Disneys Tower of Terror Basement Elevator Recreated

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

So over the past months after nearly a decade of thought, I have made significant progress in recreating a version of the Tower of Terror Basement elevator using a regular sliding glass door which is the entrance to my home theater.; hence the name of my Youtube channel is Tower of Terror Theater. The channel documents the progress of the project in which the goal is not only to recreate my version of the elevator entrance, but also to add special effects such as thunder/lightning, exploding/smoking/on fire/short-circuiting fuse box, simulated rain, working steam pressure gauge and bursting steam pipe, functional elevator lighted dial and multiple other special effects. Additionally I have made an effort to even expand on the story of the tragic night in 1939, and the journey you take as you enter the Twilight Zone. I am thrilled to have Mark Silverman, the voice talent who does the voice of Rod Serling in the real Tower of Terror, agree to do some custom voice scripts for the project. His narration was used a the voice of a Deepfake video recreating Rod Serling and will be used in the automated scene all initiated by the elevator button press. Check it out, especially if you are a lover of the Tower of Terror, Twilight Zone or a fan of Rod Serling.

Tower of Terror Theater

This Channel will be focused on my decade-long dream to recreate the Disney Tower of Terror basement elevator ride entrance from a standard sliding glass doo...

www.youtube.com

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

Here is what is inside the "elevator doors," in the Tower of Terror Theater.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Curious to go through some videos here. Looks awesome.
My whole family LOVES that ride. From the que line to the exit doors. I love the attention to detail, and the vibe. I also love that Twilight Zone have people pause to stop and think beyond any norms.

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

Videos on the channel pretty much document from the first work on creating the set facade to current state with multiple automated special effects being added on a an approximate bi-weekly to monthly basis. Hope you enjoy it!

 

[BMXTRIX]

That's a completely insane setup. I can't imagine doing something like that in my home. While I would love a themed theater, I think it will still end up being very traditional overall. Probably some Marvel theme or some such towards the back of the space. But, it will be an open area and much more traditional.

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

That's a completely insane setup. I can't imagine doing something like that in my home. While I would love a themed theater, I think it will still end up being very traditional overall. Probably some Marvel theme or some such towards the back of the space. But, it will be an open area and much more traditional.

I think being single has its advantages, and being able to basically do whatever I want with my home without being vetoed by a spouse is one of them. I actually did back off from some of my thoughts to convert the entire room outside of the theater to a Tower of Terror Boiler room were scrapped (now only about 1/2 the room is continuing to be themed).

 

[BMXTRIX]

I think being single has its advantages, and being able to basically do whatever I want with my home without being vetoed by a spouse is one of them. I actually did back off from some of my thoughts to convert the entire room outside of the theater to a Tower of Terror Boiler room were scrapped (now only about 1/2 the room is continuing to be themed).

Well, my wife isn't the issue. She'll let me do whatever I want really. But, I don't think I'm up to the challenge (nor do I want to be). It will be a completely awesome theater if I do ever get around to it as I have a lot of plans for it, but they will be a bit more traditional. Tiered seating, good lighting, excellent audio, etc. My wife may be the one doing the artwork on the wall... if I can convince her to do it. It is still years out though.

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

"Well, my wife isn't the issue. She'll let me do whatever I want really." If things dont work out between you and your wife, please have her instant message me, LOL.

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

Well, my wife isn't the issue. She'll let me do whatever I want really. But, I don't think I'm up to the challenge (nor do I want to be). It will be a completely awesome theater if I do ever get around to it as I have a lot of plans for it, but they will be a bit more traditional. Tiered seating, good lighting, excellent audio, etc. My wife may be the one doing the artwork on the wall... if I can convince her to do it. It is still years out though.

Well so much for my initial restraint in only theming half the room. Four months later, and the entire room is now themed.

 

[mazersteven]

Awesome!!!

 

[BMXTRIX]

Well so much for my initial restraint in only theming half the room. Four months later, and the entire room in now themed.

Well great...
Now I'm not sleeping tonight!

What an amazing job you've done. I have no idea how to make something like that happen. Just not in my skill set.

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

I have minimal skills, and I was able to do enough research to find the basic computer hardware I wanted (halloween/escape room equipment controllers) to use to automate the whole thing, and then set about finding people that could help me do the electronics/programming part, and do the set construction (local set/prop design/construction company).

I placed a craigslist ad for someone who worked with the specific equipment I was planning to use and probably the best person I could ever find contacted me who lived in my city. He has done escape room design, construction and electronics for many yrs of his young life. The best part is that he was probably was excited as I was with the whole concept and opportunity to be a part of a unique project as he loved Rod Serling/Twilight Zone/Tower of Terror. We negotiated a price for him to do the electronics/programming/prop design for the entire project. The most fortunate part for me is that he really does have passion and a love of his work as I think the goals for the project might have grown at least 3X from relatively limited effects to its current state. He was responsible for suggesting and designing and making multiple props in the project. Bottom line I that I think he was a real bargain, and I ended voluntarily paying him >2X of the agreed cost and was happy to do so.

We are still working on the project with multiple props and effects completed and just waiting for integration. He has agreed to be "on-board," for the investigation design and integration of an autonomous robotic Tower of Terror elevator reproduction which could be programmed to automatically carry 2-4 people around in the room, rotate, open close elevator doors, have tactile transducers under the seats, have a pneumatic drop effect, etc. Honestly I probably will have multiple sleepless nights dreaming up audio/visual/tactile/ lighting effects for this mobile elevator. If we proceed with this it will undoubtedly be on the same scale as the entire project to date in terms of time, cost, labor and ambitiousness, and then the project would have a tactile/motion aspect it currently lacks compared to the actual Tower of Terror ride.

 

[diskreet]

This is an incredible build. Thanks for posting with transparency on the journey - it's wild to hear the lengths you have to go through to complete a project like this. Good luck!

 

[TowerofTerrorTheater]

Latest updated video of project including multiple new props and effects.