Old Tower of Terror Queue

[Zanstabar]

I know that the Tower of Terror has had some changes in the queue line over the years, but I was too young to remember them exactly. What have been some of the major changes in the queue line? For example, what was the room with the IT Sever Racks before the TOT2 Rehab? Or how about the room with the stairwell?

[Slick]

 

When it first opened, the premise of the ride was all about escaping a contaminated city. My memory is hazey now, but I remember hearing the voice-over repeat endlessly something like "warning, this area contains toxic wasted and is contaminated. You must proceed the escape pod immediately etc. etc."

For starters, the ride had a three attendant minimum just to operate. You essentially had a deck hand on the lower level, a basic operator on the upper level and a senior op despatching. And yes, those two lifts you see as you walk up the final stairs up to the top level - those really worked at one point.

When you reach the top of the first step of stairs and turn left, that's where the skull used to be. There's a kajillion photos of this around, unfortunately for you i'm too lazy to find (read: upload) them. You'd actually queue in a set of switchbacks outside where Escape from Madagascar's queue is now, then the first deckhand would count you into your groups and then let you up the stairs and into the skull. From the skull to where the TV is now with the random "spark" going off has been relatively unchanged, save for a few things - more pipe and lighting has been added and the strobes and fog underneath the queue died, long, long ago. Before you'd go past what is now the spark TV, you'd hit a gate where you'd wait to be taken into the lift room that would take you from the first floor to the top floor. There was a TV showing explosions and meltdowns and stuff to your right while you waited to be let into the lift room. From there you'd walk over a mini city that was well lit up (hence why the floor is acrylic) instead of looking at the spark TV and then instead of going up yet another flight of stairs, you'd jump into one of two load lifts. I'm sure these are well and truly decommissioned now as they're boarded up with checker plate steel on the top level. There was sounds of buzzers and sirens were playing along with some voice-over that escapes my memory. From there basically the rest is the same as it always was, sans the switchbacks that now exist and the LED's - back in 2008 or so they put the checkerplate walls in to combat bored guests.

I've uploaded some crap from 2004-05. It should give you an idea of how things were back in the day.

Sidenote: still thing the original pod running at full speed without the full tunnel is lightyears better than what we have now. #lapbarsforlyfe

[Slick]

More photos.

 

To answer your question directly - the first room you see when you walk in with all the blinking lights and stuff was originally nothing. Just blank walls.

[Zanstabar]

Wow! Thanks for that. I nice to finally hear about it in detail. I rode the original tower once when I was about 10 years old and I was terrified. I was crying and screaming throughout most of the queue so that whole experience was basically lost on me. Only thing I remember was the hang time on the original. Some much better than what we have now. 

Do you happen to remember where that photo was taken? It looks quite odd seeing a bright orange and blue colour scheme compared to the rusted earthy colours of the rest of the queue. 

[Slick]

Do you happen to remember where that photo was taken? It looks quite odd seeing a bright orange and blue colour scheme compared to the rusted earthy colours of the rest of the queue. 

Top level. Before the final queue point where you get into rows.

[Theme Park Girl]

Wow I don't remember any of those details from attending the opening week of the original ToT. Although I was only a teen at the time, so yeah, my memory isn't the best lol. I do however remember lining up for the ride outside the Skull when it was in the Escape From Madagascar area... was a crazy 2 hour wait from that point ??? I think I vaguely recall the "looking down at the city from the bridge" bit, too. 

 Thanks Zanstabar for the flashback lol :)

[Rabbit2014]

I don't have any photos but the entrance to tower of tower was first on the other side in the now dreamworks area the line up was totally different where groups were take up from an outside line up area. Hope someone has photos cause it was a totally different experience.

[themagician]

This photo was posted by DW on FB a while ago:

[Wil_i_am_not]

Oh god, I remember the lifts xD! Rickety old things they were

[ScienticianLady]

I think the orange and blue was to enhance the effect of the uv lighting in the city?

I remember the lifts well. Also that annoying voiceover!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Nope - the 'city' was in a completely different area.

[ScienticianLady]

Throwback to 90s colour scheming?

[justaduck]

I went for the first time in 1997 or 1998. I remember lining up for it somewhere near where the (then) Avalanche ride was. 
I do remember the warning messages and that originally there was someone operating the lift when you had finished the ride. I'll see if I have any old pics 

ETA: Sorry can't find any pics of the queue, only one old one of the Tower (before Giant Drop) where it had a disc up the very top as opposed to the cylinder there today

Edited June 29, 2015 by justaduck

[Zanstabar]

I can't believe I'm saying this but I think I prefer the original attraction to what it is today. At least back then you had somewhat of a cohesive theme then the mess we have now.