Offbeat: Tower of Terror Float Meets Resistance

Posted at 8:39 PM EST (0139 GMT)

Jan. 1st, 2004 -- In statements similar to those placed against the movie the Two Towers a year ago, many members of the public are upset by Disney's "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" float for the Rose Bowl Parade. The float depicts the ride, complete with lightning, earthquake, stunt people, and an elevator that drops 100 feet. Apparently the word "tower," particularly when paired here with "terror," evokes Sept. 11, 2001, especially to those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.

The float went under the same review process as every other does in order to be present in the Tournament of Roses, and the similarity to 9/11 did not "even come up" in those proceedings. Disneyland spokesman John McClintock stated that the float was merely intended to promote interest in the new ride, and that Disney is mainly interested in people having fun.

Comments collected by the public were wide-ranging from not being bothered at all, to "I'd much rather see something that's positive and would give a good feeling to the American public ... connected to our history or honoring our armed forces," from Sally Regenhard, who lost a firefighter son in the attack. She is also quoted as saying that the float might be "trivializing injury and possible death."

Regardless of anyone's stance on such discourse and rhetoric, it may be necessary for parks in the future to reconsider the names of themed tower rides to stay away from public scrutiny. However, here it seems odd that people would complain about a float but not about the name of the ride itself--or even the original in Florida.

For more quotes, see the Sacramento Bee.