In this episode of Soarin’ Around WDW, we’re checking into one of Walt Disney World’s most iconic attractions: the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Joined by my dad as co-host, we take a deep dive into the history, development, and legacy of The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror.

We explore how the attraction came to life in the early 1990s as Disney-MGM Studios’ first true E-ticket, from its roots in abandoned Imagineering concepts to its opening alongside Sunset Boulevard on July 22, 1994. We discuss the creative minds behind the project, the decision to tie the story to The Twilight Zone, and the unexpected challenges, like a construction sinkhole, that shaped the final design.

Then we break down how the ride actually works, explaining the revolutionary elevator system, AGV ride vehicles, the Fifth Dimension illusion, and the powerful Otis motors that pull riders faster than gravity. We also talk about how the Tower evolved over time, from a single drop to today’s randomized drop sequences.

Along the way, we uncover some of our favorite Easter eggs hidden across the Tower’s versions around the world and discuss the 1997 Tower of Terror TV movie starring Kirsten Dunst and Steve Guttenberg.

From storytelling to engineering, this episode celebrates why the Tower of Terror remains one of Disney’s most beloved and brilliantly themed attractions.