Tower of Terror checks out permanently on January 2
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ends its run on January 2 with celebrations and special events planned throughout the Halloween season to commemorate the beloved ride.
It’s time to check in one last time at the Hollywood Hotel, home to the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The popular Disney’s California Adventure attraction will close its doors on January 2nd, 2017, to be given a new theme that ties into the Guardians of the Galaxy Universe. Since the attraction is just getting a facelift, the new ride will be revealed in time for the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel that comes out in May 2017.
There had been whispers circulating around the Disneyland Resort after secretive midnight meetings of Imagineers took place at the ride, a sure sign of changes to come.
Official word of the new ride came during the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic Con in July, which sparked outrage across the internet from devoted fans who don’t want Marvel to replace the beloved ride. Opposition was so heated that it led to an online petition hoping to shut down the plans.
The new ride will focus on an adventure inside the world of the Collector, Taneleer Tivan, and the Guardians of the Galaxy themselves will come along for the ride. There is a lot of room to build inside the current infrastructure of the Hollywood Hotel, with a large lobby area, two intermediary rooms in between the lobby and the inner queue, and the inner queue itself, which covers two floors.
Disney announced plans for special celebrations to commemorate the beloved ride and give it a proper sendoff. The final date for the ride was immediately met with frustration as January 2 falls within the blackout dates for several levels of Annual Passholders. This means that some of the ride’s biggest fans won’t have a chance to say goodbye, and will have to do so before the Christmas season blackout dates begin.
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Along with special merchandise, the Tower of Terror will have a special “Late Check Out” feature. During the Halloween season celebrations from September 9 to Halloween night, the Tower of Terror will operate entirely in the dark, giving it a completely new feeling. This move will no doubt lead to longer lines from fans hoping to try the new ride before it checks out permanently in January.