Monday 30 April 2012

Sign of the Times

Continuing our extended stay at the Hotel Hightower, we are greeted with this fantastic entrance to the grandest Hotel in all of the American Waterfront!

But let's take a closer look at the sign itself...

It looks like not everything may be what it seems. Surely that doesn't say 'Tower of Terror'? I'm sure we'll be fine!

Saturday 28 April 2012

Is It Really Closed?

Unless it's been my imagination, we have spent quite a few days at Hotel Hightower. But according to this entrance to the building, we shouldn't have been able to visit it at all!

Let's take a closer look...

CLOSED
By order of the City of New York
Department of Building Safety
NO ADMITTANCE

Strange... Well, maybe this sign only means those doors are closed to the public. That must be it!

Friday 27 April 2012

Attention: Coachmen

For those of you Coachmen who read this blog, be on the lookout for some special instructions for you when you visit Hotel Hightower.

Coachmen Must
Be Responsible For
Their Carriages
At All Times

Thursday 26 April 2012

Passing the Tower

Of course, you may decide that you are not brave enough to enter Hotel Hightower just yet, so grab a FastPass and pluck up the courage a little later!


Even the FastPass Ticket Despensing Machines are themed to match the era of the roaring '20s on the American Waterfront.

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Post-Show Recovery

For those of you who have experienced the Tower of Terror attraction at any of the Disney Theme Parks, you will know how important the post-show area can be to recover, and to come back to reality!

The area after the attraction in Hotel Hightower is worthy of such a place, to spend some time in and around whilst allowing your stomach to catch up with you again.

As we can see, this is clearly the Rajan's Pool area (after yesterday's look at the Hotel Directory).

And we can even see Harrison Hightower's image above the exit door, and in the middle of all the other murals!

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Homecoming of Hightower

Just before entering the pre-show of the attraction, we can see a couple of posters decorating the hallways.

This poster, for example, informs us of the forthcoming homecoming of Hightower:

Homecoming Celebration
for the
Congo River Expedition

Guest of Honor
Harrison Hightower III
Celebrated Adventurer & Explorer Extrodinaire
Presenting a program chroniciling his latest exploits

Complete with lantern slides
" The Curse of Shiriki Utundu"
Treasure of the Dark Continent

Atlantis Ballroom
December 31 1899

We can also have a look at the information on the Hotel Directory.


As we can see, the aforementioned Atlantis Ballroom is on the 4th Floor.
Lobby Level
Hotel Shop
The Rajan's Pool
Olympic Restaurant

Mezzanine
China Doll - Salon De Beaute
Atzeca Gaming Room
Alexandria Library
Solarium

1st Floor
Ladies Retiring Room

2nd Floor
Gentleman's Smoking Room

4th Floor
Atlantis Ballroom

5th Floor
Explorer's Club Meeting Hall

6th and 7th Floor
Hightower Museum

10th Floor
Penthouse

Although from the looks of the elebvator, perhaps we should take the stairs?

Sunday 22 April 2012

Glass of Tower

It look like blogger stopped publishing here at DF'82! Apologies, and now we should be back to normal...

When you enter Hotel Hightower in Tokyo DisneySea, be sure to look up and behind you at this beautiful stained glass window, welcoming you to the foyer area.


"The World is Mine Oyster Which I With Sword Will Open"
William Shakespeare

Beautiful detailing in this amazing attraction.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Inisde Hightower

As we step inside the Hotel Hightower in Tokyo DisneySea, you will notice one theme running throughout the murals on the walls - Harrison Hightower enjoys paintings of himself on many of his expeditions!


Following on from yesterday's blogpost, you will also see that the foyer has been spruced up as much as possible ready for the tours by the public.


And at the end of the corridor you can see elevator where the last trace of Hightower and the Idol were found.

Monday 16 April 2012

Back to the Terror

To welcome DF'82 back to the world of blogging, we are going to spend a week over at the Tower of Terror in Tokyo DisneySea. I don't know about you, but there's nothing better than a week of terror to celebrate the spring!

The Tower of Terror in Japan is a completely unique experience. As The Twilight Zone has no recognition in the country, the attraction is themed around the world-famous architect and explorer Harrison Hightower, and his building Hotel Hightower. The Tower is situated in the American Waterfront area of Tokyo DisneySea, at One Park Avenue.

Wikipedia gives a very good explanation into the background story of the Hotel, and the ride itself:


Harrison Hightower...completed many expeditions around the world and collected thousands of countless artifacts. Most of these artifacts were stolen for personal gain and all he stored in his hotel. After one such expedition to Africa, he brings home an idol by the name of Shiriki Utundu.

He claims that the natives were very unhappy to part with their beloved god and threatened him that it would curse him. On New Year's Eve, 1899, Hightower held a huge party, attended by many members of the press. There he boasted about how great he was for taking the idol and denied any claims to it being cursed and even went so far as to insult it, using its head to put out his cigarette. Around midnight, he entered the elevator to retire to his quarters at the top of the hotel. As the elevator neared the top, the idol came to life.

The idol zapped him and the elevator, causing it to drop and crash at the bottom. When the elevator was finally pried open, only Hightower's hat and the idol were found. The hotel was then abandoned and left for many years, claimed by the locals to be haunted. After several years, in 1912, a woman from a New York restoration company reopened the hotel with paid tours available. It is on these "tours" that guests embark when they enter the hotel.

This week we're going to have a look at the Hotel itself, and some of the unique decorations and artifacts that can be found on its grounds. The attraction is best experienced without any prior knowledge, so I am not going to give any spoilers away as to what happens! If you do want to know much more about the preshow and the ride itself, head over to the Tower of Terror Wiki Page.

Otherwise, get ready to experience one of the greatest buildings in Tokyo Disney Resort.

Friday 13 April 2012

Bon Anniversaire!

Unfortunately my lack of access to a computer hard drive meant that the 20th Birthday of Disneyland Paris passed DF'82 by yesterday without a large celebration.

Pop on over to the Disney Parks Blog where they have a lovely article to celebrate l'Anniversaire of our favourite European park.

DF'82 should be back up and running on Monday, all being well! Thank you, all, for your patience.
 

Thursday 5 April 2012

Still Away!

To all my loyal readers,

I am sorry we are still On A Break - unfortunately my computer is still not up and running properly. It's not you, it's me!

In the meantime, here's a lovely shot from Disneyland, hopefully to tide you all until I return.

We'll meet again...

Princess Fee

DL 2009 - CK Holliday

p.s. If you would like to pass your time until DF'82 is back up and running, have a look at any of the worthy Disney Fixes on the right-hand side. Or head over to my Flickr pages and be immersed in lots of Disney Parks photography!