to develop a horror-comedy attraction inspired by Young Frankenstein ( 1974 ). Simultaneously , McNair was working on a concept for an old-world , art-deco luxury hotel to be built just outside the entrance of Disney ’ s Hollywood Studios . It would be called the Hollywood Tower Hotel , which McNair described as having nothing but suites and a 24-hour valet . McNair shared this idea with Mel , which led to a team brainstorming session with the Imagineers in which the concept for the drop-tower dark-ride system was born .
McNair brought a classic hotel call bell to the brainstorming session , and the Imagineers took turns ringing the bell to add ideas to the story of an abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel . McNair acted out some of the ideas to me : “ The elevator doesn ’ t work , so you go down to the steam room , and you get in the service elevator … and you get to the top , and the elevator stops , and it shakes a little bit , and it comes out of the shaft and goes down the hall … and we all laughed .”
Sure enough , what started as a comical idea ended up becoming a cornerstone of the attraction .
That same day , McNair went to lunch with Imagineer John Hench , using a salt shaker to visualize how he wanted the ride vehicles to move . When McNair finished explaining the concept , John casually took a bite of his sandwich and asked , “ And then what happens ? How are you going to get them back down ?” McNair paused and replied , “ I ’ d like to do a delayed drop ,” dropping the salt shaker from his hand back onto the table for dramatic effect . John had no problem envisioning this design , thinking of the Universe of Energy conveyance system for the hallway sequence and encouraging McNair to think as tall as possible for the drop . He did : Tower of Terror is 199 feet , the tallest a structure can be at Disney without requiring a red beacon light at the top .
By the time the attraction had gained momentum , McNair was no longer working on the project , but the early concept from that brainstorming session remained . In fact , the ride system for Tower of Terror is even scarier than its early concepts because the drop sequence does more than just drop guests ; it actually pulls guests at a force greater than gravity , using tremendous motors at the top of the tower ( weighing 132,000 pounds ) that are capable of accelerating 10 tons 15 times faster than a normal elevator , allowing the ride vehicles to achieve their top speed in just 1.5 seconds .
I ’ m always amazed by the way that the Imagineers create classic attractions , and this story is no exception . This iconic ride came about because a few Imagineers dared to dream of something that had never been done before , not questioning if it could be done but rather figuring out how .
TACO CONE A soft tortilla is rolled into this taco cone shape before it ’ s quickly deep-fried to crispy perfection , then piled with layers of shredded lettuce and meat . Topped with pico de gallo , queso , guacamole , sour cream , cilantro , and jalapeños , this baby packs a flavor punch and is a hefty portion you might need to share .
CHICKEN PARMESAN MACARONI & CHEESE Creamy mac ‘ n ’ cheese topped with crispy fried chicken , marinara sauce , and parmesan ? Yes , please ! Every single bite of this blend of two comfort foods is outstanding . The rich , cheesy macaroni balances with heavenly , tangy tomato sauce , and the crunch of the chicken is a wonderful compliment to the luscious pasta .
SPRING CANDY TACO This brightly colored dessert is a kid ’ s dream . The blue cookie dough has bits of M & M ’ s hidden inside and is topped with chocolate sauce , whipped cream , sprinkles , and a cherry . Get ready for a mega sugar rush if you plan on eating more than just a few bites . And don ’ t forget to snap a pic of this pretty treat before you dig in .
Find these dishes and many others at the Disney Springs Food Trucks . PHOTOS BY COURTNEY REYNOLDS
EXTREME SNACKS