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The Inside Jokes of WDW: The “Twilight Zone Tower of Terror”

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Today’s blog post is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction….

Well, that’s not completely true. Last time, because I love Halloween, we looked at the tombstones in the Haunted Mansion queue area. This time, continuing my love of Halloween, we’re going to look at another attraction’s queue area, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

In case you don’t know, The Twilight Zone was a T.V. show in the 1960’s.  Rod Serling hosted the show inviting viewers on a trip to the fifth dimension where anything is possible.  Each episode told a different story, usually set in world mostly like ours but with a few stark differences, and they usually ended with a twist.

A classic example is the episode, “Time Enough to Last” in which Henry Bemis seeks only to find time and solitude to read.  After a nuclear attack leaves him the only inhabitant of his town, he rejoices at the time he now has and the number of books to read as well.  That is, until he trips and falls, breaking his eye-glasses in the process.

What does this have to do with the Tower of Terror? Well, it seems that Bemis’ glasses have traversed the fifth dimension and ended up in the library of the Hollywood Tower Hotel.  Look up and around the library while Rod Serling recounts the tale of the Hotel and you’ll find other items from a few other episodes of The Twilight Zone.

On one of the shelves, there is a small robot from the episode, “The Invaders.” In it, the robot is actually a human astronaut that has landed on a planet of giants.

On another shelf is a book with the title, “To Serve Man.” In an episode of the same name, a group of aliens befriends humans. One of the aliens drops a book that is eventually translated as “To Serve Man” and is revealed to be a cookbook.

The last piece on our trip to the Twilight Zone is a machine with a devil’s head on it with a message that reads, “Ask me a yes or no question.”  In the episode, “The Nick of Time,” William Shatner plays a man who becomes obsessed with this fortune teller as the fortunes start coming true.

(Photo © Disney)

What is your most memorable moment on Tower of Terror?

Chris grew up during the Disney renaissance of animation and took his first trip to Disney World when he was ten. Even though he has loved Disney his whole life, his obsession didn’t start until he began planning a trip for his honeymoon. Right now, his primary job (at least the one that doesn’t pay the bills) is to indoctrinate his daughter with his love of Disney while at the same time convincing his wife to move to Orlando so he can become a tour guide in the parks.

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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