Tower of Literal Terror

[TowerOfTurkey]

Hi fellow Magic Makers,

I know you have seen a thread like this before, but it is time for a new one that I can sink my anxious teeth into.

Just like the title suggests, I am absolutely petrified of Tower of Terror. Why? The drop. The height. I promised my girlfriend I would do the ride for our anniversary, and this is it. Every time I walk into HS and see that massive, 200-foot structure, I sweat and panic. I am not that big of a thrill junkie by any means.

I would appreciate any advice, especially from those that are as terrified as I am and have done the ride. I am really hoping it does not drop the full height from the top to the bottom, and I hope it does not drop or lift too fast.

No mater how much of a baby I sound like, I have to get on it, regardless of my username being TowerofTurkey. Your thoughts and feedback are appreciated about your experiences.

THANK YOU!

 

[bumbershoot]

It doesn't drop. It's pulled. That makes a gigantic difference to me. I don't like rides that drop and require brakes to stop. The pulling means that the action is the movement and to stop it they just stop the action. Makes sense to me at least.

I don't think I've ever had it go all the way down.

It is pulled down a bit faster than mere gravity. It doesn't shoot up, though it doesn't dawdle either.

I control the feeling in my stomach during the drops by a long controlled forceful exhale. Many people do this while using their vocal cords; that's called a scream.

 

[Planogirl]

I hate the sense of falling. It completely terrifies me and the knowledge that it's actually pulling the car back and forth doesn't help me much. However, I've ridden it some because the theming is amazing and I go to be company with my travel companion(s). When the "falling" part comes I hang on tight and close my eyes and count. It doesn't last too long.

 

[old lady]

Be brave. Don't Worry. I get scared even in the lines of rollercoasters and the Tower of Terror. I remember when Space Mountain has asteroids whirling around in the space, which is still scary and makes me wish they still had it.

 

[earfulofmagic]

I suggest you read the wikipedia page on it, if you haven't; perhaps familiarizing yourself with some of its technical aspects will ease the anxiety. PP covered pulling action instead of dropping, soooo.... supposedly, randomized though the sequences are, there will be one full-length "drop" (pull) at top speed and a few fake-outs. If you've done RnR coaster, when you're on ToT you will experience less g-force than the beginning of RnR.

As a lot of people describe it, the sensation is more like a tummy lift/drop than anything else. (I've sought a lot of info on this too, for motion sickness reasons.) I imagine that feeling is similar to going through rather bumpy, up-and-down airplane turbulence, but much further down I have "saved" the ride for my SO, so I haven't actually ridden it yet either. But reading the non-spoiler stuff about rides that I'm a bit nervous about helps!

When are you going? We're going in November and I'm mildly scared of it, so I can report back! Although my issue is more like I'm scared I'll get sick, but I understand the same nervous feeling in line -- I don't want to ever willingly walk into sickness

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

Please report back how successful you are! I would love to be able to ride it someday but I am terrified out of my mind! I hate the stomach dropping feeling.

 

[Davey Jones II]

It's really not as intense as it may look. Hang on to the handles on either side of you. The drops will start shortly after the elevator moves through the 5th dimension scene. And they won't last long; maybe a minute of ups and downs?

My bro was pretty scared, too, but forced himself to go on it (the version in California), and after a few rides, he was raising his arms, just like me. My g.f. is also afraid of the ride, but after doing coasters at our local Six Flags park, she's ready to brave the tower when we go in October.

Oh, one more thing. As with any thrill ride, don't do this one on a full stomach.

 

[CounselorX]

Honestly, it's so tame and doesn't even feel like anything hardly. The only thing that will scare you will be the theming to psych you out before the ride, and other people screaming.

 

[CAS239]

It's a very fun ride and seems way more intense than it really is

 

[Ahsokasmom]

I think with a lot of rides it is the build up. Have you looked for videos to show you exactly what to expect? Maybe seeing what happens in advance can calm you?

 

[sdchickie]

I used to be terrified of this ride too, I didn't ride it for several years and we were annual pass holders so there were many times I didn't ride it. I have a fear of heights and get vertigo if I'm up to high, I also get motion sickness standing in a wave pool. The thought of plummeting down several stories again and again was terrifying! Then my 7 year old son was finally tall enough to ride it and wanted to go on so bad,I thought to myself if he can do it I certainly can, so I made myself do it for my child and guess what, it's now one of my favorite rides in the park! The anticipation of the drop is what I love (go figure, I know, there's something wrong with me) the first drop is usually the biggest and the way it makes my stomach feel is like when you're driving in a car and you go over the crest of a hill just right and your stomach drops, but slightly more intense. I hope you find that you actually love the ride too just like I did.

 

[Bete]

I would close my eyes and think about something else that is more pleasant for you. If you don't see the outside I think that would help. Try to get a seat most inside the ride, by the wall. I think that will help, too.

The actual time of the falling is not very long.

 

[daae3]

Former frequent flyer of the chicken exit. I was once trying to work up my nerve near the entrance when a cast member checking fast passes asked me why I was nervous. I explained fear of the drop...not fond of elevators. Cast member was super reassuring and explained how smooth the ride was, that it was not a real elevator and that it was totally controlled. Cast member explained about the first drop where you rise from the seat just a bit because the ride is pulled down but gravity has not caught up yet...cast member convinced me and now this is a can't miss ride for me. The anticipation is far worse than the ride and thrills. I wasted so many trips being scared of the thrill rides and now they are my top priorities. Don't overthink. Just go for it!

 

[k8Davies]

I hate drop type rides (Know this pulls) but I like this one because your encased within the cage makes me feel safer.

Rather than the ones like Dr Doom when you're exposed more to the elements.

Years ago when I was unsure I liked riding in one of the back corners, makes me feel safer having "Walls" on two sides.

But now I've been on so many times it's one of my favourite rides, the theming is great.

I'm even debating on my next trip about letting my 4 year old ride.

 

[Klayfish]

To me, it really doesn't matter if it gets pulled, drops or uses pixie dust. The sensation of falling is the same, no matter how it does it. That's what the ride is going for, and that's what it delivers. Yes, it drops (pulls) a little faster than you'd fall if you jumped off a building (hence why you lift out of your seat just a bit), so it's not a slow drop by any stretch. However, there's nothing to actually be "scared" of. What I told my kids when they were terrified of it is that it's a ride at WDW. You're not going to die, you're not going to get physically injured. You may not enjoy it, you may feel sick to your stomach if you REALLY don't like it, but you'll survive in one piece. It's not my favorite ride, to be honest, but I'm not afraid of it. Go ahead and ride it, worst that will happen is you won't like it. No harm, no foul.

 

[Jennasis]

As far as fear of heights. There is only about 2 seconds of the ride where you can see outside and see how high you are (the apex of the drop, when you are pulled to the top for the first drop). For the queue and the entire first 3/4 of the ride you are enclosed inside a dark ride. At the very end when your car moves into the dark elevator shaft, you are pulled up to the top of the ride and can see outside for about 2-3 seconds but you are enclosed still on all 3 sides. So yo could try closing your eyes for that part at the end (as soon as you feel the car being yanked up in the pitch black).

 

[SteveMP]

Have you ever heard the phrase "grab life by the horns"? Well i think this ride is where that saying started. I "conquer" my fear with an extreme death grip on those "horns", like the guy on the left in this picture(not my pic, just googled it):

 

[buzzrelly]

I'm a big baby when it comes to rides, and especially rides that drop you like a free fall.

My kids made me go on TOT and I actually kind of like it now.

What made the difference for me was learning that it wasn't a free-fall…it is a very controlled machine pulling me down. I guess the fact that there is some big arm of something under the car makes me feel safer.

 

[Cinderella94]

I control the feeling in my stomach during the drops by a long controlled forceful exhale. Many people do this while using their vocal cords; that's called a scream.

I do this too - I've had fun on the couple of times I've ridden TOT, but in between trips I psych myself out and usually don't ride. Exhaling during the drops definitely helps. I used to do that on Splash but then decided screaming is more fun on that one

 

[Jack & Monica]

No shame in fear at all. In fact you are breaking through our male socialization by honestly admitting your fear. You are half way there already! Going on the ride when you are terrified is called bravery. Just do it. Close your eyes during the whole ride. You will be flooded with relief when it is over. And you will be amazed at how "it wasn't that bad." Then you can decide whether you want to go on the ride again. The difference will be there will be no shame in your motivation.
I grew up with a tremendous fear of heights. When in the Army, I somehow managed to sign up for Airborne School. LOL, the process there is that they beat you silly until you do everything by rote. You do not even think. LOL, you are not supposed to close your eyes when you walk off of the aircraft because your chute may get twisted and you can do a bicycling move to untangle it. LOL, my chute was so tangled the first time I jumped that I went out of the aircraft spinning like a top. Once out of the aircraft, you are just floating up there, and it is amazing. LOL the real terror, I soon learned was not exiting the aircraft or how high you are, it is how hard the ground is and how fast your are descending!
Anyway, i was cured of my fear of heights (for a period of time). It came back to me gradually. Now that I am much older -- fast roller coasters are not scary. LOL, it is rides like the ferrous wheel or a gondola that terrify me.