The Development of Disney's Tower of Terror and Sunset Boulevard

Disneyland Paris Expansion Delays

• 🌍 The planned multi-year expansion for Walt Disney Studios Paris, announced in 2018, has faced significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 🏗️ Work on Avengers Campus, originally slated for 2022, is unlikely to open this summer, and the planned Frozen land and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge are also impacted.
• 🏨 The Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel has also seen its reopening date indefinitely delayed.

Disney's Hollywood Studios Development

• 🎬 Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios) opened in May 1989 with limited attractions, relying heavily on stage shows and a backstage tour.
• 🚀 To meet guest demand, attractions like the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure were developed rapidly based on summer blockbusters.
• 🎢 Early plans for Sunset Boulevard included lands based on IPs like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Dick Tracy, and The Rocketeer, but these were scaled back due to IP issues and economic factors.

The Genesis of Tower of Terror

• 💡 The concept for Tower of Terror originated from a freefall ride planned for Euro Disney, which was later repurposed for Disney's Hollywood Studios.
• 💰 Budget constraints for Sunset Boulevard led to the decision to place the Tower of Terror at the end of the street within a hotel structure, resulting in a smaller lobby and less elaborate theming for shops and restaurants.
• 🎬 Initial story concepts for Tower of Terror involved a silent film era theme with a masked killer, utilizing narration from Vincent Price, but this was rejected by Michael Eisner.

Evolving Tower of Terror Narrative

• 🎭 The story for Tower of Terror evolved, with early ideas including a Mel Brooks-inspired narrative before ultimately settling on a Rod Serling-hosted concept.
• 🏨 The deserted Hollywood hotel setting was chosen due to budget limitations, leading to the iconic, yet unusually small, lobby.
• 🎢 The ride system for the freefall attraction was a repurposed element from the Euro Disney expansion plans.

Operational Adjustments and Guest Experience

• 📏 Disney is implementing social distancing measures in queues, which, while making lines appear longer, can lead to a more consistent and faster-moving experience for guests.
• 📊 The actual wait times for attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad have been significantly shorter than posted times due to these operational changes and line estimations.
• 📈 The effectiveness of these adjusted queue strategies is being closely monitored, with potential for some elements to remain post-pandemic to enhance guest experience.