Chapter 10 – Hollywood Studios - Sunset Boulevard – Tower of Terror - Part 1 posted May 2021
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As we move down Sunset Boulevard, pass the Shopping and Theater district, nestled at the end of Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Studios is one of the most popular and thrilling attractions in Walt Disney World, the Tower of Terror. (The Hollywood Tower Hotel)
The Tower of Terror looms over Sunset Boulevard and guests can hear the screams of its riders throughout the park.
The Tower of Terror looms over Sunset Boulevard and guests can hear the screams of its riders throughout the park.
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In 1994 Hollywood Studios went through expansion with the addition of Sunset Boulevard which was a continuation the Disney/MGM Studios theme, “The Hollywood that never was but always will be”.
To draw guests down Sunset Boulevard there needed to be an anchor at the end. The Tower of Terror filled that role. 
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Outside in the courtyard of the Legends of Hollywood store on Sunset Boulevard, partially hidden by a tree, is a billboard depicting the Hollywood Hotel in its heyday. This is an example of story lead-in, so that later, when guests see the battered hotel at the end of the street, they get a sense of how much it has fallen into decline after the incident.
Introduction
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The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the most iconic attractions in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is housed in the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel which looms at the end of Sunset Boulevard. Entering the Hollywood Tower Hotel brings guests on an immersive and spine-chilling experience where they have the opportunity to be immersed in their very own episode of the Twilight Zone. Note: The Twilight Zone was a television series that ran from 1959 to 1964. It was created by Rod Serling. The episodes including themes involving fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, suspense, horror, dystopian fiction, supernatural drama, black comedy, and psychological thriller, often concluding with an unexpected twist. |
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As guests approach The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, they hear the screams of other guests inside and work their way through a misty and overgrow garden towards the abandoned lobby and to “a most uncommon elevator”.
The Imagineers hid in plain sight a number of Easter eggs for fans of the Twilight Zone series to find!
One of the things that Walt Disney World is very good at is innovation and providing intriguing backstories in their attractions. There is perhaps no better example of this than The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Taking an elevator trip to a totally new level, Disney created an entirely new and unique ride mechanism. There isn’t another attraction like it in the world. Layer in a great backstory, special effects and you have the amazing attraction that Disney is known for worldwide.
The Imagineers hid in plain sight a number of Easter eggs for fans of the Twilight Zone series to find!
One of the things that Walt Disney World is very good at is innovation and providing intriguing backstories in their attractions. There is perhaps no better example of this than The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Taking an elevator trip to a totally new level, Disney created an entirely new and unique ride mechanism. There isn’t another attraction like it in the world. Layer in a great backstory, special effects and you have the amazing attraction that Disney is known for worldwide.
History
In previous Chapters we discussed that the Tower of Terror was not the first choice when Disney decided in 1989 to expand Disney MGM Studios to meet the unexpected increased demand by guests. (See Chapter 8 Sunset Boulevard Part 1)
The first plan that was proposed was a detailed Roger Rabbit Toontown with several attractions, shops, food and beverage locations.
When this plan fell through due to copyright issues, it was hoped that the Dick Tracy film would be a successful and financially lucrative project. The proposal was to build a 1930s era Chicago Street where Sunset Boulevard is today. It would have included a warehouse that held the Dick Tracy Crimestoppers attraction, where guests would ride in vehicles in a high-speed chase. Guests would be shooting with Tommy guns at gangsters using the same technology incorporated into Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. |
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After these plans were dropped, CEO Michael Eisner pitched the idea to filmmaker Mel Brooks to collaborate on a new Disney theme park attraction in hopes it would also lead to Brooks producing films for Disney. After several meetings with Imagineering, Brooks put together an idea to combine scary and funny into a Castle Young Frankenstein that would have had a Bavarian village leading to a drawbridge and the castle. The idea evolved into Mel Brooks' Hollywood Horror Hotel.
Guests would be given a chance to tour the "Hot Set" and maybe even get to be an extra in the film. They would have boarded golf carts (guided by a magnetic wire embedded in the floor) and would experience a coven of witches cooking in their cauldron in the hotel kitchen, encounter Quasimodo the hotel "bellboy," and even visit the men's room where Dracula is trying to shave himself in a mirror where he can't see his reflection and the Wolfman is combing himself all over, while Frankenstein is in a stall trying to grab the Mummy's wrappings from the adjacent stall to use as toilet paper.
It was Brooks' intention that it be a comedic version of the Haunted Mansion. However, despite many outrageous gags, nobody could come up with a coherent story to tie it all together and the price for creating these elaborate Audio-Animatronics figures was cost prohibitive.
Guests would be given a chance to tour the "Hot Set" and maybe even get to be an extra in the film. They would have boarded golf carts (guided by a magnetic wire embedded in the floor) and would experience a coven of witches cooking in their cauldron in the hotel kitchen, encounter Quasimodo the hotel "bellboy," and even visit the men's room where Dracula is trying to shave himself in a mirror where he can't see his reflection and the Wolfman is combing himself all over, while Frankenstein is in a stall trying to grab the Mummy's wrappings from the adjacent stall to use as toilet paper.
It was Brooks' intention that it be a comedic version of the Haunted Mansion. However, despite many outrageous gags, nobody could come up with a coherent story to tie it all together and the price for creating these elaborate Audio-Animatronics figures was cost prohibitive.
Other ideas were pitched, Disney considered basing the ride's theme on the works of horror author Stephen King.
Can you imagine what kind of attraction we might have had if the imagineers had followed through in working toward a Stephen King inspired attraction. It has been reported that this was the original direction for the theming and story development for the ride. But later it was decided that Twilight Zone offered a broader range of elements that could be incorporated into a ride.
Can you imagine what kind of attraction we might have had if the imagineers had followed through in working toward a Stephen King inspired attraction. It has been reported that this was the original direction for the theming and story development for the ride. But later it was decided that Twilight Zone offered a broader range of elements that could be incorporated into a ride.
Also considered was partial walking tour narrated by Vincent Price about a group of movie stars who had been staying at the hotel but mysteriously disappeared. Throughout the tour, guests would discover clues and when they finally entered the elevator what had happened to those missing people became very clear, but it was too late to get out.
Eisner even suggested making the hotel an actual in-park Disney resort themed to be a "film noir" murder mystery revolving around the hotel manager who had gone crazy that would have included costumed staff interacting with guests and a haunted elevator experience.
Planning continued, as the Imagineers realized they might be able to incorporate this freefall idea into the haunted elevator. Since Disney MGM Studios was already themed to the Hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s, it seemed logical to have a classic Hollywood hotel from that era.
Eisner even suggested making the hotel an actual in-park Disney resort themed to be a "film noir" murder mystery revolving around the hotel manager who had gone crazy that would have included costumed staff interacting with guests and a haunted elevator experience.
Planning continued, as the Imagineers realized they might be able to incorporate this freefall idea into the haunted elevator. Since Disney MGM Studios was already themed to the Hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s, it seemed logical to have a classic Hollywood hotel from that era.
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Note: The real Hollywood Tower, located on 6200 Franklin Ave, Hollywood, originally known as La Belle Tour, built in 1929, was a popular residence for entertainment industry.
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In Disney/MGM Studios, the theming for the Hollywood Tower Hotel was a "star among the stars" that hosted the celebrity elite of 1930s Hollywood. In front of the hotel is a plaque indicating that the hotel was built in 1917 and in two decades, it became as popular a place for Hollywood's rich and famous as the real Hollywood hotels that inspired its architecture and lore: the Hollywood Roosevelt, the Biltmore, the Mission Inn and the Chateau Marmont.
Imagineers wanted to connect the attraction with some film reference, like other attractions at the park. They settled on using The Twilight Zone as the storyline to another dimension.
The direction of the attraction shifted into being eerier and much more of the thrill ride that Eisner wanted to attract an older audience.
Imagineers wanted to connect the attraction with some film reference, like other attractions at the park. They settled on using The Twilight Zone as the storyline to another dimension.
The direction of the attraction shifted into being eerier and much more of the thrill ride that Eisner wanted to attract an older audience.
Architecture
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Each park section has its own look and feel, and everything in that section (even down to the trash cans and streetlamps) is designed to fit in.
While four Disney Parks (Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney California Adventure park, Disney Paris, and Tokyo Disney) have their own versions of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the one at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the original. The Tower of Terror comes in three distinct architectural styles: The original pink-colored Neo-Mediterranean version in Florida, a boxy yellow-and-teal Pueblo Deco version in California and Paris, and an ornate Moorish Revival version in Tokyo. 
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Hollywood Towers Hotel – Tower of Terror
The Mission Inn
Note: Walt Disney attended the 9th Annual Academy Awards in 1937. The ceremony was held in the Biltmore Bowl, the conference venue in the Biltmore hotel. Walt accepted an Oscar for Best Short Subject Cartoon as the Producer of The Country Cousin.
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A Neo-Mediterranean tower was perfect fit for the 1930’s and 40’s Hollywood theming of Sunset Boulevard in MGM-Disney Studios.
When guests first arrive at the Hollywood Tower hotel, they are struck by the beautiful grounds and architecture. The architecture and design of the tower was inspired by multiple Southern California landmarks, such as the Biltmore Hotel, the Mission Inn, and the Château Marmont Hotel. The blocky facade and roof gables in the Tower’s design are like those noted in the Château Marmont Hotel. (Note: we discussed the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Chapter 8 – Sunset Boulevard – Part 1) The Tower’s twisted columns, minarets, archway ornamentations, and gardens are reminiscent of those of the Mission Inn Hotel and Spa in Riverside, California. And inspiration for the Tower’s Lobby was taken from the Biltmore Hotel’s Lounge. (See section on Hollywood Hotel Lobby below) 
Biltmore Hotel
Chateau Marmont Hotel
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Sources:
- https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/07/vintage-walt-disney-world-plunging-down-the-twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/
- TowerSecrets – Celebrating Disney's most thrilling attraction, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!
- https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tds/attraction/detail/243/
- https://laist.com/2015/11/16/scouting_tower_of_terror_disney_hotel.php
- https://wanderdisney.com/item/millennium-biltmore-hotel-los-angeles/
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The Tower of Terror’s architectural characteristics are Neo-Mediterranean, a revival style that peaked in popularity in the 1920’s and 1930’s in both California and Florida. The style was especially popular for hotels and apartment buildings. Characteristics of Neo-Mediterranean include red tiled roof, arched doorways and windows, keystones, stuccoed walls, rectangular floor plans, and even lush gardens.
Some elements of Spanish Gothic architecture tie it all together: the tiled roof, pinkish-orange facade, and soaring height are all reminiscent of the style.
Some elements of Spanish Gothic architecture tie it all together: the tiled roof, pinkish-orange facade, and soaring height are all reminiscent of the style.
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This striking landmark at Walt Disney World Resort was constructed with 1,500 tons of steel, 145,800 cubic feet of concrete, and 27,000 roof tiles, and it stands 199 feet tall. Construction began in 1992 on the area that had formerly been a cast member parking lot.
The Tower is 199 feet tall, because Federal regulations would have required a flashing red beacon at the top to warn aircraft if it was 200 or more feet tall, and that would have conflicted with the theming of the story the Imagineers were trying to tell.
The Tower is 199 feet tall, because Federal regulations would have required a flashing red beacon at the top to warn aircraft if it was 200 or more feet tall, and that would have conflicted with the theming of the story the Imagineers were trying to tell.
Due to its height, the rear façade of the building can be seen from the Morocco Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase. So the architectural elements and color palette for that part of the building were chosen to blend in from the distance as part of the skyline of the Morocco Pavilion.
With the removal of the Sorcerer Mickey hat from Hollywood Studios in 2015, the Tower of Terror is now marketed as the new icon for Disney Hollywood Studios. Research: |
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Backstory
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a favorite attraction that takes guests into the Hollywood Tower Hotel where something sinister happened years ago.
Until a stormy night in 1939 when 5 people vanished from an elevator, never to be seen again. The haunted and unoccupied Hollywood Tower Hotel is where guests find themselves in the Tower of Terror ride.
The hotel was abandoned quickly after a group of five guests were struck by lightning while riding one of the elevators and ended up stranded in The Twilight Zone.
The original elaborate back story for the Disney MGM Tower of Terror is in actuality a Halloween story that takes place on the night of October 31, 1939.
Until a stormy night in 1939 when 5 people vanished from an elevator, never to be seen again. The haunted and unoccupied Hollywood Tower Hotel is where guests find themselves in the Tower of Terror ride.
The hotel was abandoned quickly after a group of five guests were struck by lightning while riding one of the elevators and ended up stranded in The Twilight Zone.
The original elaborate back story for the Disney MGM Tower of Terror is in actuality a Halloween story that takes place on the night of October 31, 1939.
Photo credit: Disney’s Tower of Terror movie 1997
As the elevator doors closed at 8:05 p.m. (eight and five add up to thirteen) and the elevator made its way to the top of the hotel, its passengers, and an entire guest wing of the hotel simply vanished when lightning struck the building, leaving a burnt scar and a gaping hole on the outside. The elevator then plummeted out of control to the basement but it mysteriously disappeared before it reached the bottom.
It is believed that the ill-fated elevator passengers have fallen into the fifth dimension and were trapped there, never aging for decades. They are not ghosts but are trapped in that limbo. Rumors abound that the missing five people from the elevator still roam the upper floors beckoning new visitors to join them in the Fifth Dimension. The hotel is frozen in a twilight zone of time and space. While the exterior has fallen into disrepair over the years with overgrown vegetation. The interior remains frighteningly untouched from the way it was that fearful 1939 Halloween night. And hotel personnel act eerily as if it is still 1939 and everything is fine. |
On that fateful night, a freakish thunder and lightning storm descended on the Hollywood Hills with the prestigious Hollywood Tower Hotel, a hot spot for the “show business elite,” offering sanctuary for the film community’s elite.
Among those checking in that night were Carolyn Crosson, a young singer, and her actor boyfriend Gilbert London, as well as, child actress Sally Shine in blond curls and frilly dress with her stern governess Emeline Partridge. Over-worked bellman Dewey Todd assisted them all into the elevator to take them to the top floor where a special party is still going on at the Tip Top Club. 
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As we’ve pointed out, there are details about the Tower of Terror hidden in plain sight.
As guest wander down Sunset Boulevard, their attention is almost immediately drawn to the screams being emitted from the Hollywood Tower Hotel at the end of the street. With all the chaos and distraction drawn by the Hotel, guests may have some of the artifacts on the street.
As guest wander down Sunset Boulevard, their attention is almost immediately drawn to the screams being emitted from the Hollywood Tower Hotel at the end of the street. With all the chaos and distraction drawn by the Hotel, guests may have some of the artifacts on the street.
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On the left hand side of the street, on the way down Sunset Boulevard to the Tower of Terror, there is a sign on the curb in front of the Reel Vogue Shop. The sign is a California Highway marker for US-66, also known as Route 66. At the base of the sign is the sets of luggage. The two pieces of green luggage belong to Gilbert London, while the matching three piece set of brown luggage is the property of Carolyn Crosson.
Both Gilbert and Carolyn came to Sunset Boulevard as characters from the 1997 Disney’s Tower of Terror film. Which featured Steve Guttenberg and Kristen Dunst as a reporter, Buzzy, and his niece, Anna. Gilbert and Carolyn are two of the five ghosts featured in the attraction and the film. Gilbert is the snarky and snide actor who, deep down, has compassion for his fellow ghosts. Carolyn is a warm and caring individual, who tries to be as open and honest as one can be in her situation. While not what one would expect, they were in love prior to their deaths in the Hollywood Tower Hotel’s elevator in 1939 and remain so in the afterlife.
Gilbert and Carolyn finally get their storybook, or science fiction romance at the end of Tower of Terror movie. But, their theme park counterparts are still sending chills up the spines of guests.
Regardless, these sets of American Tourister luggage have been awaiting the return of their owners for a very, very long time.
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Gilbert and Carolyn finally get their storybook, or science fiction romance at the end of Tower of Terror movie. But, their theme park counterparts are still sending chills up the spines of guests.
Regardless, these sets of American Tourister luggage have been awaiting the return of their owners for a very, very long time.
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Gilbert London
Portrayed - by Alastair Duncan (film)
Personality - Sarcastic, patronizing
Appearance - Tall, dark-haired, wears a black tuxedo and dress shoes.
Occupation - Actor (film. Possibly in ride)
Home - The Hollywood Tower Hotel
Relatives - Claire Poulet (wife) (Film. possible in ride)
Background - Gilbert London was a man in the film-industry during the 1930s. On the Halloween of 1939, he went in an elevator at the Hollywood Tower Hotel on Sunset Boulevard. When paranormal lightning struck the hotel, Gilbert and the other five guests were killed and bound as ghosts to the nightmarish 5th dimension.
In the 1990s, the hotel would be reopened and Gilbert would be amongst the ghosts who terrorized new guests of the establishment.
He is named Gilbert Lawrence in the Tower of Terror novelization.
Portrayed - by Alastair Duncan (film)
Personality - Sarcastic, patronizing
Appearance - Tall, dark-haired, wears a black tuxedo and dress shoes.
Occupation - Actor (film. Possibly in ride)
Home - The Hollywood Tower Hotel
Relatives - Claire Poulet (wife) (Film. possible in ride)
Background - Gilbert London was a man in the film-industry during the 1930s. On the Halloween of 1939, he went in an elevator at the Hollywood Tower Hotel on Sunset Boulevard. When paranormal lightning struck the hotel, Gilbert and the other five guests were killed and bound as ghosts to the nightmarish 5th dimension.
In the 1990s, the hotel would be reopened and Gilbert would be amongst the ghosts who terrorized new guests of the establishment.
He is named Gilbert Lawrence in the Tower of Terror novelization.
Carolyn Crosson
Portrayed by - Melora Hardin (film)
Full name - Carolyn Crosson, Claire Poulet (alias)
Personality - Outgoing, friendly, compassionate
Appearance - Has brown hair, wears a white satin dress; in certain scenes she wears a flower-print dress or a drab gray outfit.
Occupation - Hollywood Starlet, Actress (film. Possible in ride)
Home - The Hollywood Tower Hotel
Relatives - Gilbert London (husband) (film)
Background - Carolyn Crosson is a character from The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction, and was also featured in the Tower of Terror movie. Carolyn Crosson was a starlet in Hollywood during the 1930s. In 1939 she attended the Hollywood Tower Hotel for Halloween. However, lightning from another dimension struck the elevator and caused the five inside to die and be sucked into the realm.
Trapped as ghosts, the five spirits haunted the Hollywood Tower Hotel and the fifth dimension.
In the 1990s, the hotel was reopened and they would have run-ins with newer guests.
Reference:
Portrayed by - Melora Hardin (film)
Full name - Carolyn Crosson, Claire Poulet (alias)
Personality - Outgoing, friendly, compassionate
Appearance - Has brown hair, wears a white satin dress; in certain scenes she wears a flower-print dress or a drab gray outfit.
Occupation - Hollywood Starlet, Actress (film. Possible in ride)
Home - The Hollywood Tower Hotel
Relatives - Gilbert London (husband) (film)
Background - Carolyn Crosson is a character from The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction, and was also featured in the Tower of Terror movie. Carolyn Crosson was a starlet in Hollywood during the 1930s. In 1939 she attended the Hollywood Tower Hotel for Halloween. However, lightning from another dimension struck the elevator and caused the five inside to die and be sucked into the realm.
Trapped as ghosts, the five spirits haunted the Hollywood Tower Hotel and the fifth dimension.
In the 1990s, the hotel was reopened and they would have run-ins with newer guests.
Reference:
Queue
The queue for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the most detailed in all of the Walt Disney World theme parks, and immediately immerses guests in the story.
Most guests to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror might not even notice the stone gates at the end of Sunset Boulevard. But the gates provide a great transition from lively Sunset Boulevard to the creepy, abandoned hotel.
The queue for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the most detailed in all of the Walt Disney World theme parks, and immediately immerses guests in the story.
Most guests to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror might not even notice the stone gates at the end of Sunset Boulevard. But the gates provide a great transition from lively Sunset Boulevard to the creepy, abandoned hotel.
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Two Stone Gates at entrance to Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The Two Stone Gates in Hollywood Studios were modeled from the Gates located on N. Beachwood Drive near Westshire Drive, Los Angeles.
Constructed around 1923, the Two Stone Gates were the grand entrance into a real estate subdivision called Hollywoodland. This is where the famous Hollywood sign is located. (Which originally said Hollywoodland). In 1963, the Two Stone Gates were designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 20.
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After passing through the Stone Gates, guests wind their way up to the Hollywood Towers Hotel garden entrance. There the guests are greeted by a Hotel Bell Hop who will let you know if your reservations are ready.
The sign at the Hotel Garden entrance indicates that the Hollywood Tower Hotel opened in 1917. The attraction itself opened in 1994.
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Note: The Disney Imagineer’s put a lot of detail into this attraction, including the Bellhop costumes. The costumes for the bellhops at this attraction cost over $1,000 to make. This makes them one of the most expensive cast costumes in all of Walt Disney World.
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Garden
After passing through the entrance of the attraction, guests wind their way along a cracked, curved walkway that leads to the hotel. The walkway goes through a foggy garden, where screams can be heard in the background. It’s surrounded by overgrown gardens, signs pointing to the stables, a bowling green, tennis courts, swimming pools, and a vine-covered pavilion.
After passing through the entrance of the attraction, guests wind their way along a cracked, curved walkway that leads to the hotel. The walkway goes through a foggy garden, where screams can be heard in the background. It’s surrounded by overgrown gardens, signs pointing to the stables, a bowling green, tennis courts, swimming pools, and a vine-covered pavilion.
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The grounds of the Hollywood Tower Hotel were inspired by the look of Los Angeles’s Griffith Park and Elysian Park.
Note: Griffith Park is a short distance from the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Sign is just on the western border of the park. Elysian Park surrounds Dodger Stadium.
Sources:
Note: Griffith Park is a short distance from the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Sign is just on the western border of the park. Elysian Park surrounds Dodger Stadium.
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To help create the mood of a 30’s hotel, jazz music echo in the queue area, features songs from:
“Alabamy Home” By Gotham Stompers “Another World” By Johnny Hodges “Can’t Get Started” By Benny Berigan “Dear Old Southland” By Noble Sissle “Deep Purple” By Turner Layton “Delta Mood” By Cootie Williams “Inside” By Fats Waller “Jeep’s Blues” By Johnny Hodges “Jitterbug” By Johnny Hodges “Jungle Drums” By Sidney Bechet “Mood Indigo” By Duke Ellington “Pyramid” By Johnny Hodges “Remember” By Red Norvo “Sleepy Time Gal” By Glenn Miller “There’s a House” By Henry Allen “There’s No Two” By Frankie Newton “Uptown Blues” By Jimmy Lunceford “We’ll Meet Again” By Vera Lynn “When the Sun Sets” By Nobles Singers “Wishing” By Vera Lynn Reference:
As guests enter the Hollywood Hotel's grounds they are treat with suitable music to get them into the mood for the Tower of Terror. |
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As mentioned earlier, the Tower’s columns, minarets, archway ornamentations, and gardens are reminiscent of those of the Mission Inn Hotel and Spa in Riverside, California.
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It rarely occurs to guests that once they pass the entrance gates, they are not lead to the main entrance of the hotel. That entrance, with the covered access for cars to drop off or pick up guests, now serves as the exit. Guests instead are directed to take a side garden entrance to get to the lobby.
After winding through the grounds, you’ll arrive at the lobby of the hotel. Reference: |
Lobby
Imagineers created a gripping atmosphere by making the hotel feel like it’s directly from the 30s. All the decor is covered in dust and draped with cobwebs, throughout there are other signs of the hotel's abrupt closure.
Entering through the Hollywood Tower Hotel's front doors and once inside the guests immediately sense that something unexpected happened here. Guests encounter an interior designed to give the impression that the Hollywood Tower Hotel has been left untouched since the night of its closure. There are personal items and luggage simply left behind covered in years’ worth of dust.
The queue of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the best in Walt Disney World.
Imagineers created a gripping atmosphere by making the hotel feel like it’s directly from the 30s. All the decor is covered in dust and draped with cobwebs, throughout there are other signs of the hotel's abrupt closure.
Entering through the Hollywood Tower Hotel's front doors and once inside the guests immediately sense that something unexpected happened here. Guests encounter an interior designed to give the impression that the Hollywood Tower Hotel has been left untouched since the night of its closure. There are personal items and luggage simply left behind covered in years’ worth of dust.
The queue of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the best in Walt Disney World.
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The Hollywood Tower Hotel’s lobby was modeled after the Biltmore Hotel’s Lobby located on Grand Ave in Los Angeles. No other Los Angeles property has appeared on screen more often and in more iconic productions than the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
Biltmore Hotel Lobby – The Rendezvous Court
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Below is a comparison view of the Hollywood Tower Hotel Lobby.
Here’s a look at the lobby under construction in May 1994.
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The Hollywood Tower Hotel – Tower of Terror
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The Concierge desk
Just as guests enter the lobby to the right is the Concierge desk.
Just as guests enter the lobby to the right is the Concierge desk.
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A copy of Photoplay Magazine on the lobby's concierge desk that featured an article "Four Pages of Hilarious Star Caricatures by Walt Disney".
There are also several "Hidden Mickeys" to spot as you navigate the Hollywood Tower of Hotel. The lamp on the concierge desk is an antique, but has a familiar 3-circle pattern on it. AAA has always given awards to hotels and resorts around the country the most coveted award is the 5 Star Award for exceptional service. While many hotels have strived to reach this coveted award, the Hollywood Tower Hotel, home of the Tower of Terror, strived for a just little more. On the wall behind the concierge desk, guests can find a plaque hanging there that declares: AAA awarded the Hollywood Tower Hotel with a special unprecedented 13 Star Award (to commemorate the 13 stories that guests plunge during their visit). |
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The Check-in desk
Throughout the Hollywood Tower Hotel there are references to Twilight Episodes. On the lobby’s check in desk is a handwritten note which stating: "Miss Nan Adams Reservations for Oct. 31 - Arrival delayed Hold Room." Nan Adams. Miss Nan Adams is a character in "The Hitch-Hiker," an episode from the first season of The Twilight Zone. On a cross-country trip from New York to Los Angeles, Miss Adams encounters the Twilight Zone. Without ruining the episode, let’s just say that the Hotel is going to be holding that room for a long while.
Since the note is difficult to see on the counter, we haven’t been able to verify it yet. |
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However in a 90’s behind the scenes video Disney made for the new upcoming ride (see video at: https://youtu.be/qec8YbXkJkw), the Imagineer describes the note and states that it is for a guest arriving later, asking the management to hold the room for this person who’s running late.
Twilight Zone Episode: “The Hitch-Hiker” (Season 1, Episode 16) Original air date: January 22, 1960
Resource:
Twilight Zone Episode: “The Hitch-Hiker” (Season 1, Episode 16) Original air date: January 22, 1960
Resource:
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The Mahjong set
Also as guests enter the lobby, on their left is a table set up with a game of Mahjong that looks like it was abandoned in a hurry. Imagineer Ken Gomes who had learned to play Mahjong in order to make sure that it was set up correctly. He played a game against himself and stopped in the middle of the game. This ensured that the game would be as authentic as possible and truly appear as though it was abandoned in a hurry. Mahjong is a tile-based game that was developed during the Qing dynasty in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is commonly played by four players and is similar to the Western card game rummy. Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation, and it involves a degree of chance. References: |
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Unfortunately the time most guests get to spend in the lobby is rather limited, so it’s difficult to see and capture all of the details the Imagineers plan for this area.
Lobby is filled with details, from the luggage (made from genuine alligator skin) and the sofas (replicas of 1930s furniture, created by the original manufacturers), to statues and signs.
Lobby is filled with details, from the luggage (made from genuine alligator skin) and the sofas (replicas of 1930s furniture, created by the original manufacturers), to statues and signs.
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click to enlarge
The Tip Top Club
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Another reference to the Twilight Zone is a poster next to the concierge desk in the lobby, advertising "Anthony Fremont's Orchestra" playing in the Tip Top Club at the top of the Tower; Anthony Fremont was the young boy in a Twilight Zone episode who had god-like powers.
Twilight Zone Episode: “It’s a Good Life” (Season 3, Episode 8) Original air date: November 3, 1961
"Six year old Anthony Fremont has an incredible superpower: using only his mind, he can make anything – or anyone – who annoys him disappear forever." Ironically he hated music.
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Twilight Zone Episode: “It’s a Good Life” (Season 3, Episode 8) Original air date: November 3, 1961
"Six year old Anthony Fremont has an incredible superpower: using only his mind, he can make anything – or anyone – who annoys him disappear forever." Ironically he hated music.
Sources:
Looking around the Lobby, the first statue that will catch guest’s eye is the bronze sculpture of an owl perched on top of the planter, “Owl” was created by the 19th century French sculptor Jules Moigniez was a French animalier sculptor who worked during the 19th century. His output was primarily cast in bronze. His bird sculptures are among the finest ever created.
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Underneath a layer of spider webs and dust in the lobby are many genuine antiques, including several bronze statues carved by French artist Auguste Moreau.
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The lobby was furnished with antiques and furniture purchased at Los Angeles-area auction houses. Guests may notice several of the bronze sculptures, which are original works of 19th-century sculptor Auguste Moreau. These bronze pieces blend well with the 1920’s – 30’s Hollywood Tower Hotel’s décor.
Note: Louis Auguste Moreau 1855–1919 was a French sculptor best known for his bronze-cast figurines. His allegorical Art Nouveau works often depicted women, children, cherubs, and historical figures.
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Note: Louis Auguste Moreau 1855–1919 was a French sculptor best known for his bronze-cast figurines. His allegorical Art Nouveau works often depicted women, children, cherubs, and historical figures.
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Next to the Check-in Desk is the Hotel mailbox. Beneath it is a tray of coins with one coin standing on its edge. This is one of the hidden Twilight Zone reference of the episode called, “A Penny for Your Thoughts.”
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Hector B. Poole is a sensitive, insecure bank clerk. On the way to work he tosses a coin into a vendor's open box to pay for a newspaper, and it miraculously lands on its edge. Suddenly he can hear other people's thoughts.
One time in a million, a coin will land on its edge. Hector B. Poole is a human coin now on edge for a brief time - in the Twilight Zone. |
Twilight Zone Episode: “A Penny for your Thoughts” (Season 2, Episode 16) Original air date: February 3, 1961
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Past the front desk, the main elevators are in a dilapidated state, and a sign reads "Out of Order".
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The directory in the lobby for amenities, located between the inoperable elevators has some missing letters that have fallen off and are at the bottom of the glass case that originally warned "evil Tower UR (you are) doomed" but after the fall of the New York Trade Center Twin Towers during 9/11, the letters that spelled "evil tower" were removed. The recent letters currently spell "TAKE THE STAIRS". But this can change.
Since the Lobby Elevators are out of service, the Bellhops will direct guests into the library.
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Since the Lobby Elevators are out of service, the Bellhops will direct guests into the library.
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Well, we are going to have to stop here and wait for the Library doors to open.When they open we can continue on to Chapter 11 - Hollywood Studios - Sunset Boulevard - Tower of Terror - Part 2.
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Afterword:
WDWMousing.com is designed to be a tour of Walt Disney World through photos. We have been to Walt Disney World countless times over the past 25 years and accumulated a magnitude of photos in that time. This website is an intention to combine two of our favorite pastimes, Walt Disney World and photography, and provide an insightful pictorial tour. While doing so, we've done an extensive research of the internet and literary sources for background information on each area and atrraction. The information is available, but most bits and pieces are scattered all over. WDWMousing doesn't intend to rewrite the stories, legends or data, but to try and collect it into one location with reference and links to the original articles and authors. And giving rightful credit. We've stumbled through quite a bit of mis-information, most of which came to life by fans because the origins were lost, forgotten or no one seems to remember. Over the past 25 years we've also lost most of the great Imagineers that helped develop, design and build the original concepts of Walt Disney World. So we believe it's extremely important to make sure that their efforts, intentions, details and creativity in making this Happiest Place on Earth isn't lost. So we ask for feedback, insights, and suggestions. Thank you WDWMousing 
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