Disney World’s ongoing exterior refurbishment of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has reached a visible new stage: scaffolding has come down above the Hollywood Tower Hotel sign, revealing a freshly repainted lightning scar.
The restored detail stretches across the attraction’s pink facade in darker purple, bright blue, black and white. The fictional lightning strike’s epicenter sits directly above the hotel sign, with cracks extending into the surrounding walls. According to Disney Fanatic, crews have also refreshed intentionally weathered stonework, railings and other decorative features.
The 199-foot attraction at the end of Sunset Boulevard has been part of Disney’s Hollywood Studios since July 1994. Its hotel exterior is designed around the ride’s story of a 1939 lightning storm and the mysterious disappearance of five people.
Work is not yet complete. Scaffolding remains on the lower portion of the lightning-scar area, where some walls have been primed but not repainted. Some balconies are still only partly painted, and protective coverings remain on windows in other sections of the building.
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Tower of Terror has continued operating during the refurbishment, with access maintained around the elevator entrances. Disney has not announced permanent changes to the attraction’s storyline or ride system.
The work is taking place ahead of the 2026 holiday season, when Disney plans to bring back Sunset Seasons Greetings projections on the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Disney has also announced that Jollywood Nights will return to Hollywood Studios on select nights from November 7, 2026, through January 5, 2027.
