Now that we have finally completed our tour of the lobby, we can pass through the pre-shows. Yes, plural. Well, at least one and a half. Unlike other Towers, this version has an additional presentation by a cast member before entering the pre-show proper. Lacking anything else to call it, I’ve settled on just saying “the pre-pre-show,” even as I acknowledge the awkwardness of that phrasing. The approximate layout of the area is as follows:
After passing by the massive portrait of Hightower, guests go either left or right into two approximately mirrored pre-pre-show areas.
Since it's difficult getting a clear picture of the portrait as you walk past it, here's a clear shot of it from the Disney Wiki
These sections have
tiled walls, elaborate floral-patterned wood ceilings, and vaguely floral
chandeliers and lighting fixtures.
Scattered across the walls are pictures of Hightower and Smelding on
more artifact-stealing adventures, as well as photos of Hightower showing off
his grand hotel. The Shining-esque opening-day party group
photograph from the queue newspaper is among those framed on the wall
here. There’s also glimpses into the
Atlantis Ballroom's foyer and Hightower’s penthouse—both of which we’ll get to see in
person on the ride itself.
My photo, 2019. Note the many pictures on the wall
The ceiling. My photo, 2019
"Skull shelf of a head hunter, Formosa." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025
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| "Harrison Hightower III and Mr. Smelding searching ancient graveyard for treasure, Guatemala, 1883." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Harrison Hightower III in the Philippines--May 1881." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Korean coolies unloading junks. Fusan, Korea, 1875." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Asian Expedition, 1875." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Atlantis Ballroom. Grand Opening Celebration for the Hotel Hightower, New York City, 1892." This is the photo that reminds me of The Shining. @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Hotel Hightower, 1892." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Harrison Hightower III--in the foyer of the Atlantis Ballroom--Hotel Hightower--1898." Take a good look at that statue-bordered mirror behind him; we'll be seeing that later. @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Harrison Hightower III--1892." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Harrison Hightower III in his Penthouse Apartment on top of Hotel Hightower." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Harrison Hightower III on the Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge, New York, 1887." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
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| "Harrison Hightower III, New York City, 1894, Hotel Hightower in the distance." @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
Along one wall is a display easel with a large poster on it. The text across the top reads “Harrison Hightower III: Explorer and Adventurer.” Below is a very large photo labeled, “Chief Kitanji of the Mtundu tribe gives ‘Shiriki Utundu’ to Harrison Hightower—1899.” The text below explains, “This photo was taken on his final expedition to Africa. The ‘CURSED’ idol SHIRIKI UTUNDU is often blamed for Harrison Hightower’s MYSTERIOUS disappearance.” A smaller version of this photo appeared in one of the newspapers on the lore boards outside.
@idreamofthemeparks, 2025
A historical society docent (that is, a cast
member—remember, they’re not bellhops here!) picks up an old-timey…phone[? Microphone?]
to deliver a speech next to this poster.
Cast member giving the presentation. @idreamofthemeparks, 2025
This speech is in Japanese, of course, which I don’t speak. Furthermore, fan-translations of this are much rarer than that of the main pre-show or the ride itself; it generally seems skipped in many YouTube videos. Some videos also show longer or shorter spiels. My best approximate guess for an English version, based on this video and Google Translations of other YouTube videos, is this:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the tour of the Tower of Terror, presented by the NYC Preservation society. All of the valuable artifacts in the Hotel Hightower were collected by Harrison Hightower III. He is the owner of this hotel, and also a multimillionaire and an explorer. On December 31, 1899, Mr. Hightower held a press conference at this hotel to unveil a strange idol he had acquired from his African expedition: Shiriki Utundu. Then, he went missing. Soon, the doors will open towards you [cast member gestures towards the doors to the pre-show]. There, we will tell you more about the mysteries of the Hotel Hightower in Harrison Hightower III’s study, and then send you to the secret warehouse. Please wait a moment until the doors open. Thank you.”
The pre-show doors are carved wood, and have a sign stating "Caution: doors open automatically" above them.
My photo, 2019
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| My photo, 2019 |
The main pre-show area, Hightower’s office, seems noticeably bigger than the equivalent library/Collector’s office pre-show rooms at the other Towers/Mission Breakout. It is a vast room with high ceilings. A banner with the Hightower crest hangs at the top of the back wall, with the motto “mundus mea ostrea est” (“the world is my oyster”) under a design that features a sword plunged through the earth, a crown, and Hightower’s initials. The wallpaper is an intricate custom design that combines the HH logo with dragons. At one end of the room, basically on a stage, is Hightower’s desk. A phonograph, along with various odd trinkets like a skull and crystal ball, sits atop it. Behind it on the wall is a stained glass window that initially displays a stern-looking Hightower in front of his hotel. On a tall podium beside the desk sits the famous cursed idol, Shiriki Utundu.
The right and left pre-show rooms appear to be mirrored from each other; that is, in one of the rooms, Shiriki and the phonograph are on the right side of the desk, and on the left side on the other. This is noticeable in my photographs versus those from @idreamofthemeparks--we must have gone into different pre-show rooms for our respective photos!
[Additional fun fact: all of my photos of this room were taken while hiding my camera! I'm shocked some turned out as well as they did! Thankfully by 2025 the photo ban was no longer in effect.]
Hightower's office as it appears when you first walk in. My photo, 2019.
A slightly different angle, showing the open entry door (I was standing in the back corner, towards the exit door) and the vast scale of the room. My photo, 2019
Back wall with the Hightower crest. @idreamofthemeparks, 2025
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| Detail of objects on Hightower's desk. Note the recurring dragon motifs in the wallpaper, lamp, and desk carvings. @idreamofthemeparks, 2025 |
Once again, a cast member introduces the pre-show with a live spiel.
The cast member presenting her pre-show spiel. @idreamofthemeparks, 2025
Of course, once again it’s in Japanese. Between Google Translate of various clips and this video’s subtitles again, this is my approximation:
“There’s the idol, ‘Shiriki Utundu.’ It was found in the fallen elevator. But Hightower III wasn’t there. Now, please listen to this recording of his last press conference. It may contain some hints to this mystery.”
At this point, the cast member steps up to the phonograph, turning its crank to start it playing, beginning the main pre-show. The room darkens to turn the audience’s focus to the stage and the window (actually a video screen).
Once again, the translation is approximate. I have changed the font here to indicate spoken segments, interspersed with descriptions of the events.
(Old music plays)
Reporters (overlapping each other as they clamor to get attention): Mr. Hightower! Mr. Hightower! Where did you find this?
Hightower: I spent a ton of money and risked my life to get it! The natives were reluctant to let it go.
Reporter: It’s called a “cursed idol,” isn’t it, Mr. Hightower?
Hightower: Cursed idol? Ha, idiot!
At this point lightning strikes the stained glass window, transforming it to an image of Hightower holding the idol, looking worried.
My photo, 2019
A booming voice (Hightower’s ghost?) then fills the room, no longer playing from the phonograph:
“The curse of Shiriki Utundi is real! Do not go any further!”
With more lightning zaps, the window transforms again, showing Hightower and Shiriki Utundu getting into the elevator.
My photo, 2019
“Listen, pay attention! The curse is real! Shiriki Utundu’s eyes!”
The window shows the elevator ascend to the top of the tower, get zapped by cursed lightning, and plummet to the ground. A great detail the designers have included is that Hightower’s elevator is shown using the elevator bay on the façade that, in reality, is the emergency exit stairwell disguised to match the ride shafts from the outside. The “crashed” shaft is, rightfully, the one we cannot use!
My photo, 2019
“Run away. You can still make it!”
A spark animates Shiriki Utundu himself--the actual idol in the room with us. His eyes scan the room and his face twists into a grin. Interestingly, the musical score at this point sounds almost identical to part of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror orchestral suite, which is also a part of the Mission Breakout queue music loop. It’s not actually the same music (presumably it can’t be, due to licensing issues), but it’s notable nonetheless.
My photo, 2019
The cursed idol laughs as he dissolves into nothing but glowing eyes in a star field.
My photo, 2019
His eyes disappear too. As the lights turn back on, the idol is nowhere to be seen. As in, the entire, sizeable physical prop has completely disappeared, in a rather impressive effect (I believe the textured wall decoration on the wall behind him conceals a door, which the figure pulls into in the darkness). The window shows the Hotel Hightower in its ruined state.
@idreamofthemeparks, 2025
The exit doors open,
and guests proceed to the “boiler room”/Artifact Storage.
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