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Lost Boy
07-15-2003, 07:15 PM
Mouse Info has a great photo update today of TOT and at the end there is a video of the construction with the TOT music from the Florida attraction playing while the movie shows the tower under construction. They also show the testing of the doors opening and closing. While watching I thought about the following:

1. We have no idea what the inside will look like yet, but I must say the outside is sure spectacular. One of the most imprsessive ride buildings I have ever seen for our Resort.

2. Don't those "Murphy Doors" that you see opening anc closing in the video seem larger than the ones in Florida. If so, and I think they are, does that mean our elevator ride vehicles are going to be larger and carry more people?

As I see and hear more and more about this version of a classic attraction, I am getting more and more jazzed about this attraction. I can hardly wait for this one to open.

disNeytEen
07-15-2003, 07:21 PM
Me and you both

good thang we get bigger "elevators" but that still dosen't offset the fact we have no 5th deminsion room which still sucks

Lost Boy
07-15-2003, 07:28 PM
I am hearing that what we are getting is going to blow the 5th dimension gimmick out of the water. I am going to try to find out more this weekend.

MonorailMan
07-15-2003, 09:27 PM
Originally posted by Lost Boy
I am hearing that what we are getting is going to blow the 5th dimension gimmick out of the water.

Let's just say, if what Lost Boy told me on the Potluck, comes true, it will a breaking success. ;) :D

LIMANDL4EVA
07-16-2003, 07:49 AM
Originally posted by MonorailMan
Let's just say, if what Lost Boy told me on the Potluck, comes true, it will a breaking success. ;) :D
now you gotta say what he told you:D

laldava
07-16-2003, 10:19 AM
Wait lemme get this straight - there is a possibility that we may get a version that is as good or maybe even better than the one in florida?? Im sorry but this is shocking to me since recent additions to the DL resort have been watered down versions of florida attractions :p

Klutch
07-16-2003, 01:53 PM
Building a superior ToT does make good business sense for DCA. If the attraction was a disappointment in any way, the first visitors would immediately make note of it and, once again, the word would be out that there's no reason to cough up $47 to visit DCA. "Forget it. It's a lame imitation".

Now, if the attraction is even better than the Florida version, just the opposite would occur. "ToT kicks! Finally, a reason to visit DCA". Maybe, just maybe, The Walt Disney Company is spending *big* bucks on this attraction. This might explain why the funding is so anemic in other areas; it's just not there.

It's very likely that Paul Pressler was regularly put on the pad about DCA's lackluster performance. When the question was asked, "What are you going to do about it?", his only answer could be "We're building a spectacular Tower of Terror attraction which is a proven hit with the public". The music shows and X-game displays are likely just patchwork to help DCA limp along until ToT opens.

Batmanfan
07-16-2003, 02:55 PM
I did not want to start a new thread about the ride, but thought that this was an important observation.

When looking at the towers, obviously they are different. However, there is one major difference in the DCA version.

The towers each have a tall section to the hotel, but there is a back section in the MGM one. This "back section" is obviously in the front on the DCA one.

Does this have anything to do with the 5th demension effect? Certainly they did not just move it for the lack of room in DCA vs the space in MGM. Look at these photos for a noticable difference...

This can be seen in the second to last photos from the plane.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/photos1.htm

http://www.mouseinfo.com/updates/20030713/small/DSC07136.jpg

laldava
07-16-2003, 03:32 PM
Its pretty obvious that when this ride opens, DCA will probably see the largest crowds since its opening. But what happens when this ride becomes more commonplace, like Indiana Jones for example. As the demand to ride it diminishes over time Disney will be left the continued dilemma of exapanding and changing DCA by either Adding new E-ticket attractions (which seems doubtful at this point) or copying other rides from WDW and somehow making them fit in with the park's weak theme to bring back the crowds.

Despite all of DCA's flaws though (and there are many) I think the ToT is a great addition and it actually fits the theming of that particular section of the park. Hopefully when it opens they will spruce up some of the surrounding areas of the backlot. Like most of the park, I remember that section as being mostly concrete and kinda lackluster in the landscaping department.

Lost Boy
07-16-2003, 09:30 PM
Replies to various questions posted above.

1. In Florida there are two sets of "Towers". One set is in the back and has four lift chambers. The second is in front and has Two "Drop" chambers. Elevator cars in lift chambers 1 & 2 go to drop chamber 1 and cars from lift chambers 3 & 4 go to Drop 2. The lift chambers have lift cages that only go up and down. The cars leave the lift cages, move across the "5th Dimension" and enter "Drop Cages" in the front towers. These cages are then dropped and lifted several times before being lowered all the way to the basement level where the cars back out of the cages, turn inward and move up to the exit doors. After the guests depart the cars, the back up again, turn and move backwards from the front of the building to the back tower where they enter a waiting life cage, go up one level and a new group of guests enters, to be lifted up and the whole process is repeated over and over. The lift towers are staggered so that only one car at a time from each of the two sets are moving across the 5th dimension floor at at a time. The empty drop cages move up very fast to recieve the next car to be dropped. At DCA, somehow, the lift and drop towers are the same. No cars leaving cages and moving from back to front. They will go up, stop, move slightly forward, and drop. Probably exit guests one level below the load floor, move back slightly and go up to pick up the next load of guests.

2. What will they have that will be new and spectacular. Picture this (and they are using the newest "C.A.V.E." technolagy to do this. As your elevator is going up after leaving the ghost hall (same idea as Florida here) you will be able to look up and see through the cage all the way up the tower lift. You will see the cables that are "lifting" your car. They will use sound here to make sure you look up. Like the sounds of cables making very loud sounds that cables lifitng elevators shouldn't be making! As your car comes to a jerky stop at the top, shakes and shudders (to cover the slight move forward into a drop chamber) you will see the cables that are holding your car come undone, unravel and then snap! And down you go. Passing ghosts on the way down, one of them may join you in the car.

And this is just for starters. There is much more to this ride, if everything I am hearing now comes to pass. As alway, last minute changes, budget cuts, etc. may change a lot of this, but I am hoping the Company has realiazed that this attraction is going to make or break DCA. A lot of the future of this Park depends on this [very, very] expensive attraction.

If I find out more on Sunday, I will let you know.

jerjer2005
07-16-2003, 09:44 PM
this should be a grat attraction... i cant wiat for AP prieviews!

DisneyFan25863
07-16-2003, 09:49 PM
:eek:


W
O
W
:eek:


If they are going to do the "cable" effect the way I think they are, they better get some REALLY strong clear string :D

sancho
07-16-2003, 09:55 PM
What is the 5th dimension effect employed in WDW?

MonorailMan
07-16-2003, 11:05 PM
Originally posted by Lost Boy
2. What will they have that will be new and spectacular. Picture this (and they are using the newest "C.A.V.E." technolagy to do this. As your elevator is going up after leaving the ghost hall (same idea as Florida here) you will be able to look up and see through the cage all the way up the tower lift. You will see the cables that are "lifting" your car. They will use sound here to make sure you look up. Like the sounds of cables making very loud sounds that cables lifitng elevators shouldn't be making! As your car comes to a jerky stop at the top, shakes and shudders (to cover the slight move forward into a drop chamber) you will see the cables that are holding your car come undone, unravel and then snap! And down you go. Passing ghosts on the way down, one of them may join you in the car.

What did I tell you? :D :fez:

disNeytEen
07-17-2003, 08:32 AM
So if what Lost Boy does happen when the ride opens, during the ride a "ghost" will hop right in the elevator with me and the rest of the people. But if you drop so fast and most people have their eyes closed, how will they know or not? Will it be obvious that when you drop another guest will be joining you or will it be hard to spot?:confused:

Lost Boy
07-17-2003, 09:50 AM
In fact you are pulled down by cables under the drop cage. I have been on the one in Florida many times and have yet to close my eyes during the drop. Yes you are dropping faster than if it was a real "free fall drop" but it slows down quite a bit when it reaches the bottom and I think (sort of like the HM), that is where the ghosts will be and that is where one will join you, somehow, at the very end of the drop. I have to get clarification on this.

DL4EVER
07-17-2003, 01:34 PM
The 5th Dimension effect was used at WDW's ToT to move the elevator from the lift shaft to the drop shaft. What it was was elevator doors opening and the elevator actually moving forward through a hallway full of Twilight Zone stuff....then you would enter the drop shaft and drop.

I believe the cable effect could just be a screen of some sort, not sure where they would put the projector, but I am unsure of how else it could happen.......

AnimeNut
07-17-2003, 07:20 PM
Originally posted by Lost Boy
2. What will they have that will be new and spectacular. Picture this (and they are using the newest "C.A.V.E." technolagy to do this. As your elevator is going up after leaving the ghost hall (same idea as Florida here) you will be able to look up and see through the cage all the way up the tower lift. You will see the cables that are "lifting" your car. They will use sound here to make sure you look up. Like the sounds of cables making very loud sounds that cables lifitng elevators shouldn't be making! As your car comes to a jerky stop at the top, shakes and shudders (to cover the slight move forward into a drop chamber) you will see the cables that are holding your car come undone, unravel and then snap! And down you go. Passing ghosts on the way down, one of them may join you in the car.

Man oh man, that sounds bloody incredible. I'll take that over the wildly overrated 5th Dimension room any day.

Has anybody here ever seen the 1999 remake of The House on Haunted Hill, starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Ali Larter, Taye Diggs, Chris Kattan, and I can't remember who else? Towards the beginning of the movie, there is a scene that sounds nearly identical to what Lost Boy is describing. When I watched this movie, I swear the first thing I thought was, "Now THAT'S how Tower of Terror should've been done." Funniest bit of this scene in the movie? James Marsters jumping up and down, trying to defy the laws of physics in order to save his life.

Lost Boy, do you know if we'll be able to see through the floor of the elevator as well? If not, DCA's TOT will still be spectacular.

Lost Boy
07-17-2003, 07:50 PM
Haven't heard about a see through floor, but I doubt it. It think they want to direct where you look, like up then straight ahead to see out the doors from the top, and then watch the walls scream past as you "fall" down and then again at the bottom (I think) to see the "ghosts". Give me Sunday to do some snooping and I will report back if and when I get some answers.

LIMANDL4EVA
07-20-2003, 08:50 PM
So Lost Boy...Anything new from this Sunday?

Lost Boy
07-21-2003, 08:04 AM
I am afraid the infromation I got from Imagineers (T.B.) was that our version will not be anything more than a "lite" version of the one in Florida. He did confirm that there will be things in ours that are not in Florida's but woudn't say what. He was not all that thrilled about this version, so that leads me to beleive that what I heard before was nonsense from some hopefull person at Imagineering. I trust T. more than anybody as I have known him since before Indy opened and he hasn't been wrong yet. So, all we can do now is wait and see.

Drat. I was really hopeing for some good news. Double Drat.:crying: