One of Disney’s most famous thrill rides is about to go dark.
For decades, the Tower of Terror has been one of Disney’s most recognizable attractions, pairing an ominous hotel setting with sudden drops and elaborate storytelling. The original Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida in 1994.
Disney later expanded the concept internationally, introducing variations at Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney Resort. Disney California Adventure also operated its own version for more than a decade before retiring the attraction in 2017.
The rides are not identical. Florida’s Tower of Terror features a horizontal section through the hotel before its drop sequence, while the Paris attraction uses a different ride system and experience. Another version abandons The Twilight Zone theme entirely in favor of an original Disney story.
Now, one of those remaining attractions is preparing for a temporary shutdown, with guests having just over a month to experience it before the doors close.
Tower of Terror Closing September 28
Tokyo DisneySea will close its Tower of Terror attraction beginning September 28, 2026.
The closure will temporarily remove one of the park’s most prominent thrill rides from the lineup, although Disney fans do not need to worry about the attraction disappearing permanently.
Tower of Terror is currently scheduled to reopen on November 6, 2026, putting the planned closure at just over one month. That relatively short turnaround suggests the attraction is undergoing routine refurbishment rather than a major overhaul or retheme.
That also means there is no indication that Tokyo DisneySea’s attraction is about to follow the path taken by Disney California Adventure.
The California park permanently closed The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in January 2017. Disney subsequently transformed the building into Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT!, which opened later that year as part of the resort’s growing Marvel presence.
Tokyo’s version is already dramatically different from the former California attraction, as well as the surviving Tower of Terror rides in Florida and France.
Instead of drawing on Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone, Tokyo DisneySea places guests inside the fictional Hotel Hightower.
Its storyline follows wealthy explorer Harrison Hightower III, who disappeared after bringing the mysterious Shiriki Utundu idol back to his New York hotel. Guests enter the abandoned property, learn about Hightower’s disappearance and eventually board elevators with a decidedly supernatural problem.
The elaborate original storyline helps make Tokyo DisneySea’s Tower of Terror one of the most distinctive versions of the attraction anywhere in the world.
What Guests Can Ride During the Closure
Tokyo DisneySea will still have a lengthy attraction lineup while Tower of Terror is unavailable this fall.
Guests seeking another major thrill ride can head to Journey to the Center of the Earth, which sends riders beneath Mount Prometheus before accelerating through a dramatic finale. Soaring: Fantastic Flight offers a gentler experience, taking guests on a simulated aerial journey over landmarks around the world.
Fantasy Springs has also significantly expanded the park’s attraction roster since opening in 2024.
The themed port includes Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, which retells the story of Disney’s Frozen with elaborate Audio-Animatronics and large-scale sets. Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival takes riders through scenes inspired by Tangled, including the film’s famous floating lantern sequence.
Tokyo DisneySea visitors can also explore attractions, including Raging Spirits, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage, during the Tower of Terror refurbishment.
Next door, Tokyo Disneyland offers its own collection of classic Disney rides. Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain (the last one standing worldwide), and Pooh’s Hunny Hunt remain among the park’s best-known attractions.
The temporary closure comes as the Oriental Land Company continues to maintain and update attractions across both Tokyo Disney Resort theme parks. The company owns and operates Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea through a licensing agreement with The Walt Disney Company.
For Tower of Terror fans, however, the important date is September 28.
Guests visiting before then will still have an opportunity to check into Hotel Hightower before its elevators stop running for the fall refurbishment. Barring any changes to the current schedule, the attraction will welcome guests back on November 6.
Have you ever experienced Tokyo Disney Resort's version of Tower of Terror?
