Hey guys, I'm Diana, a RVT Tower sup and here's the low down on the Tower this year...
...Probably going to open 04/17, with brand new elevators. They are mostly the same as the original ones, except stainless steel....Sorry no glass floor, but slightly larger windows. It's about time we got new ones anyhow, having worked the last two years more than not on the Tower- They were 32 years old and becoming a royal pain.
It is 314 ft tall, not 331, (Oh, and I fully believe that it would fit under the original, I'm planning to visit it after college graduation next summer, if I can afford it.) We took down some antennae when DZ was built, so they could claim highest ride. It's one third of the one in Paris (Paris' being 314 m, but roughly, without going through the conversions of meters to feet exactly.)
Shutting down for rain is a judgement call, I usually shut once the lightning gets to within 5-10 miles. That's about the Warren County border for all you locals, well that's really 3 miles, but yea. It's still if you see it, go down, if the managers don't like it theyll tell ya.
Also, regarding the Tower replica in Europe (not Paris), It's supposedly 700 ft with a glass floor. Don't know, haven't visited it, Friend has. I'll have to do some research.