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 The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Casting a shadow that at times seems to engulf all of Hollywood Boulevard, is the ominous looking Hollywood Tower Hotel. When you enter the lobby of this once posh luxury hotel, you’ll see that it is now covered with cobwebs, the plants decaying in the garden outside, the beautiful Renaissance furniture covered in dust. Listen, and you’ll hear the haunting sounds of big band music playing in the background as if the hotel, itself is alive and trying to recapture the lost times of its heyday. From here, you will be escorted into the hotel library, which becomes plunged into darkness with the crack of a lightning bolt. A television turns itself on (although there is no electricity) and you will learn the mysterious details of the tragic events that led to the demise of this once great hotel. The pre-show program is hosted by Rod Serling (who had died years before this film clip was created, eerily enough), who invites visitors to enter The Twilight Zone. Another bolt of lightning hits the building which restores the lights and you are escorted to the boiler room to take the service elevator up to the thirteenth floor in a re-creation of this lost Twilight Zone episode.
For those that have experienced this attraction during previous Orlando vacations, it is worth experiencing it again. The engineers have programmed the ride so that it is not the same every time. Although the lines can become extremely long for this widely popular attraction, there is a FastPass available for it. Try to smile as you are plummeting toward certain death, as pictures will be offered for sale after the ride that make a perfect souvenir of your Orlando vacation.
WARNING: If you would like to experience the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction, you must be at least 40 inches tall. This ride should be avoided by people with a fear of heights, fear of the dark or claustrophobia. There are repeated drops and; therefore, this is not a ride for people with back, neck or shoulder pain. In addition, persons suffering from a heart condition, pregnant women and people prone to motion sickness should take a pass on this attraction. The premise of the ride deals with the macabre and even the building, itself can be frightening to some children.
 Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: Strap yourself in for the wildest roller coaster in all of the Disney theme parks. This roller coaster in the dark features many twists, turns, loops and a 0-60 mile per hour in 2.8 seconds initial surge that takes riders through 5 G’s (astronauts experience only 3 G’s on a space shuttle liftoff). Set to the music of Aerosmith, this ride really rocks while it rolls!
The pre-show for the ride has guests observing the final stages of an Aerosmith recording session. As it wraps, you are invited to wait outside in the alleyway for a special 24-passenger super stretch limousine that will speed you through the Hollywood night on your way to a concert they are performing. Popular Aerosmith favorites “Love in an Elevator,” “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion” and “Dude Looks Like A Lady” boom out from the 32,000 watt onboard stereo system that features 120 speakers and 24 sub-woofers. Although this roller coaster in the dark features many sudden changes of direction, it is an extremely smooth ride. Be advised that you should definitely get a FastPass for this ride or you could be standing in line for a very long time with a whole lot of other unhappy Disney’s Hollywood Studios visitors.
WARNING: If you would like to experience the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith attraction, you must be at least 48 inches tall. This extremely fast ride should be avoided by people with a fear of the dark and those that are sensitive to very loud rock music. There are repeated twists, turns, drops and inversions and; therefore, this is not a ride for people with back, neck or shoulder pain. In addition, persons suffering from a heart condition, pregnant women and people prone to motion sickness should take a pass on this attraction.
 Beauty and the Beast, Live On Stage: Featuring music from the popular Disney animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, this stage show production is Disney at its best.
Performed at the Theater of the Stars covered outdoor amphitheater, park guests are able to experience this classic tale of romance in a twenty-five minute presentation that includes an amazing rendition of “Be our Guest,” as well as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Something There, “Belle,” “Gaston” and “The Mob Song.”
Lavish costumes and set designs accompany the outstanding performances turned in by both puppets and live actors in this extremely popular presentation. Although there is frequently a long line of people waiting to be admitted to the show, the 1,500 seat theater can usually accommodate the entire throng waiting outside. Guests who arrive early will have the opportunity to hear the outstanding a cappella music group Four for a Dollar, who perform as the pre-show entertainment.
 Fantasmic: Performed at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, this Mickey Mouse dream sequence comes to life in a spectacular display of lasers, pyrotechnics, lights and water animation. The twenty-five minute not-to-be-missed show has Mickey battling many of Disney’s infamous villains and features a soundtrack with many Disney favorites. A triumphant Mickey is joined by a multitude of other Disney characters in the final celebratory scene aboard the Steamboat Willie River Boat.
One of the very best nighttime extravaganzas in the Orlando vacation area, this extremely popular show fills up quickly and guests are advised to get to their seats early, sometimes as much as an hour beforehand during peak season.
Note: During inclement weather, Disney has devised a special 3 minute and 47 second version of the show called A Taste of Fantasmic, which includes all of the pyrotechnics of the full length show. This abbreviated show is only performed during non-electrical storms.
WARNING: Although Fantasmic is intended for the whole family and features characters from various familiar Disney movies, virtually every villain ever depicted in a Disney movie is present at this show and it might be too frightening for some small children.
Did You Know?
- Look closely at the directory on the wall in the lobby of the Hollywood Hotel at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride and you will see that some of the letters have fallen off. The letters that have fallen off spell out the phrase, “evil Tower U R doomed.”
- There is an inspection certificate in the loading area outside of the entrance to the elevator at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror that is signed by “Cadwallader.” Cadwallader is the name of a character in The Twilight Zone episode “Escape Clause,” who turns out to be the devil.
- During construction of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction, the building actually was struck by lightning.
- In case the ride, itself ever needs to be serviced, the entire roof of the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith attraction can be removed in three sections.
- While waiting to tour Studio C at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith attraction, you will hear the names of several people being paged over the PA system. The names you hear are those of the Disney Imagineers who created the ride.
- The lagoon where the Fantasmic show takes place is only 1.5 feet deep.
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