| #5:
Both Shadow and Substance
Published:
9th December 2006 by Anthony
Today's
From Sketch to Reality is somewhat unique and calls for
a different kind of introduction. One chilly night long
ago... thousands of people stepped through the gate of a
Studio and into a nightmare. Now, finally, we’re moving
into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and
ideas. We’ve just crossed over into... The Twilight
Zone!
Finally becoming a reality: September 2005 to November 2006.
One
Winter Night Long Ago
This
tale of terror has countless chapters, but let’s begin
here – March 16th 2002, the grand opening of Walt
Disney Studios Park. The key E-Tickets of the park? Rock
‘n’ Roller Coaster or Studio Tram Tour. The
most anticipated future attraction? The Twilight Zone Tower
of Terror, due to begin construction right away for an opening
in late 2004! So, what happened here to dim the lights of
Hollywood’s brightest hotel?
Unfortunately,
unlike much of The Twilight Zone’s 156 episodes, this
story certainly isn’t unique. The Twilight Zone’s
delayed arrival in Paris is eerily similar to that of many
other attractions planned for Disney’s Marne-la-Vallée
resort. Remember the Beauty and the Beast animatronics show,
the Little Mermaid dark ride, the Indiana Jones Adventure,
Geyser Mountain, Discovery Mountain, Splash Mountain, Toon
Town?! Well, it seems the Imagineers ignored this curse
for abandoned attractions when it came to planning the Studios.
Late in the design phase, they pushed back Studio Tram Tour,
moved Armageddon and cleared a huge, vast space right in
the heart of Disney’s tenth park for a redesigned
version of their iconic 1994 Disney-MGM Studios creation.
Tower of Terror layout plan and design sketch.
Almost
as a show of defiance against the cancelled future attraction
curse, they even went so far as to build La Terrasse, a
partially-covered seating area that would eventually double
as the Tower of Terror’s entrance, complete with “HTH”
(Hollywood Tower Hotel) engravings above the gates.
The
Toilets of Terror
Optimism
was also rich amongst the fans at this point in 2002. Afterall,
the fabled second park had finally arrived! It may not have
lived up to the unreachable standards of renamed Disneyland
Park next door, but finally it was there. Nearby, Val d’Europe,
the new town and shopping centre commissioned by Euro Disney
SCA, had just opened, and construction was about to begin
on three new partner hotels beyond the berms. It was all
go – even for Tower of Terror! Or so it seemed...
The legendary Toilets of Terror, from concrete to complete.
May
of 2002 brought an early flurry of construction at the Tower
of Terror site, just months after the park opened. Within
days, vertical concrete walls had appeared and begin to
form a small building near Armageddon. Of course, the optimistic
fan community immediately presumed this was the Tower of
Terror, arriving right on schedule to give the park a much-needed
boost in two years’ time. Alas, what no-one knew at
this point was the compromising position Walt Disney Studios
Park had put the resort in again. Costing the better part
of 600 million euros to build and only increasing 2002’s
attendance to a measly 13.1 million guests rather than the
16 million hoped for, the November 2002 financial results
revealed how the resort had truly shot itself in the foot.
But
what of the construction? August 2002 arrived and the small,
pueblo deco building was complete, housing toilets and storage
rooms. The small matter of an attraction to accompany these
facilities never surfaced, and they became affectionately
known as the “Toilets of Terror”. Each year
and month that followed, rumours arrived of the Tower’s
imminent construction, yet all were proved incorrect.
Everything
from Festival of the Lion King to Muppet*Vision 3D was rumoured
for the location, until one cold January day in 2005 that
would change the resort forever...
Production
Finances
The Euro Disney SCA first quarter revenues release on 11th
January 2005 included a surprise announcement fans could
hardly believe.
With
the successful completion of its second financial restructuring
in 2004 spearheaded by then-CEO André Lacroix, the
resort’s operating company, Euro Disney SCA, had managed
to secure 240m euros for an unprecedented investment programme.
Beginning with Space Mountain: Mission 2 and including Buzz
Lightyear Laser Blast and Toon Studio, the plan was announced
to culminate with none other than The Twilight Zone Tower
of Terror.
And
this is where the “terror” truly began, but,
for once, it was entirely positive. Despite the plans not
being fully accepted until later in 2005, construction fences
appeared as early as late January, and – three years
later than planned - everybody waved goodbye to the Walt
Disney Studios Park of 2002...
The full Tower of Terror site before construction began,
looking towards CinéMagique from the small Backlot
pathway (now gone) The Toilets of Terror can be seen on
the far left.
The
next eight months of construction actually gave very little
impact on the rest of the park, with work starting from
scratch to lay the deep and complex foundations of the 283-ft
tall building. The 40-ft “basement” pit was
visible (at least from backstage areas) from late May, whilst
the full layout of foundations were not completed until
late October 2005, as the astonishing photo below, taken
from the tallest construction crane, shows:
Building
Both Shadow and Substance
Foundations in October 2005.
With
foundations complete, the Tower could finally go vertical!
And the huge construction crew certainly didn’t waste
any time. The front wall of the lobby was the very first
pre-formed concrete wall to be constructed, followed by
more walls to its left and right, enclosing the future entrance
hall of the “hotel”. It was at this point it
became clear the Parisian Tower would infact differ from
its Californian cousin.
The lobby goes vertical, November 2005.
Whilst
the resort was in its financial limbo of 2002-2005, the
plans for the Tower were whisked off to Disney’s California
Adventure park to add a much-needed E-Ticket draw to the
floundering second Californian gate in 2004, built with
a complex steel frame. In Paris, however, the Tower returned
exactly to its original plans, to be constructed using formed
concrete following French standards. The benefits of either
system aren’t really clear, but the concrete construction
was certainly a plus for Paris fans, giving a clear vision
of the Tower’s construction at every stage.
December
2005 was certainly a highlight of this, as the Tower of
the Tower grew from little more than a few inches to almost
its full height in just under a single month. With the concrete
construction, almost every opening in the Tower can be seen
– the six lower boarding points (one of which hidden),
the two sets of three show windows and the final six openings
right at the top of the Tower.
To
the 13th Floor
Terrifying heights – from ground floor to “13th
floor” in less than a month.
By
January 2006, the main body of the Tower had almost reached
it full height, and construction shifted to the two outcrops
on either side of the highest point. For both practical
and artistic purposes, the outcrops allow the massive machinery
to fit at the top of the Tower, whilst giving a unique style
to the pueblo deco design.
With
the Tower almost at 183-ft, its true impact on the Studios,
Disneyland Park and the entire resort suddenly became clear.
Cancel the advertising campaign! This is a park icon that
no-one can miss, wherever they are...
Views into The Twilight Zone (clockwise from top): Resort
hub, Sequoia Lodge, Val d’Europe road, Big Thunder
Mountain, Space Mountain station, the valley of Val de France’s
hotels – Holiday Inn.
With
the Tower of Terror now an unmissable icon throughout the
parks and the entire resort, it seemed only fair that guests
could see what was going on. To any Disney fan, the silhouette
of the Tower is unmistakable, but to the casual guest this
immense concrete tower hitting you in the face when stepping
out of Disney Studio 1 was surely a bit of a shock. So,
in early February 2006, a small, colourful billboard arrived
above La Terrasse. But, in true Disney fashion, not all
their secrets were divulged to the public right away.
Reading
“Préparez-vous pour le grand saut! –
Get ready for the BIG DROP!” and showing a darkened
illustration of the finished Hollywood Tower Hotel, the
billboard to this day mentions neither an opening date nor
the attraction’s full name. Within days, guests passing
by the sign were proclaiming “oh, we’ll have
to come back for The Big Drop!” Still, mystery and
anticipation is the best marketing the Tower can get, and
advertising an attraction almost two years in advance is
definitely a plus.
10th February 2006: Get ready for the big billboard!
As
the billboard was added, new white construction walls enclosed
the gate of La Terrasse, whilst yellow walls shifted outwards
into Production Courtyard, to allow work to fully begin
on the front show-building and “lobby” of the
attraction.
Becoming the HTH: the lobby gets a roof, towers grow and
art deco appears.
It
was now that the familiar architecture and designs of the
attraction really began to appear. The smaller front lobby
with its pitched roof grew and gained a framework for its
future pueblo deco-tiled roof, whilst a metal framework
also appeared next door, for the tall, thin art deco tower
and dome. At the exit of the attraction and entrance to
the Tower Hotel Gifts boutique, the entrance tower went
vertical and continued to its full height. The new concrete
walls already included the indented style of the final design,
giving the very first art deco detail visible over the fences.
28th March 2006: Elevator machinery lifted into place, seen
from Val d’Europe.
Earlier
weeks in March saw the completion of the side walls of the
two outcrops at the Tower’s highest point, and with
another week, another milestone was completed - one of the
most impressive yet!
Caught
on camera from Val d’Europe, the massive machinery
for the three elevator systems was lifted from backstage
and lowered into position at the top of the Tower. With
much of the upper floors occupied by this immense machinery,
the elevators themselves only rise to just below the Hollywood
Tower Hotel sign – the 40ft basement then gives the
drop its extra length.
14th June 2006: Now where does the red carpet go?
The
photo above gives an impressive overview of the Tower of
Terror’s placement at the centre of the park, met
on the right by Studio Tram Tour and faced on the left by
Walt Disney Television Studios. At this point in June 2006,
the canopy for the outside queue, entrance porch and lobby
were all well on their way to completion.
A
Beacon for the Show-Business Elite
After
several months, the green light was given for the Tower
to grow once again. With the machinery in place and checked
for any problems, the final, highest walls and, eventually,
the roof of the Tower could be added to top-off the attraction.
May to June 2006: Putting a lid on the mysteries.
From
PanoraMagique, the Tower slots perfectly into the design
and layout of the park. In mid-June 2006, the lobby had
just received a solid roof and work was now focusing on
the top of the front show-building, which had yet to reach
its full height and enclose the two lower openings still
visible. The small, elevated building on the roof of the
Tower gift shop was also not yet constructed.
15th June 2006: View from Disney Village’s Vinci parking
garage.
Unlike
the Tower of Terror at Disney’s California Adventure,
which is hidden away in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot corner
of the park, or the original Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM
Studios Florida, also located on an outer edge of the park,
Parisian park can be seen from a complete 360 degrees by
guests. Disney Bros. Plaza is the direct front, Production
Courtyard its right side and Backlot fittingly its behind,
whilst Studio Tram Tour gives even more angles for the left
side of the Tower.
The
Art of Art Deco
Terror in reverse – art deco details and hotel windows.
The
plain concrete reverse of the Tower suddenly became a hive
of activity in late June, with white plaster panels added
to give depth and relief to the building. Like vertical
stripes on an item of clothing, they also elongate the Tower
and make it appear even more colossal. The very first windows
were also added, all false but all with custom-designed
frames for an authentic ‘30s look.
July & August 2006: More side buildings and show-building
completes.
Late
August and September of 2006 finally saw the square show-building
completed, along with its additional side buildings. The
front wall is diagonal and jagged in shape, designed to
accommodate further themeing next year when the lightning
bolt of The Twilight Zone strikes. All the windows of the
Tower were cast straight into the concrete, with the flat
walls behind each one clearly visible. With one phase of
work complete, the wooden frames in the six main openings
of the Tower were removed, giving a clear view into the
elevator shafts and revealing the vertical “track”
of the high-speed elevator system inside.
Primer and base-coats cover the Tower’s behind.
Work
began in July 2006 on covering the massive concrete creation
with primer and a pale basecoat, including the addition
of a rough, uneven texture to the previously smooth surface.
Using an ironically slow-moving elevator system on the vertical
steel pillars, the workers continued until early September,
when the main portion of the rear was finally covered.
September 4th 2006: Terror from the sky.
Seen
from the sky, the Tower of Terror is a sight to behold.
From a hole in the ground to a towering, complex Disney
show-building in 12 months - this must be a real treat for
the construction crews’ portfolio.
The
extension at the back of the Tower is for the exit path
and stairs along with service rooms. The smaller building
just visible at the back of the Tower houses the attraction’s
vast power grid and operating systems.
Pueblo deco facia “tiles” and cladding for the
façade.
October
and November of 2006 brought some of the much-loved Hollywood
Tower Hotel details that finally reveal the intricate period
themeing of the new property. The serrated trim was nailed
into place for the faux Pueblo Deco tiled effect of the
roof, whilst the layers of cladding finally came together
to give the geometric and stepped-edge forms Art Deco is
known for.
The
white cladding for the Tower’s detail now made it
to the front of the building, nailed in place to mark out
the art deco shapes of the final painted and themed design.
The Tower’s right side, seemingly always ahead of
the project, also received some detailed Art Deco edging
and tops to its white stepped cladding.
Topping-Out
the Tower, 1 Year to Go
Finally,
almost in celebration of it being one entire year since
the Tower flew vertically into the air in a matter of weeks,
the entire project was topped-out with the addition of the
highest dome at the top of the building. Two similar domes,
also featuring wooden panelling on a metal framework under
the weathered dome itself, were then added within 24 hours
to the front-right building and tall, thin front-left tower.
26th November 2006: Topping-out the Tower with its three
domes.
As
this article is published, the show-building of the Tower
of Terror is being wrapped in a white Winter coat of tarpaulin,
as work gets underway on painting and themeing the hotel
to its damaged, beaten, 1939 state.
So
here we are, almost exactly twelve months from the predicted
opening and already the story of turning rubble into the
5th Dimension has become an epic... And we’ve not
even scratched the surface on this unique episode. The Twilight
Zone Tower of Terror, despite its young Imagineering physique,
has truly become one of Disney’s most legendary attractions.
As Twilight terror descends on Disneyland Resort Paris,
it’s sure to become the subject of more articles –
or even series - to come, so be sure to drop by again, won’t
you?
A
whole new dimension in Hollywood style is just on the horizon.
The opening date... unknown. But this much is clear: a reservation
has been made in your name for an extended stay.
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© WDS Fans 2006
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