The ride is still popular and as far as I’m concerned it is a nearly perfect attraction.  I would prefer that they don’t touch it.  I will miss it when it is gone.    I love the Tower of Terror so much that I wrote about a concept for a Tower of Terror bar earlier this year.

http://braddisneylandblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-idea-for-tower-of-terror-bar-in-dca.html 

This idea coincidentally spread as an actual rumor for something going into the park about 3 weeks later.    I was excited that my idea may actually have been shared by Imagineering,  but the rumor turned out to be false.     Then this rumor popped up and I thought there was no way that it could be true.

I would love to see a Guardians of the Galaxy ride---just not at the expense of the Tower of Terror.

2.  The Balancing Factor:  Positive

The new ride itself looks awesome.  Guardians of the Galaxy was a great film.   I had no idea what Guardians of the Galaxy was before I saw the amazing 4-D trailer in the old Captain EO theater.  I blew me away and I’m excited to see something done with the property.  The Official announcement via Video from Joe Rhode makes the new ride look absolutely amazing.  If the announced this ride on its own without redoing the Tower of Terror I would be immediately on board.   The thought of walking through the Collector’s collection before going on a ride with Rocket the Raccoon sounds awesome.  We could even get some of the amazing soundtrack from the movie as well.  Again this ride sounds great and I’m sure I will absolutely love it.   But the ride itself will basically be the same ride with just a visual makeover.   So although I’m excited for it –I’m not sure that excite is enough to overcome the sense of loss for the Tower of Terror.   I will mourn the loss of the Tower of Terror at first and will probably get used to the great new ride.     Again I wish they could just build a Guardians ride without touching the Tower---but the fact that the Twilight Zone will remain in Orlando for now makes it hurt (just a little) less.   Here is a look at why Tower of Terror will be so exciting

3.  Is DCA heading into a Dangerous area with this change? Worried

I’ve established that I will miss the Twilight Zone version of the Tower.

I’ve established that I will probably love and enjoy the new Guardians Version.

My main concern about this change of the ride is the loss of Lands.

Disneyland is the perfect theme park design with main street leading to the hub that then branches off into perfectly themed lands.  DCA was originally setup in a similar way with themed areas representing different areas of California.   Many may say that this theme was flawed from the start.   The executives have slowly transformed DCA over the years moving away from that theme with the additions of A Bug’s Land and Carsland and Monsters Inc. Then Disney rethemed the entire entrance into Buena Vista street and combined the Soaring area and Grizzly Peak into one land.   It seemed like they were moving the park back to the California theme.  My concern with  this change to the Tower of Tower, which is based on a building in Hollywood will start to create a feeling of a less themed park.   I’m sure the Disney Imagineers will put some thought into this and unlike the Tower in Orlando –our tower is basically hidden behind Hollywood street –so it will be a less abrupt transition, but I just don’t want DCA to turn into Universal Studios.   At Universal Studios you used to walk around and see attractions like the Terminator 3-D right next to a London themed street and Back to the Future next to Conan the Barbarian.  It was just a mess with no theme at all and despite being a fun park it didn’t immerse you in an experience the way a Carsland or Adventureland does.  I don’t want Disney to lose their ability to immerse you in a Land.    I’m confident that they are going to find a way to do that with Star Wars Land.    But I fear DCA move further away from that with this change.

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My Idea for a Tower of Terror Bar in DCA or Disney Studios

 We Recently visited a cool little secret Speak Easy in Anaheim and the second I walked into the place I immediately thought how cool it would be if something like this was in the Tower or Terror.

The place is called the Blind Rabbit

 (You can read about it on my wine Blog)

http://2dollarwineconnoisseur.blogspot.com/2016/03/wine-adventures-blind-rabbit-in-anaheim.html

The moment we stepped into The Blind Rabbit and I heard the music -- my mind wandered and starting thinking of the Tower of Terror. 

It would have been amazing if they could have built an additional Tower that actually housed the Tip Top Club…..but since that never happened maybe this idea could. 

Imagine if when you walked through the line that takes you to the lobby, there was a secret entrance to the 1930’s Speak Easy that was on the other side of the Tower of Terror Lobby.    You would need a secret password to get in—but once you did you could relax in a place that looked and felt like something straight out of the 1930’s.    Think a hidden secret haunted Trader Sam’s style bar.  The Blind Rabbit was really cool on its own--but imagine taking it to the next level.   The lights could flicker and there could be special ghostly effects when certain drinks are ordered (a spin on the Sinking Ship)   

How cool would it be to a have a little Retro 1930's bar to escape to from the hustle and bustle of the parks.  A fun Haunted Bar that could have ghosts that occasionally visited.  

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Disneyland vs Disneyworld: Tower of Terror Battle --Which is Better?

Battle of the Towers:   Which Tower of Terror is better?

This is an easy one.   The Tower of Terror in Orlando is better than the one in California.

It actually wins  every portion of the battle.     If you haven’t been on both versions of the ride –you may be confused.   Isn’t it the same ride you might thin??    The answer to that is no it isn’t .   Sure it has the same basic concept and the same backstory….but one main difference makes the ride in Florida better.

But before we get to that let us compare the rides look.

The Florida version can be seen in the distance of your entire walk down Sunset Blvd.  

  Perched on a hill at the end of the street the ride looms over that area of the park.

The tower at Disney’s California Adventure was an addition to the park to help with low attendance when the park first opened.   It was a very welcome addition –but as a result of not being a part of the original plan for the park—it’s  placement has it hidden behind the main Hollywoodland area.  You can’t really see the Attraction until you turn the corner next to the Hyperion Theater.

The biggest difference in the rides and what I believe makes the Florida version better is the "Fifth Dimension"  section of the Florida ride.   The Florida ride does something that an elevator isn’t supposed to do.  The elevator  comes to rest on a floor and then moves forward through a hallway into a Twilight Zone star field.   It changes from a simple elevator ride that drops you  up and down and takes you thru a dark ride portion before the thrills begin.    When the California ride opened I was disappointed that this part of the ride was missing.   The California version has its own mirror effect where you seem to disappear –but that just isn’t the same as the dark ride section at Florida’s version.  The explanation was that the "Fifth Dimension" was the section that broke down the most.

The winner:   Orlando’s Tower of Terror.

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Signs of Disneyland: I think we are in Hollywood

Tower: Getting ready for our rooms

13 Times on the Tower of Terror on Friday the 13th (July 2007)

A much needed day of Fun.     The Tower of Terror –one on my favorite rides  in both  Florida   and  Southern California –gets a moment to shine today.  A myspace friend of  mine  and fellow micechatter –Cat –threw together an awesome day of  13 Times on the Tower of Terror on Friday the 13^th  

"Rikes"  Scooby Doo

"Come Scoob"   Shaggy

"Rrr no "   Scooby  shakes his head indicating no

"How about for  Scooby Snack"  Shaggy

" Rrr ah"     Scooby   still shakes his head

"Two Scooby Snacks"  Shaggy

"Rookay"

Now that we have convinced Scoob to go on the ride –Here is the photo blog mainly from my pictures of the day–

(I will indicate when the pictures are not  of my own taking)

I meet up with the group of folks  at  the La Brea  Bakery  --right outside the park.  This is one of the few places in all of the Disneyland Resort that I hadn't eaten before.  "Umm breakfast"

After breakfast and introductions  --having never meet anyone there in person before the day begin.  We all headed off to Challenge the Tower.   (Luckily  I had my  Tiki God to ward off the evil spirits )  

As we approached the Tower loomed over us  mocking us if you will

The wait time was short  and appropriately   13  Minutes  (coincidence  I think not)  

 A Bell Hop  menacingly glared at us as we approached for the first time of the day

The Great Tiki  Impresonating   the  Brillant  Rod Serling

This is a Service Elevator   "Yada --Yada --Yada"

Right before  the first  ride of the day

Survivng the first drop  we headed back around the corner to go for number 2

The  line was non existent

"Fast Passes  --We don't need no stinking Fastpasses"

Here are some random lobby shots --(They really need to clean this place--they were cobwebs everywhere)

Now randomness from the library

The Service Elevator waiting area

The Cruel shoes    Evil befalls those that wear them

On the 11th Trip the Elevator Shuttered and  broke and was closed after our ride.   "A warning perhaps?"      Was the ride trying to give us the Shaft?  (If you know what i mean)

We tried to convince one of the Bell hops that we had seen numerous times  to join us for number 13  (this photo courtesy of Cat)  -

</SPAN> 

"Gobble Gooble Gobble Gooble --One of us --one of us"    (Freaks he must have thought)

Anyway --something   happened on the 13th ride

" I kid I kid"

No we survived it .

Goofy was outside  ---Just being well  Goofy"

Here is a group photo  --I'm Python style --Sir not appearing in this picture

Oh I'm in this one  (Props again to Cat)

I call this one ---The Ocean's  8   Plus one behind the camera shot

After finishing up early with the Tower thanks to short lines.  We hit  Screaming--and Haunted Mansion--Pirates --and Indy--Star Tours and  Space.

Thanks to everyone that went for a wonderful  day.  There  were ups and downs  and ups again  and some more downs  ---(Well you get the picture)

--the longest amount of time I've spent in the park since the line for  Nemo  (knee slapper alert)

For a different slant on the entire day check out my friends Micechat post with pictures.