I have to say, this is a very unexpected update for me to make. I had considered my Tokyo DisneySea Tower of Terror series basically abandoned, due to a combination of factors. In general, I had a very disappointing experience with DisneySea Tower and, in 2019, DisneySea had an extremely strict photography ban that left me with almost no photos after the outer queue and part of the lobby. Plus, my camera back then wasn’t great, so I couldn’t pick up fine text details that would help explain the lore. And if you've seen my posts about Buena Vista Street and Monsters Unchained, you know how much I love a newspaper that spells out the in-universe lore!
To my incredible surprise and endless gratitude, @idreamofthemeparks/@raptor-dash offered to spend some time from her Tokyo Disney vacation taking photos of DisneySea Tower of Terror that I couldn’t back then. And the photos are AWESOME. A great place to start is this series of photos that more clearly show the text of the three lore-heavy informational boards in the outer queue. They have a LOT of readable text, which helpfully spells out the entire backstory of the Hotel Hightower in English, for those of us who wouldn’t understand the pre-show and guides’ spiels later on in the ride. It’s a bit difficult to organize so much information, so I attempted to use different fonts and formatting to differentiate the canon text, my commentary, which news clipping says what, etc.
A Tragic End! An Abiding Mystery!
Preserved by NYC Preservation Society
Photo by @idreamofthemeparks, 2025
The header of the top newspaper lists it as The New York Globe Telegraph, with the slogan “Circulation books open to all.” To the left of the title logo it states:
Weather—Rain or snow tonight and tomorrow, variable winds
To the right of the logo it states:
Last Sunday’s circulation: 635,781
The subheader line lists:
Vol. XIIX New York, NY, Monday, January 1, 1900 Twelve Pages
Multiple articles are visible on this newspaper. The first, with the larger headline, reads:
Harrison Hightower Disappears at ‘Tower of Terror’
Hotel Hightower closed to the Public
New Yorkers are still reeling after the shocking events at Hotel Hightower last night. What began as a joyous celebration ended in SADNESS for many Manhattanites.
11:59 pm—All day long people had streamed into the city on elevated trains and streetcars, to join the general throng in the streets as they celebrated the impending turn of the century. They were standing on rooftops, dancing in the parks, crowding onto balconies and stopping traffic as they began the exuberant countdown of the last few seconds of the nineteenth century, eager to welcome in the twentieth century with cheers, toasts, and choruses of ‘Auld Lang Sine.’
[inset into a text box] The last thing anyone expected in those last festive moments was for the Hotel Hightower to EXPLODE!
[On a photo illustration of the destroyed hotel] The extensive damage was made visible by the dawn’s early light.
[NOTE: it is unclear, due to the paper’s formatting and being partially obscured, if the following passages belong to this article or the other one on the page]
Most of last night’s injuries were caused by the general panic. Forty-two people were trampled in the chaotic rush, but all of them have survived, though… [obscured by photo of Harrison Hightower presenting Shiriki Utundu to the New York press]
[continued in next column]… tower were standing on the layers near the windows as they exploded. Five of the people dashed to safety in time, but one man was still standing on the lower floor…
Five people, hm? I wonder if this is a deliberate contrast to the five people trapped in the elevator at the Hollywood Tower Hotel version of this ride. Also, is the 42 people surviving being trampled a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "42" meme reference?
The article on the left has the headline:
The New Year begins with A BIG BANG: Disaster at the Hotel Hightower
A Mysterious Disappearance
Many of the revelers in the park across from Hotel Hightower were looking directly at the hotel at the moment… [obscured under fold of newspaper]
[continued next column]…attracting everyone’s attention. At the stroke of midnight a blinding flash of light illuminated the windows of Harrison… [obscured under fold of newspaper]
[continued next column] …arched windows on the façade of the tower exploded outward with a spine tingling boom, which echoed the length of the city from the Bronx to the Bowery. This mysterious electricity, which was green in form, is reported to have lingered a few moments after the blast, making strange crackling miasma. In the horrified silence that followed, onlookers heard screams from the sixth floor rooftop patio, the so-called “Gardens[?] of the [unreadable]” which are immediately below the main tower. Falling glass and debris from the shattered windows on the tower’s façade had rained down on the unlucky revelers… [obscured under fold of newspaper]
It is unclear if this next bit is a third article, or a sub-headline/section title for one of the other articles:
A NIGHT OF TERROR
But of course, the most startling event in the hotel concerns Harrison Hightower III, the enigmatic millionaire who built Hotel Hightower and lives in it whenever he isn’t traveling the world in search of new artifacts to decorate his hotel. He was initially reported to have been in the hotel’s main elevator at the time of the disaster. The [unreadable] to that elevator were [unreadable] blast, and it was heard to plummet fourteen stories, smashing to bits in the basement… [obscured under fold of newspaper]
[The next column only has half-sentences readable, as it is also obscured by the photo of Harrison Hightower presenting Shiriki Utundu to the New York press]
The next newspaper is found above a label reading, “Newspapers from around the world wrote of Harrison Hightower’s mysterious disappearance.”
This newspaper is The London Globe Telegraph. Above the logo it reads:
THE WEATHER—Cloudy to-night and Tuesday; variable winds.
To the left of the logo it says “Two Sections”, but the matching text to the right saying which section it is, is covered by that press photo again.
The visible parts of the subheader read:
No. 2 LONDON Monday, January 1, 1900
The large headline states:
American Adventurer’s Mysterious Disappearance
Harrison Hightower III, the enigmatic American millionaire explorer, disappeared last night in New York City.
Mr. Hightower, who built New York’s landmark Hotel Hightower, and lives there in an extraordinary penthouse apartment whenever he isn’t traveling the world, was last seen entering the private elevator to his suite of rooms. Almost immediately afterwards [obscured by other newspaper layered over it]
[continued in next column]… below. Thankfully, Hightower was not found in the wreckage, so either he escaped unhurt, or he was not on the elevator in the first place. He has yet to be located, but it was a chaotic night, and he is no doubt thunderstruck over the shocking events at his beloved hotel. [obscured by other newspaper]
[continued in next column]… good fortune only a few small fires were started, and quickly put out. People on the street helped with the evacuation as best they could, but in those first terrifying moments nobody knew what would happen next. For all anyone knew, the whole building might collapse at any moment, so guests were not allowed to return to their rooms to retrieve… [obscured by other newspaper]
This paper also has a photo captioned “What happened to American millionaire Harrison Hightower?” and the headline of another article “New Yorkers are Still Reeling…” that is completely obscured.
The mastheads and headlines of five other newspapers are in this case, showcasing papers from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Japan. While I don’t confidently speak any of those, all the headlines are variations of “Where is Hightower?” “Mysterious disappearance”, etc.
Lastly, there is a photo of the Shiriki Utundu idol on the floor, labeled, “In the shattered elevator…Hightower’s fez and the mysterious statue, Shiriki Utundu…nothing more”
NYC Preservation Society
A Glorious Beginning: Hotel Hightower
Photo by @idreamofthemeparks, 2025
The main centerpiece of this display is The New York Globe Telegraph. To the left of the tile logo it declares “HORSE SHOW IN HOGAN’S ALLEY”, and to the right is a text box that I still can’t quite read, aside from the first word either being “Show” or “Snow” and the final line being “TRY THE 3 AND 7 TIME RATES.”
The subheader reads:
Vol. XIX No. 68 New York, NY, Monday, January 25, 1892 Twelve Pages Three Cents Per Copy
I think it’s one long article across the front page, despite the headline being sort of separated into two blocks on either side of the photos. The photos, one of Hightower gesturing at his hotel, and the other a The Shining-esque photo of the opening celebration, are captioned, “The elite of New York Society and its financial community gathered last night to celebrate the grand opening of Hotel Hightower.”
NOTE: different parts of this paper are obscured vs. readable on the main queue’s board and the fastpass’s board. For this transcription I have attempted to piece them together into one readable article.
A Glorious Celebration Ensues: Hotel Hightower Grand Opening
Hightower’s Masterpiece Opens at Last
January 24, 1892 New York City, NY—Towering above Manhattan, the glorious Hotel Hightower has finally opened its doors to the public after three years of construction. Harrison Hightower III, the “Dragon of Park Place,” reportedly conceived this hotel a personification of everything he stands for: Beauty, Power, Elegance, and Excellence. The hotel and the man who built it are both prime examples of the [NOTE: yes it really just cuts off here like that!]
PARADE DOWN FIFTH AVENUE
The Grand Opening Celebration began with a parade down Park Avenue. It was an exotic event, featuring music and costumed peoples from various countries of the world. The parade began with an impressive float depicting a massive globe of the earth. The globe was impaled with a glittering sword with Hightower’s emblem on the hilt. Occasionally the globe opened to reveal a shining pearl inside, being held by a beautiful lady in a diaphanous white gown. Close behind followed a marching band from Colonial India. After that, a Chinese dragon snaked its way down the street to the accompaniment of exploding fireworks. This was followed by belly dancers from Arabia, accompanied by a small orchestra on a stand, pulled by Arabian horses. This was followed by a group of Apache Indian ghost dancers and drummers. These, in turn were followed by acrobats from Indonesia, chanting Maori warriors from New Zealand, and elegantly dressed geishas from Japan. It was quite a strange collection of people, who reportedly had been brought from the far corners of the world for only one purpose: to march in this parade.
The final grouping of the parade featured Hightower himself. He was preceded by a large group of men dressed in their traditional African garb, shivering in the freezing air. They banged wildly, banging on drums and doing the most amusing dance. Many of these men appeared oddly frightened, perhaps overwhelmed by the awesome sights and sounds of Manhattan. Behind this group of villagers followed Hightower, grandly riding atop a giant African elephant, wearing a glorious white uniform and pith helmet with a tall feather waving in the wind. Hightower’s elephant was surrounded by an honor guard of tough looking men, dressed in jungle coats, carrying rifles and flags with Hightower’s double-H emblem. More than a few women were reported to have fainted at the glorious sight of Hightower on top of that elephant, his gleaming white beard shining in the sun.
Four brass bands from different boroughs were assembled around the hotel, all playing the “Hightower March” as he arrived. The sound was nearly deafening. The New York Police had quite a time holding back the crowds for Hightower’s arrival. He rode up to a podium and gave a speech that was nearly drowned out by the cheering throng. “People of New York, with my own two hands I have created this magnificent edifice, which I now give to you, that you may share in my greatness.” Hightower cut the ribbon across the threshold with his cutlass, and stepped inside.
Invited guests started arriving in their private coaches as soon as the streets were clear. There were the social elite of the city, including Mayor Chaplin and the city council. Also on hand was President Benjamin Harrison, although he reportedly went straight to his room and slept through the night. Every famous face in New York could be seen, except for Cornelius Endicott III, the second richest man in New York, who reportedly was not invited. The guests list was so long that the hotel was filled to capacity. The staff faced the monumental task of serving everyone with the efficiency and courtesy that Hightower demands.
In the evening, a grand ball was held in the Atlantis ballroom, with music provided by the impresario Joel N. Cicero and his world famous orchestra. The finest ladies of society proudly exhibited the latest fashions, and danced the Hightower Waltz with their elegantly attired husbands. After 11pm, the women retired to bed, leaving the men to hold a special late night event. Although reporters were not allowed into the event, we’ve been told that it was an intimate and sedate affair. Harrison Hightower reportedly told humorous anecdotes about the construction of the hotel, and shared stories relating to the acquisition of various artifacts in the hotel. This morning some New York newspapers are reporting scandalous rumors of dancing girls and drunken revelry. Allegations that the event degenerated into an orgy of drunken lewdness are strongly denied by Hightower’s staff. We believe that the rumors are exaggerations and lies, invented by Hightower’s business rivals, primarily Cornelius Endicott III, to give the hotel a black eye. Hotel Hightower is surely the finest hotel in America, and perhaps the world. If you plan to visit, you should know that the rooms have been booked solid for the next two months, so make your reservations early.
Poor planning was partially responsible for a small riot that followed. It began as invited guests began to present their invitations at the door. Thugs and rowdies who had infiltrated the crowd moved forward, intent on getting into the celebration. A scuffle ensued, and the throng on the street followed the rowdies and within minutes the crowd pressed through the door and filled the lobby to capacity. They gawked at the elegant interiors, knocked over valuable lamps, and tried to force their way into the main elevator. Harrison Hightower and the New York Police eventually evicted the crowd from the hotel, but the streets were so blocked that carriages of invited guests couldn’t get through. It took an hour, but finally the police broke up the small riot. In the confusion, some of the parade marchers were forgotten. Groups of them, still dressed in exotic outfits, were seen wandering in the cold park all day, apparently lost, confused, and unaware of their next destination.
There is another visible article at the bottom:
A RIOT Almost Spoils the Proceedings
Poor planning was partially responsible for a small riot that followed. It began as invited guests began to present their invitations at the door. Thugs and rowdies who had infiltrated the crowd moved forward, intent on getting into the celebration. A scuffle ensued, and the throng on the street followed the rowdies and within minutes the crowd pressed through the door and filled the lobby to capacity. They gawked at the elegant interiors, knocked over valuable lamps, and tried to force their way into the main elevator. Harrison Hightower and the New York Police eventually evicted the crowd from the hotel, but the streets were so blocked that carriages of invited guests couldn’t get through. It took an hour, but finally the police broke up the small riot. In the confusion, some of the parade marchers were forgotten. Groups of them, still dressed in exotic outfits, were seen wandering in the cold park all day, apparently lost, confused, and unaware of their next destination.
Yes, you read that correctly; it merely repeats the last paragraph of the main article. They probably didn’t want to bother writing more text, because this iteration ends up partly obscured by the photo captioned “HARRISON HIGHTOWER III Overseeing construction of Hotel Hightower—1890—With architect Oskar Kilnovski and site foreman Joe Cobb.”
There are then architectural drawings of the façade details and “construction photos”, with the caption plaque, “The Hotel Hightower is a unique architectural monument.”
Also of note on this board is the Hotel Hightower Grand Opening food menu, which has some questionable entries. While I left them as an “explore if you dare” on my original post about this board, here I’ll transcribe the menu for completeness:
Hotel Hightower
Grand Opening Feast
January 24, 1892
New Guinea Sago Worms al dente
Montana Prairie Oysters in wine sauce
Jellied Eel Compote
Fermented Shark with Cheese
***
Scorpion Consommé
Cream of Tarantula
***
Monitor Lizard Filet
Diamondback Rattlesnake Skewer
Gooey Duck flambé
***
Tete de Veau
Bayou Alligator Tail
Boiled Camel’s Feet
Haggis
***
Ugali Paste & Ambuyat with Peanut Sauce
Green Peas and Termite Eggs
Stewed Tomatoes
***
Locusts in Chocolate Cream
Frog ala Peche
Peche ala Frog
Halo-Halo
Fire Ant Pudding
Mead Tea with Yak Butter Glogg
Yeah, like I said in my original post, it’s some Fear Factor level menu items. Even stuff that sounds relatively normal at first, like Gooey Duck and Prairie Oysters, are…not what you might guess when you look up what they actually are.
NYC Preservation Society
Harrison Hightower: A Towering Figure
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| Photos by @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
This was the board I had the least information from last time, with the only text I was able to decipher coming from the fastpass queue’s board with a partial duplicate of the paper. Thanks to @idreamofthemeparks, I can now decipher MUCH more from the full version! And by "much" more, I mean "the entire backstory of the ride" more!
Once again, the paper is an edition of The New York Globe Telegraph. This time, it’s indicated as “edition for Greater New York”. Above the main logo is the unusual line:
$500 Reward—WHO KIDNAPPED AN EXOTIC BIRD?--$500 Reward
Under this in the top right corner, with a little illustration of a bugle player in old-timey clothes, it further elaborates:
The New York Globe-Telegraph will give $500 for information, furnished to it exclusively, that will lead to finding the kidnapped exotic bird.
Okay… given how labyrinthine the lore of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers is, I wonder if this is just bizarre, filler, or a deep cut reference to another one of its plot lines.
This newspaper is indicated as:
Volume XXIV—No.30 New York, NY, Tuesday, December 19, 1899, 1st ed. LAST EDITION Price: [?] cents for single copies, [?] cents with daily edition
The main photo is captioned, “Chief Kijanji of the Mtundu Tribe gives “SHIRIKI UTUNDU” to Harrison Hightower, 1899” This same photo shows up before the pre-show, later.
The main article goes:
Harrison Hightower Returning From Africa
Harrison Hightower III’s Congo River Expexition
Publisher’s note: “We hope you will enjoy this thrilling account of Harrison Hightower’s recent expedition. We received this story by express delivery only a few days ago, sent to us directly from Harrison Hightower III himself from Africa. You can almost feel the heat of the jungle coming off the page!”
A JOURNEY THROUGH DARKNESS—by ‘Tiger’ Harrownashio
Eleven months ago Harrison Hightower III embarked on the most challenging expedition in his life as an explorer. It was to be an epic exploration of the Congo River basin, one of the most dangerous and untamed regions in Africa.
The Congo River is a vast mosquito infested waterway, over two thousand miles long, which penetrates dense jungles and steaming swamps deep into unexplored regions of the Dark Continent, through lands that have been forgotten by time. Hightower had heard many a spine-tingling tale, but was not afraid. He’d been in Africa before. He’d endured hardships throughout East Africa, and outwitted the clever tribes on the crags of Victoria Falls, but nothing in his previous voyages had prepared him for the dangers that awaited him along the steaming, crocodile-infested waters of the congo.
January 1899: New York City was covered in snow, but at that moment Harrison Hightower III stood on the deck of his private yacht, “Hightower’s Pride,” as it steamed toward the port of Loango, French Congo along the west coast of Africa. The air was so hot and wet that the men looked like they were boiling alive. But Hightower laughed. “buck up, boys, it’s bound to get hotter before we’re through.”
The Congo has a fearsome reputation, and in spite of the progress it is still one of the most dangerous rivers in Africa. Although there is a French colonial presence along the coast, upriver areas are still under the dominion of hostile native tribes, many of whom practice primitive rites beyond the imagination of civilized minds. Hightower listened unmoved as the French colonial administrator begged him to abandon the expedition.
“Zere is unrest upriver, Monseiur Hightower. Mon Dieu, it is much too dangerous for you.” But Hightower was determined to press on, no matter the cost in money or lives. He quickly assembled a small army of men, and soon they were paddling a convoy of canoes deep into Congo Free State.
He was accompanied by his valet Mr. Smelding, eighteen armed henchmen, three photographers, a cook, a translator, and thirty native porters. But his most important companion was with him as well: his indomitable will. The goal: to seek rare artifacts and precious works of African art and rescue them from the savages who hoarded them in squalid seclusion. Hightower’s motto: "Primitive art is wasted on primitive people.”
It proved to be an arduous journey, to say the least. Native tribes assaulted the expedition from both sides of the riverbank, frightening away many of the porters and causing an equal number to lose their lives in grisly ways. By May two thirds of the expedition were gone, and he hadn’t acquired a single artifact, because wherever they went the hostile natives attacked without mercy. The expedition was quickly becoming a fiasco, and several times the men begged Hightower to turn back. But as always, he was driven on by his relentless determination to wrestle victory from the jaws of defeat.
July 16th: Hightower’s dwindling expedition found themselves paddling for their lives upriver with an angry tribe in hot pursuit. Arrows were falling all around. Spears the size of flag poles caused men to cry out in horror. Screams echoed from the pitiless jungle walls. Fierce, chanting natives in war canoes were gaining on Hightower’s men. All seemed lost. But at that moment Hightower noticed a twisted tree near the mouth of a tributary. A pair of green glowing eyes had been artfully painted on to one of the
[it weirdly cuts off here, then restarts in the middle of the next sentence in the next column]
…intuition gleaned from twenty-five years of adventure, steered his men up that tributary, and once they’d passed beneath the eyes, the angry natives broke off their pursuit.
Hightower’s interpreter recognized the green eyes, and fearfully said they were now in the territory of the feared Mtundu tribe. Mtundu means “mischievous” in the local dialect, for they are known to work black magic mischief against their enemies. The interpreter begged Hightower to turn back. But with the angry tribe waiting for them downriver, there was no choice but to press onward. They paddled their canoes up the ominous tributary, through festering forests that were sickeningly overgrown with vivid green moss.
The men were overjoyed when the people of the Mtundu tribe welcomed the expedition with open arms and friendly faces, and bade them to come to their village for a celebration. They cautiously asked Hightower to extinguish his cigar, for they did not allow fires in their shabby little village. Their chief, a jolly… [hidden under fold of newspaper]
[continued in next column]…During the ensuing celebration, Hightower learned that the Mtundu tribe was protected by an ancient little idol called Shiriki Utundu, which they kept on an altar at the center of the village. It was an ugly little thing, carved from wood in an ancient time and covered with shards of metal and nails, which were supposedly pounded into it by a tribal shaman in order to make it work its ‘black magic.’ He also learned that Shiriki Utundu was one of the most valuable and important idols in the entire region. Other tribes were constantly trying to sneak in and steal it. It would be quite a prize for an antiquities collector.
Hightower was beginning to find the idol irresistibly fascinating. It was so ugly it was almost beautiful. [NOTE: from here on out the text of this paragraph is partially obscured, so I’ll do my best to reconstruct it where possible to guess] He asked Chief Kijanji if he could hold it, and the chief reluctantly allowed him to do so. The two of them even posed for a photograph with the idol to commemorate the moment. [Word obscured]…the moment the idol went into[?] Hightower’s hands, he knew[?] it would be wrong to give it back[?]. It deserved to be enshrined in Hightower’s African collection. Hightower wanted[?]… [text completely obscured]
[continued in next column]…Chief was no longer smiling. He furiously snatched the idol out of Hightower’s hands and placed it back on its altar.
Hightower had been given no choice but to take the idol by force. On his command, Hightower’s henchmen drew their hidden weapons, fully prepared to battle their way out of the village. But the tribe merely stood there, staring silently and expressionlessly as Hightower took Shiriki Utundu again from its altar. The ragged metal shards on the idol cut Hightower’s hand, and although the Chief seemed to smile at the sight of Hightower’s blood, he didn’t raise a hand to prevent the abduction. The eyes of the villagers were filled with hatred, but their… [text obscured]
[continued next column]…primitive people, in his experience, did many strange and inexplicable things. The interpreter said the idol might be cursed, but in the following days they discovered that Shiriki Utundu was a harbinger of good luck. The tribe that had pursued them earlier saw Hightower holding the idol aloft and immediately tossed their weapons in the river. They took the expedition back to their village and gave Hightower everything he asked for. The idol had the same effect in every village the expedition visited subsequently. Hightower roped it on the prow of his canoe, and was welcomed with open arms in every tribe up and down the vast Congo River. By the time… [text completely obscured]
WOW that’s a lot to take in! We actually get a full account of the origins of the idol, how Hightower got it, and the entire backstory of the ride! And if you hadn’t already guessed that Hightower was an asshole, well, this spells that out too, with the whole racist “rescuing” art that he considers "wasted" on native cultures (to the point of having a motto about it!), and the callous disregard for the lives of his expedition party. Also, it’s quite hypocritical that he characterizes native cultures as “hoarding art in squalor” when, as we’ll see later in the ride, that is exactly what Hightower does to his stash of loot! He just tosses it into a dusty storage room/boiler room!
To the left of this main article, under an illustrated portrait of Hightower, there is another blurb that reads:
Early next week, around December 28th, Harrison Hightower’s yacht is expected to return to the New York shipyards. On December 31st, New Years Eve 1899, he will hold a grand celebration parade down Park Avenue, which will end at Hotel Hightower where an exclusive party will be held. The exact plans have not yet been made public, but we will share them with you at the first opportunity. We hope that you will be on hand at the docks on the 28th to cheer his triumphant return from Africa! And if you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the amazing and mysterious Shiriki Utundu!
@idreamofthemeparks, 2025
There are three other semi-obscured headlines beneath this, but they seem to be stock text and not anything lore-relevant.
The rest of the board has more pictures of Hightower on adventures, as well as adventure magazine/book covers. A caption tag for these reads, “Just a few of Hightower’s popular adventure magazines, sharing his exploits with young readers.” Great… yeah, you want this guy influencing young readers…
@idreamofthemeparks, 2025
The first cover, with a red border, has the text:
You can join Hightower’s Adventure Corps for Boys TODAY! Turn to page 25[?]
Hightower’s Adventure Corps for Boys
“The paper a boy can take home”
No. 18 Vol. 1 Week ending Saturday, January 5, 1864 Price One Penny
The cover illustration shows Hightower posing in front of a temple with a large statue of a dragon’s head—this same dragon head will be prominently visible in the artifact storage/boiler room later in the ride. The title and text box on the illustration read:
Taming the Beast of Tamas!
A Brand New Harrison Hightower Adventure
The angry natives gathered around, eyes glowing with hatred. But Hightower stood firm beside the vast and terrible statue. “This Beast will be mine! And no savages dare bar my way!”
The next cover has a white border with a green and red title text box.
@idreamofthemeparks, 2025
It reads:
Hightower’s Towering Tales for Boys
By "Tiger” Harrownashio
No. 425 New York, March 22, 1887. Price 5 Cents
The Ninja From New York
The title is in that questionable “stereotypical Asian restaurant” font, and the illustration depicts Hightower and a suit of samurai armor in a rickshaw being pulled by Mr. Smelding. The image is captioned:
Hightower laughed and jumped on the rickshaw, and Mr. Smelding struggled on his skinny little legs to bear the great man and his latest acquisition to safety…
It's also interesting that this one was written by the same "Tiger" Harrownashio that wrote the account of Hightower's theft of Shikiri Utundu further up on this board.
The third cover is on light blue/turquoise paper.
@idreamofthemeparks, 2025
It reads:
Hightower’s Half Dime Library
No. 925 Published Weekly by Chester Farrington Woolpoole Price 5c
The Rescue of Poseidon
The illustration depicts Hightower and Smelding in a small rowboat—with Smelding rowing and Hightower doing nothing but sitting there with his arms proudly crossed, of course—with an oversized statue of Poseidon weighing down the boat and a lightning storm gaining on them in the background. A text box caption reads:
“There’s no turning back now!”…Mr. Smelding pointed out the storm clouds on the horizon, but Harrison Hightower III slapped him on the back and bellowed, “Courage, Mr. Smelding!”…
I wonder if the “no turning back” line is a coincidence, or a deliberate reference to The Haunted Mansion’s stormy sea and sea captain paintings/imagery/scrapped backstory.
One of the photographs of Hightower is also labeled, “Harrison Hightower in the sacred city of Benares on the banks of the Ganges River, India Expedition 1884.”
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| Photos by @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
There it is, at last, the full lore infodump that the NYC Preservation society has helpfully set up for those of us taking its tour of the now-abandoned Hotel Hightower. I love the little "call forwards" to the artifacts we'll be seeing later in the ride, as well as the condition they're in. Although, story-wise, it does seem a bit concerning that they’re having us take a tour of a building that exploded? As questionable as the Hollywood Tower Hotel is, at least a section of its structure "just" mysteriously disappeared. While that might still affect building stability, that’s a bit less obvious than a full explosion that collapsed pieces onto people!
