Tower of Terror Shut Down, Guests Recount Harrowing Experience on Board
When you board The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’re in for a thrilling experience—complete with unexpected drops and eerie effects that make it one of the most popular rides in the park. But earlier this month, the Walt Disney World Resort ride came to an abrupt halt, leading to a harrowing experience that left some guests evacuating into a backstage area.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which opened on July 22, 1994, has been a fixture of Disney’s Hollywood Studios since its debut. Known for its thrilling free-fall drops and creepy atmosphere, the attraction has captivated guests for decades. However, like many Disney Park attractions, it’s not immune to the occasional technical malfunction. The ride recently stopped mid-operation, leaving guests stuck inside one of the elevator shafts.
TikTok user @t_kaayy shared a video of the incident on July 20. The footage shows guests sitting in one of the ride’s elevator shafts as Disney cast members manually lower the ride vehicle to an employee-only area. The video captures the surprise of families who were initially confused when the elevator descended lower than expected, only to have the doors open to reveal a Disney maintenance cast member waiting for them.
@t_kaayy Got stuck and had to evacuate the tower of terror ride at Disney Hollywood studios #elevator #towerofterror #fyp #disney #disneyworld #hollywoodstudios #disneyhollywoodstudios
“This is cool!” one Disney Park guest exclaimed in the video.
“You have to take a picture!” another said.
At this point, Disney cast members asked the guests to stop filming, as they were now in a restricted area. According to the TikTok user, the cast members also did not offer riders compensation, such as a Lightning Lane pass, which is often a courtesy in situations like this.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to stop, as Walt Disney World Resort rarely issues public statements about minor technical glitches like this. However, the ride was able to resume operations shortly after the incident.
Have you ever evacuated a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort ride? Share your story with Disney Dining in the comments!
