Correction: Tower of Terror Isn't Closing at Hollywood Studios
Published August 21, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026
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Correction (August 27, 2026): An earlier version of this article said The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios would close to guests on September 28. That was wrong. The September 28 closure is at Tokyo DisneySea, for scheduled maintenance. Disney has not announced any closure for the Walt Disney World version. We regret the error, and we have rewritten the article below.
Short version: Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is open, and there is no announced closing date. You do not need to rearrange your Walt Disney World trip around it.
The story that started the confusion is real, but it is about a different park. Tokyo DisneySea’s Tower of Terror is scheduled to close on September 28, 2026 for routine maintenance, with a reopening currently reported for early November 2026 (November 6 per current reports). That is a normal refurbishment window for a ride of that size. It does not involve Florida at all.
What Is Actually Closing
Tokyo DisneySea’s Tower of Terror, at Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan, goes down for scheduled maintenance starting September 28, 2026. Reports and Tokyo Disney Resort’s closure listings put the reopening in early November, which points to routine upkeep rather than a retheme or a permanent change. If you are planning a Tokyo trip this fall, check Tokyo Disney Resort’s official temporary-closure calendar before you go, since maintenance windows there can shift.
Tokyo’s version shares a name with the Florida ride, but it is a different attraction with a different story and a different owner. Its maintenance schedule has no bearing on Walt Disney World.
What This Means for Your Hollywood Studios Day
Nothing changes. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1994 and is operating as usual. Plan it the way you would any other headliner: based on your group’s priorities and the live wait, not a deadline.
Like every attraction at Walt Disney World, Tower of Terror can close for short unplanned downtime or a future refurbishment Disney has not announced yet. If that ever happens, Disney posts it in My Disney Experience and on the official Walt Disney World site, and SupaPark’s live ride status will reflect it. Until then, treat rumors of a closing date as exactly that.
The Smart Way to Ride Tower of Terror
Tower of Terror is a Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction, not a Single Pass. Multi Pass is bought per day, and you pick your attractions in advance: Disney resort guests can make selections starting 7 days before arrival for the length of their trip, and off-site guests can book 3 days before. The advance window opens at 7:00 AM Eastern on your eligible day. If Tower of Terror is a top priority for your group, decide before that morning whether it outranks Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania, or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster for one of your selections.
If you are skipping Multi Pass, timing does the work. Rope drop is still the cheapest skip-the-line move at Walt Disney World, but Hollywood Studios rope drop is competitive because so many guests race to the same few headliners. The usual veteran play is to rope drop your group’s hardest standby problem first, then watch Tower of Terror for a dip later. Its wait tends to ease when crowds shift toward lunch, shows, or the evening spectacular. SupaPark’s live waits and best-time forecaster are built for exactly that kind of watch-and-pounce move.
Don’t Let One Ride Steal Your Whole Morning
Tower of Terror is intense, dark, and built around suspense, with a 40-inch height requirement. If you have kids, mixed thrill tolerance, or anyone who hates drops, make the call before you enter the park. Watch a ride-through video at home, be honest about the drop element, and use Rider Switch if part of your group wants to ride while someone sits it out. Do not spend a valuable Lightning Lane selection on a ride someone might refuse at the entrance.
If the wait spikes, Sunset Boulevard gives you options. Pair Tower of Terror with Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster for a thrill-heavy block, then move on before the area clogs. Use nearby shows, snacks, or a meal as a reset instead of forcing another long queue. And if you are heading into a major line around lunchtime, check Mobile Order return times in My Disney Experience first so your food is ready when you are, not when the line is.
Who Should Prioritize Tower of Terror
Prioritize it if you love classic Disney Imagineering, spooky atmosphere, or thrill rides, or if someone in your group has never experienced it. The queue, preshow, and randomized drop sequence all matter, and it holds up well on repeat rides.
De-prioritize it if your group is drop-averse, if small kids are already nervous, or if your Hollywood Studios day is mostly about Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The smart Disney move is not “do everything.” It is spending your limited energy on the things your group will actually enjoy.
The One Thing to Remember
Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is not closing. Ride it when it fits your day, use the live wait to pick your moment, and skip the rumor-driven scramble. The maintenance closure everyone is talking about is Tokyo DisneySea’s, starting September 28, 2026.
Is Tower of Terror Closed? Here’s the Straight Answer
No — The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is open, and Disney has not announced a refurbishment or a closing date for it. If a search result made you think otherwise, you almost certainly landed on coverage of Tokyo DisneySea’s Tower of Terror, which is a separate attraction in a separate park on the other side of the world.
It helps to separate the two things people mean by “closed.”
Announced closures are the ones worth planning around: scheduled refurbishments, which Disney posts in advance in My Disney Experience and on the official Walt Disney World site. There is no such listing for the Florida Tower of Terror right now. That is the only kind of closure that should change where you book a Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection or which park you pick for a given day.
Temporary downtime is the other kind, and it is completely normal. Any Walt Disney World headliner can go down for a stretch during the day — a technical issue, a guest situation, a weather hold — and then come back the same day. That is not a closure, and it is not something you can forecast weeks out. It is something you react to in the moment.
The practical move: don’t plan around rumors, plan around live status. Check the ride’s operating status the morning of your Hollywood Studios day rather than the week before, and if it happens to be down when you walk up, go do Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or a Sunset Boulevard show and circle back. SupaPark tracks live ride status and will flag it the moment an attraction goes down or comes back, so you are not standing on Sunset Boulevard guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tower of Terror closing at Disney World?
No. Disney has not announced a closure or refurbishment for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The September 28, 2026 closure is at Tokyo DisneySea, for scheduled maintenance. If a Florida refurbishment is ever announced, it will appear in My Disney Experience and on Disney’s official site.
When is Tokyo DisneySea’s Tower of Terror closed?
Tokyo DisneySea’s Tower of Terror is scheduled to close on September 28, 2026 for routine maintenance, with the reopening currently reported for early November 2026. Confirm the exact dates on Tokyo Disney Resort’s official closure calendar before a trip, since maintenance windows can change.
Should I use Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Tower of Terror?
Use Multi Pass on Tower of Terror if it is one of your group’s top Hollywood Studios priorities and you would rather not gamble on the standby line. If Slinky Dog Dash matters more to your group, that is usually the harder selection to get, so compare your priorities before booking.
What should I do if Tower of Terror has a huge wait?
Do not camp in a bad line. Watch for a wait drop, use shows or food as a reset, and try again when crowds shift away from Sunset Boulevard. Late in the day is often the easiest window.
Can SupaPark book Tower of Terror or Lightning Lane for me?
No. SupaPark watches wait times, ride status, and Lightning Lane opportunities, then alerts you when there is a smart opening. You complete any Lightning Lane booking yourself in My Disney Experience.
Is Tower of Terror open right now?
Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is operating with no announced closure, but any ride can have temporary same-day downtime. Check live ride status the morning of your visit — in My Disney Experience or in SupaPark — rather than assuming from an older article.
Why does Tower of Terror sometimes show as closed during the day?
That is temporary downtime, not a closure — attractions pause for technical issues, guest situations, or weather and typically come back the same day. Move on to something nearby and check the status again in a little while instead of waiting at the entrance.
Go deeper — the full guides: Hollywood Studios Insider: Rise, Galaxy’s Edge & Toy Story Hacks · Cosmic Rewind On-Ride Photos: How to Actually Look Good · TRON Lightcycle / Run: Virtual Queue, Standby or Single Pass
SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.