by Erik Yates
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Tue October 4, 2016
Photo courtesy of Howard Johnson Anaheim
The California version of Tower of Terror is an iconic thrill ride, and when Disney made the decision to transform it into their first Marvel ride in the United States, controversy ensued.
In January of 2017, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror will close for good. The ride itself isn't going anywhere, but when it reopens in May of 2017, it will be an all-new experience featuring the Marvel Superheroes, Guardians of the Galaxy. The new ride will take guests on an adventure through the Collector's Fortress, where they will meet up with Rocket Racoon, and save the Guardians from a life behind a box. Of course being a theme park ride, things go horribly wrong.
The new attraction has been lauded by fans of the park, with the announcement being one of the most hated things on YouTube. Now, there's something new to either love or hate as Disney has given a first look at the new attraction, and what it will look like, on the outside at least.
The new attraction will feature lots of color, and will definitely look like it's taken straight from the comic book. There will be tons of pipes and even satellite dishes coming out of the roof, giving it the true look of a fortress. While we have yet to see what the inside will look like (besides concept art), the outside is already starting to take shape.
Work has already started on the attraction, and is going pretty much around the clock as the outside of the "Hollywood Tower Hotel" are being removed, and replaced by scaffolding. The new look will slowly develop over time, but by the time Tower of Terror closes in January, it will already start looking like something from out of this world.
The Howard Johnson "MatterCam" is giving a live look at the construction and demolition of the project, and shows off a great look at Tower of Terror. The cam shows workers toiling away on the construction of the new ride, as they remove the remnants of the Twilight Zone.
While work is moving along very rapidly on the outside, audio and programming have already started happening on the inside of the attraction. After dark, guests on Tower of Terror can experience the attraction like they never have with "Late Check Out." The ride still features the same iconic experience, only with Late Check Out, guests will experience the ride completely and totally in the dark. There are limited special effects, and music, and really no way to tell which way is up. Though, it's easy to tell which way is down as you are dropped suddenly in the dark.
The new ride will remove many of the scarier aspects of the Tower of Terror, and will replace it with a rocking soundtrack, (though a 200-foot drop is still quite the scare).
Tower of Terror will have its final Checkout on Jan. 2. Guardians of the Galaxy's Mission: Breakout will check in sometime next summer, and most likely in time for the premiere of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol: 2" on May 5.
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