On a recent trip to MGM studios, I finally got the courage to try the Tower of Terror. It's really kind of chilling because you can actually hear the people screaming while you stand in line.

WAITING IN LINE

One of the scariest parts of the ride is waiting in line. Since this is a very popular attraction, expect to wait about an hour just to reach the tower. Fortunately, this ride has a Fast Pass which means that you can use your park ticket to get a pass ahead of time. The pass will tell you when to return (usually an hour later). Then, you will have a certain time period in which you can come back and ride. Once you turn in your pass, you usually only have to wait a matter of minutes before you get on the ride. The Fast Pass can really save you a lot of time.

Before you even reach the ride, you are led into a library where you watch a TV monitor. As you watch the TV screen, the atmosphere becomes even more eerie as you are invited to enter the Twilight Zone. Upon leaving the library, guests then travel through a dark boiler room and prepare to board the elevator.

THE ELEVATOR RIDE

Boarding the elevator is probably the most chilling part of the ride. The workers show no emotion as they lead you to your seats. Once inside the elevator, guests are seated in rows that hold about two or three people. As the doors close, you can feel yourself slowly ascended. The most frightening part is knowing that you are going to drop, but not knowing when.

When the elevator doors open again, you find yourself in an eerie atmosphere as you travel forward and see strange sights. Next, the elevator doors close and you travel up again. Next thing you know, the elevator plunges straight down thirteen floors. And if that's not bad enough, the elevator goes back up again. This time, the elevator doors open, and you can see MGM studios below. Before you know what's happening, the elevator drops again. The elevator keeps ascending and dropping again and again. I lost track of how many times it actually dropped in all the excitement.

Despite the terror, I still enjoyed this ride. The worst part is not knowing what is going to happen. I wish I would have had more time because I would have visited the Tower of Terror at least one more time!

If you have small children, you might want to be careful about letting them on this ride. Passengers have to be at least 40 inches tall to ride, but this may be a little too chilling for some children even if they do fit the height requirement!

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May