Disney World’s Tower of Terror Gets Major Exterior Refurbishment Update

If you’ve got a trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on the calendar, brace yourself for some scaffolding photobombing your Sunset Boulevard pictures. The mysterious refurbishment project quietly underway at Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has expanded significantly, and the Hollywood Tower Hotel is looking more like a construction site than a haunted hotel by the day.

The Scaffolding Keeps Climbing

Walt Disney World Resort has never confirmed exactly what is happening to this Disney Hollywood Studios icon, but the visual evidence keeps piling up. According to BlogMickey, scaffolding that once sat modestly at the base of the attraction has now crept upward, edging closer to that unmistakable Hollywood Tower Hotel sign.

This new scaffolding is going up on the building’s left side, an angle most guests will recognize from the Villains: Unfairly Ever After courtyard. Just like the scaffolding spotted on the opposite side of the building back in early July, this section wraps around several windows and decorative tile work, a strong hint that Disney is restoring those specific architectural details rather than doing a simple paint touch-up.

Over on the right side of the building, Disney cast members have been busy, too. Freshly applied pink paint appeared this week, and while it technically matches the building’s existing color palette, it currently sticks out like a sore thumb.

Why? The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s entire aesthetic depends on looking cracked, faded, and abandoned for decades. That crisp new paint hasn’t been artificially aged yet, so for now, it’s an obvious tell that work is still in progress.

Disney Stays Quiet, As Expected

True to form, Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t issued any official statement about the project. That silence aligns with how Disney handled the Haunted Mansion’s recent exterior refresh at Magic Kingdom Park, where the company said nothing publicly because the ride never stopped operating. Disney appears to be following the same playbook with the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, keeping it open to guests throughout a busy summer theme park season even as the facade transformation continues in plain sight.

Which Disney park has your favorite version of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror? Share your opinion with Disney Tips in the comments!