Disney World is known for its complete transformation every holiday season, glittering and glowing with decor and entertainment for the months of November and December.
This year, that Disneyfied holiday cheer will make its way into even the darkest corners of the Orlando parks, converting one of Disney’s scariest rides into a merry wonderland. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride in Hollywood Studios will get a holiday makeover this season, featuring bright and colorful decor, juxtaposed against the dark, spooky backdrop of the haunted Hollywood Tower Hotel.
Walt Disney World released concept art for the re-theming this week, giving park-goers a glimpse at what the revamped hotel will look like. Similarly to the projection shows Disney favors on other park landmarks like the Cinderella Castle, the Tower almost appears to have been completely reconstructed, with toys, lights and games making up its entire front facade. The name on the hotel has even been changed to read The Hollywood Toy Hotel.
The projections are part of a brand new Disney event taking place over the next two months in Hollywood Studios, titled Sunset Seasons Greetings. The park’s Sunset Boulevard, modeled after the real street in Los Angeles, will be transformed into a winter wonderland for the holiday season, featuring lights, decorations, falling snow and billboards that will “come to life” and feature some of Disney’s classic characters. The Tower Hotel, which sits at the end of the boulevard, will therefore join in the holiday merriment with its outside decor.
Although Disney has not specified how the projections on the Tower of Terror will fit into the larger holiday scenes, they have given details surrounding the character moments that will be featured.
Guests can expect to experience a “romanticized, Norman Rockwell-inspired town” inhabited by a nostalgic Mickey and Minnie, “Toy Story” characters guessing which gifts they’ll get for Christmas, the Swedish Chef from “The Muppets” in a scene of life-sized gingerbread houses, and Olaf from “Frozen” enjoying a winter scene complete with snow and aurora borealis lights.
The event will take place from November 9 to December 31 of this year. Plus, by some Christmas miracle, the entertainment won’t cost guests anything extra: Valid park admission is the only requirement.