Mark Silverman told a fan “well... could be” after a visit to Imagineering, as crews paint lightning scars on the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Disney hasn’t announced any changes.
The man who has voiced Rod Serling at Tower of Terror for more than 30 years just dropped a very Twilight Zone kind of hint.
Mark Silverman posted on Instagram that he was back at Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters in Glendale, California, WDWMagic reported Sunday, Oct. 18. When a fan asked if they’d hear something new from him at Disney, he had a short answer.
“well... could be,” Silverman replied.
Disney hasn’t said what the visit was about. But it lands while crews are already giving the outside of the Hollywood Tower Hotel a makeover at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Here’s the full ride from the front, from LMG Vids:
What did Mark Silverman say about Tower of Terror?
Very little, which is half the fun. The exact question on his post was, “Are we getting to hear something new from you at Disney?!” BlogMickey reported.
Silverman didn’t name a project, a park or a timeline in his reply, BlogMickey said. He also didn’t mention Tower of Terror by name.
Still, his most famous role sits at the end of Sunset Boulevard. So that’s where fans looked first.
Who is Mark Silverman?
He’s the voice of Rod Serling inside the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Serling, who created The Twilight Zone, died in 1975, almost two decades before the ride opened on July 22, 1994.
Imagineers needed someone who could sound like him for new narration. Silverman won the role after an audition at Imagineering, and he later told WDWMagic that Serling’s widow, Carol Serling, picked him.
He recorded the narration in a single three-hour session at Imagineering’s Glendale facility before the ride opened, WDWMagic said. He later recorded new lines for the Disney California Adventure version.
Silverman has also voiced Serling outside the parks, including on the 2019 revival of The Twilight Zone, BlogMickey noted. So a separate project is possible, too.
Where do you hear Rod Serling on the ride?
Twice. Serling welcomes guests from the library television during the preshow, then speaks again inside the elevator, BlogMickey said.
The preshow pairs real footage of Serling from the Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life” with Silverman’s voice, according to WDWMagic. New recordings could mean updated lines for one of those moments, or even new scenes.
That part is still speculation.
What’s happening to the outside of Tower of Terror?
It’s getting scars. Crews have painted a lightning strike stretching diagonally across the pink facade, WDW News Today reported Oct. 18.
Dark purple shading surrounds brighter white sections, creating a branching pattern across the building. Near the top, the detail runs past a small round window, though scaffolding still hides much of the work.
It’s a nod to the story. In the ride’s backstory, lightning struck the hotel on Halloween night in 1939, and a group of guests vanished from an elevator.
How long has Tower of Terror been under scaffolding?
Since summer. Scaffolding went up above the gift shop in early July, then spread across the tower, WDW News Today said.
By August, it had reached the front of the tower below the Hollywood Tower Hotel sign, according to BlogMickey. Scenic painters have also been re-aging the pink stucco, teal shutters and rust streaks by hand.
The ride has stayed open the whole time. Gaps in the scaffolding at the elevator windows keep the famous view of the park, WDW News Today said.
Has Disney announced changes to Tower of Terror?
No. So far, all of this year’s visible work has been on the facade, BlogMickey said.
Disney has changed Tower of Terror before, at other parks. Disneyland Paris added “A New Dimension of Chills,” with new story elements and effects, Inside the Magic noted.
Disney California Adventure’s version became Guardians of the Galaxy, Mission: BREAKOUT! in 2017.
If Silverman is involved, any changes would likely keep the Twilight Zone story, Inside the Magic suggested. For now, “could be” is all we’ve got.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDWMagic (Oct. 18, 2026), Silverman’s post and his history with the ride
BlogMickey (Oct. 18, 2026), the question, the refurbishment and the preshow
WDW News Today, Austin Haughton (Oct. 18, 2026), the lightning strike painting
Inside the Magic, Andrew Boardwine (Oct. 18, 2026), the Paris and California versions
LMG Vids on YouTube (July 22, 2026), the POV
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