Something is changing at one of Disney World’s most recognizable landmarks.The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has stood at the end of Sunset Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios since 1994. Standing 199 feet tall, the Hollywood Tower Hotel has become one of the park’s defining landmarks, with its faded pink exterior and deliberately damaged architecture.Credit: DisneyThe attraction transports guests into an abandoned 1930s hotel, where a mysterious elevator plunges them into the Twilight Zone. Its elaborate exterior also tells part of the story, featuring the damage supposedly left behind when lightning struck the hotel on Halloween night in 1939.However, Tower of Terror has looked noticeably different for much of 2026.Disney World Makes Major Changes to Tower of TerrorDisney began an extensive exterior refurbishment of Tower of Terror in May, initially installing scaffolding around the attraction’s outdoor queue and gift shop.More scaffolding has come down around the Tower of Terror revealing the refreshed paint job. #waltdisneyworld pic.twitter.com/0xvrWiILgH— LaughingPlace.com (@laughingplace) October 23, 2026Over the following months, that scaffolding gradually spread across the Hollywood Tower Hotel. By September, much of the building’s front facade was concealed behind metal platforms, with crews working on its distinctive pink paintwork, balconies, and decorative details.Despite the scale of the project, Tower of Terror has remained operational throughout the refurbishment. Disney has maintained access to the attraction’s elevator shafts, allowing guests to continue experiencing its randomized drop sequence.Now, after months of work, guests are finally getting a better look at the results.New photos from Disney’s Hollywood Studios show that more scaffolding has been removed from the upper sections of Tower of Terror, revealing the hotel’s freshly repainted exterior.Credit: Theme Park Tourist, FlickrThe newly exposed sections feature brighter pink walls, refreshed architectural details, and restored weathering designed to maintain the appearance of an abandoned hotel.Perhaps the most noticeable change is the building’s lightning strike damage. The distinctive purple and blue streaks running across the facade have received a fresh coat of paint, making them much more prominent than they were before the refurbishment.The effect recreates the damage supposedly caused by the lightning strike that sent five hotel guests into the Twilight Zone in the attraction’s fictional backstory. (Ironically, the Tower of Terror has actually been hit by lightning in the past.)However, work is not completely finished. Scaffolding still surrounds much of the lower facade, including the enormous Hollywood Tower Hotel sign, while additional platforms remain visible along the building’s sides.Will Tower of Terror Be Ready for Christmas?The latest progress comes at a particularly important time for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.On November 7, Disney Jollywood Nights will return for the 2026 holiday season, bringing festive entertainment, themed food and drinks, and exclusive experiences to the park.Tower of Terror also plays a major role in Sunset Seasons Greetings, which transforms the Hollywood Tower Hotel with colorful Christmas projections after dark.Credit: Jeremy Thompson, FlickrWith much of the building previously concealed behind scaffolding, questions have surrounded whether Disney would finish the refurbishment before its holiday celebrations begin.The latest removals suggest work is progressing, although Disney has not confirmed an official completion date or announced whether the remaining scaffolding will disappear before November 7.We do, however, know that major changes aren’t expected to the attraction, despite a panic over narrator Mark Silverman’s recent visit to Walt Disney Imagineering.Are you excited to see Tower of Terror’s refreshed appearance?The post Status Update Given After Disney Starts Hiding Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios appeared first on Inside the Magic.