Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: A New Dimension of Chills

**The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: A New Dimension of Chills** is an incarnation of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in the *Production Courtyard* of Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris. The attraction opened as **The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror** before being changed in 2019 to have randomized alternate storylines and new effects.

## History

### Backstory

In the attraction's premise, inspired by themes of the television series, guests visit the legendary Hollywood Tower Hotel. Once a lively resort for the Hollywood elite, it closed after a disastrous accident where lightning had struck the building, causing several wings of the hotel to vanish and kill five people in an elevator that plummeted on October 31st, 1939. The hotel, now dilapidated and haunted, has mysteriously "reopened" having guests experience the events of that fateful night aboard one of the basement freight elevators as they go on a bizarre, frightening journey through the Twilight Zone.

### Development history

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Walt Disney Studios Park is based on the same design as the version at Disney California Adventure. However, it was originally "Imagineered" for the Paris park at the same time as Tokyo's tower and planned to open just 2 years after the opening of the park itself. When financial troubles again hit Disney's Parisian resort, the attraction was put on hold. In the meantime, it was constructed for California Adventure as an added crowd-puller.

The attraction was finally green-lit for Paris in 2005 and opened officially in January 2008 right in the middle of the Walt Disney Studios park, behind the "La Terrasse" seating area. It has been joined by a major new theme development producing an outdoor Hollywood Boulevard of faux movie sets. Unlike its American cousins, the Paris Tower was constructed using concrete rather than steel due to French construction guidelines and standards.

The Paris and California versions were originally believed to become identical versions upon completion, but construction in Paris showed several differences and additions when compared to the 2004 Californian version.

The official name of the attraction in all French publications (but *not* at the attraction itself) is **La Tour de la Terreur - Un Plongeon dans la Quatrième Dimension**.

Some sections of the attraction's audio narration and pre-show videos have been translated into French, including a new voice recording from an impersonator of The Twilight Zone's original French host, with separate English and French versions being presented.

### **The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - A New Dimension of Chills**

On July 23, 2019 it was announced that the Paris version would be "reimagined" to *The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - A New Dimension of Chills*. The ride was enhanced with new ride profiles, drop sequences, effects, and storylines that expand upon the original one. The facade, the lobby, the preshow, the boiler room and the exit are the same as before. According to Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, the reimagining introduced three new *Twilight Zone* storylines (The Malevolent Machine,The Shaft Creatures and The 5th Dimension), each starring the little girl who disappeared in the hotel's elevator from the original story and the attraction's name was changed to *The Twilight Zone* Tower of Terror - A New Dimension of Chills, which opened on September 28, 2019.

### The Malevolent Machine (story)

The little ghost girl haunts your elevator, but she’s the least of your worries now. As soon as you take your seat, this malevolent machine only has one goal – to trap you! The elevator will screech and clank with macabre glee as it shoots you up and forces you down without warning. Your only hope is to hold tight and scream! Will you be able to free yourself from the machine’s grip?

### The Shaft Creatures (story)

They know you’re here, so whatever you do, don’t scream! Frightening creatures are loose in the elevator shaft and are looking for distressed souls to terrorize. The louder you scream and plead for mercy, the more powerful they become. Can you stay silent while plummeting down 13 unlucky floors at the speed of fright?

### The 5th Dimension (story)

A sinister poltergeist has opened a portal to the 5th dimension, and wants to take your soul with it! Prepare to question everything you know as real as you drop into a terrifying psychedelic journey between two worlds. Will the little ghost girl be able to save you?

### The Malevolent Machine (ride)

As the elevator doors close, the lights of the service elevator flicker out. The elevator itself is pushed into the shaftway by a mechanical arm in front of the doors. With a flash of lightning the doors disappear and Sally Shine appears singing "il pleut, il mouille, c'est la fête à la grenouille" (the French version of "it's raining, it's pouring"). After singing the song Sally says "i wouldn't go in there if i were you" and repeats the same in French. When she finishes talking the elevator goes up quickly and down again. The doors open and guest can see a mirror. instead of lightning, Sally will appear saying "I warned you, but you didn't listen" and repeats the same in French. immediately after the elevator falls, it goes up quickly and goes down again. The elevator stops at another floor, the doors reopen to reveal a corridor. After that the ghosts of the 5 people who disappeared on the night of October 31, 1939 appear in front of the guests. When people disappear in a bolt of electricity, the corridor becomes a star field and Sally appears. She says "come with me, before it's too late" and repeats the same in French. Immediately after the elevator begins the drop sequence: an ascent and a drop occur, followed by a rise to the top of the tower, the cabin lights are red and blue. The doors then open out to reveal the view from the top floor before the elevator drops briefly, pauses, and drops along the remainder of the shaft. The elevator then ascends all the way to the top of the tower and falls to the bottom of the shaft, to the area in between the two loading floors, with the elevator being finally returned to its load level and horizontally pulled back into place at the boiler room service doors. As the elevator moves horizontally Sally will appear one last time and say "next time you should listen" and repeat the same in French. After that she starts humming the twilight zone theme and then it vanishes into thin air. The doors open and the guests leave

### The Shaft Creatures (ride)

When the doors close, Sally appears and sings "il pleut, il mouille c'est la fête à la grenouille". She subsequently she says "I wouldn't go in there if I were you". When the doors close you can hear the laughter of those creatures. The elevator goes up to the 13th floor and goes down. The doors then open and guests see a mirror, the reflection of the guests disappears after a few seconds, Sally appears and says "if you scream it will only get worse" and repeats the same in French. after that the elevator falls, rises quickly and falls again. After the second fall the elevator stops at another floor where guests see a star field and Sally walking towards guests, footsteps can also be heard. For a few seconds everything becomes dark. then suddenly the lights come on and guests can see the corridor although instead of the five missing people, they see Sally who says  "they know you're here, whatever you do, don't scream!" and repeats the same in French. After that the elevator begins the drop sequence. Disney imagineers have installed in the elevator a db calculator exclusive for this plot that calculates the screams of the guests: the more the guests scream the more powerful the elevator becomes. Once during the drop sequence, wide elevator doors in front of the guests open to reveal a view of the park, where camera captures the in-ride photograph. During the drops, the laughter of those creatures will be heard.Cabin lights are blue and red. At a certain the elevator stops and returns to its load level and horizontally pulled back into place at the boiler room service doors. Sally Shine appears one last time and says "the next time, be quiet" and repeats the same in French. After that she starts singing the twilight zone theme and then vanishes into thin air.

Fun fact: the laughters are Shiriki Utundu's from Tokyo Disneysea Tower of Terror.

### The 5th Dimension (ride)

When the doors close, Sally appears and sings "il pleut, il mouille c'est la fête à la grenouille" then says "i wouldn't go in there if i were you" and repeats the same in French. The doors close and Sally will say "Où êtes vous passés?" (where have you gone?). The elevator goes up to the 13th floor and falls. After the drop, the doors open and guests can see a mirror, Sally appears and says "I can't see you, don't get lost in this dimension!" and repeats the same in French. Then the elevator falls, rises quickly and falls again. Then it stops again and the doors open: guests can see a star field. Soon after, Sally appears saying "I'll get you back! Just come with me, come!" and she repeats it in French. after repeating it, Sally will yell "No!!!". A moment after yelling "No!!!" , the elevator will begin the drop sequence. Cabin lights are green and violet. The doors open at the top and Sally says "we are almost back",repeat it in French, then the elevator falls. After finishing the drop sequence, between falls and ascents, the elevator returns to the area in between the two loading floors, with the elevator being finally returned to its load level and horizontally pulled back into place at the boiler room service doors. As the elevator moves horizontally Sally will appear one last time and say "next time you might not make it back" and repeats the same in French. After that she starts humming the twilight zone theme and then it vanishes into thin air. The doors open and the guests leave

## Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: A New Dimension of Chills

The hotel's exterior features a big, blackened scorch mark across the front of the facade where lightning had struck that eerily glows purple at night. Elevator doors leading to the missing floors of the building are exposed, opening and closing upon the arrival of screaming riders. All of the cast members wear a costume that resembles a 1930's bellhop. At over one thousand (US) dollars per uniform, it is the most expensive costume in the entire chain.

## Gallery

***Tower of Terror Wikia*** has a collection of images and media related to ***Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: A New Dimension of Chills***.