A drop tower is a type of amusement park ride incorporating a central tower structure with one or more gondolas attached. In a typical modern configuration, each gondola carrying riders is lifted to the top of the tower and then released to free fall back down to ground level. This produces a feeling of weightlessness followed by rapid deceleration. A magnetic braking system, or a variation that relies on pistons and air pressure, is used to safely bring the gondola to a complete stop.[1] One of the earliest drop towers configured as an amusement ride was a parachute ride that debuted at the 1939 New York World's Fair, which was inspired by paratrooper training devices used by the Soviet Union in the 1920s.[1][2]
Swiss manufacturer Intamin renewed interest decades later when it pioneered the modern drop tower with an early iteration released in the 1980s, which was later refined to use magnetic braking systems in the 1990s. This led to larger models, such as the Giant Drop and Gyro Drop. S&S Sansei modified the concept and released their own variation that employs pneumatics, which involves pistons, air pressure, and steel cables to control the speed of the gondola at all times. This variation can move the gondola at speeds faster than free fall and can alternatively be configured to accelerate gondolas in the opposite direction, moving at fast speeds up the tower as well as down.[2]
Drop towers can vary in height and capacity, and some models are either mass-produced or custom. Newer features include gondolas that rotate along the vertical plane, tilting riders so they are facing the ground prior to the gondola's release. Falcon's Fury at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, for example, is a 335-foot (102 m) tower that rotates riders to face the ground, and then returns riders to an upright position as the gondola nears the end of the drop.
Drop tower designs
editMass-produced tower rides include:
- Double shot (air-powered blast up twice)
- Space shot (air-powered blast up)
- Super shot (drop down ride slowed by magnetic or air-power)
- Turbo drop (drop down ride slowed by air-power)
Tallest drop towers
edit| bold | Denotes drop tower is or was once the tallest in the world |
| italic | Denotes drop tower is either no longer operating or removed |
| Rank | Name | Park | Location | Drop height | Structural height | Manufacturer | Record holder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| --- | Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom | Six Flags Great Adventure | Jackson Township, New Jersey, United States | 126 metres (415 ft) | 139 metres (456 ft) | Intamin | July 2014 – November 2024 |
| --- | Orlando FreeFall | Icon Park | Orlando, Florida, United States | 120 metres (400 feet) | 130 metres (430 feet) | Funtime | December 28, 2021 - March 24, 2022 |
| 1 | Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom | Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia, California, United States | 120 metres (400 ft) | 126 metres (415 ft) | Intamin | July 2012 – July 2014. November 2024 - Current |
| 2 | The Giant Drop | Dreamworld | Coomera, Queensland, Australia | 115 metres (377 ft) | 120 metres (390 ft) | Intamin | December 1998 – July 2012 |
| 3 | Highlander | Hansa-Park | Sierksdorf, Germany | 103 metres (338 ft) | 120 metres (390 ft) | Funtime | — |
| 4 | La Venganza del Enigma | Parque Warner Madrid | Madrid, Spain | 100 metres (328 ft) | 115 metres (377 ft) | S&S Worldwide | — |
| — | Blue Fall | Sea Paradise | Yokohama, Japan | 100 metres (328 ft) | 107 metres (351 ft) | Intamin | — |
| 5 | Donjon de l'Extrême | Nigloland | Dolancourt, France | 95 metres (312 ft) | 105 metres (344 ft) | Funtime | — |
| 6 | Falcon's Fury | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Tampa Bay, Florida, United States | 94 metres (310 ft) | 102 metres (335 ft) | Intamin | — |
| 7 | Voltrum | Bayern-Park | Reisbach, Germany | 93 metres (305 ft) | 109 metres (358 ft) | Funtime | — |
| 8 | Sky Screamer | Marineland of Canada | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada | 91 metres (300 ft) | 140 metres (450 ft) | S&S – Sansei Technologies | — |
| 9 | AtmosFear | Liseberg | Gothenburg, Sweden | 90 metres (295 ft) | 116 metres (381 ft) | Intamin | — |
| 10 | Hurakan Condor | PortAventura Park | Salou, Spain | 87 metres (285 ft) | 115 metres (377 ft) | Intamin | — |
| 11 | UFO Gyro Drop | Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village | Yuchr Shiang, Nantou County, Taiwan | 85 metres (280 ft) | 110 metres
(360 ft) |
Intamin | |
| 12 | Global Burj | Global Village | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 85 metres (279 ft) | Unknown | Unknown | — |
| 13 | Drop Tower | Kings Dominion | Doswell, Virginia, United States | 83 metres (272 ft) | 93 metres (305 ft) | Intamin | — |
| 14 | Big Tower | Beto Carrero World | Penha, Santa Catarina, Brazil | 80 metres (264 ft) | 100 metres (328 ft) | Intamin | — |
| 15 | Drop Tower | Kings Island | Mason, Ohio, United States | 80 metres (264 ft) | 96 metres (315 ft) | Intamin | — |
| The Plunge | Kongeparken | Ålgård, Rogaland, Norway | 80 metres (264 ft) | Unknown | Funtime | — |
Other notable examples
edit- Big Shot on the top of The Strat reaching 329 metres (1,081 ft) was the highest situated drop tower ride in the world, with a drop of 49 metres (160 ft) to a base 281 metres (921 ft) above ground level
- Space Probe located at Wonderland Sydney in Australia
- Apocalypse at Drayton Manor
- Detonator: Bombs Away at Thorpe Park
- Ice Blast at Pleasure Beach Blackpool
- AtmosFEAR at Morey's Piers, Wildwood, New Jersey
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at multiple Disney parks worldwide.
- Acrophobia at Six Flags Over Georgia
- Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! at Disney California Adventure Park
- Giant Drop at Six Flags Great America
Injuries and accidents
edit- On August 22, 1999, 12-year-old Joshua Smurphat fell to his death on Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (Drop Tower) at Paramount's Great America (California's Great America) after slipping from the ride's restraints, which were still locked at the end of the ride.[3][4]
- On June 21, 2007 (park operating as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom), a 13-year-old girl from Louisville, Kentucky had both feet cut off above the ankle when one of the ride's cables snapped during operation.[5] Following the incident, all Intamin towers were temporarily closed and the Carowinds model was found to have stretched cables.[6]
- On February 24, 2012, 14-year-old Gabriella Yukari Nichimura died in an accident at Hopi Hari, Vinhedo, São Paulo State, Brazil. She fell from the drop tower ride "La Tour Eiffel" suffering cranial trauma and died on the way to the hospital. Initial investigations suggested the possibility of mechanical failure in the restraint latch.[7][needs update]
- On the evening of January 3, 2018, 8 persons (five females and three males aged 12 to 18, including Danica Villas) were injured suffering "cervical spasms" after Fun Drop Tower Ride at the amusement park Circle of Fun in Quezon Memorial Circle suddenly dropped.[8][9]
- On the evening of September 5, 2021, 6-year-old Wongel Estifanos died on the Haunted Mine Drop ride after being separated from her seat and falling 110 ft (34 m) to her death. It has been determined that the girl was actually sitting on top of her seatbelt rather than the seatbelt being tight on her lap. A forensic pathologist identified the cause of death as blunt-force trauma. The official report by the Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety blamed a lack of procedures and inadequate training of two ride operators to ensure that Estifanos was properly buckled in.[10][11] Before the accident, the ride had had four annual safety inspections per Colorado Amusement Rides and Devices Regulations (7 CCR 1101-12) and was certified to have corrected any issues.[11] Following the incident the park temporarily closed.[12][13][14] Colorado Senate Bill 03-253 allows parents to release their minor’s rights to sue for negligence.[15][16]
- On the evening of March 24, 2022, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson from Missouri fell to his death from the world's tallest drop tower ride, the Orlando FreeFall drop tower at ICON Park in Florida. The brand new attraction had been open for only three months at the time of the accident.[17] On October 6, 2022, it was announced that the Orlando Free Fall tower would be dismantled.[18] The owner plans to have the demolition finished by the anniversary of the victim’s death.[19]
- On September 5, 2022, a drop tower in India failed to slow down then crashed to ground, injuring 16.[20]
See also
edit
Media related to Drop towers at Wikimedia Commons- Freefall
References
edit- ^ a b McCarter, Reid (June 25, 2020). "YouTuber explains why riders don't splatter into human puddles on "drop tower" rides". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ a b How Drop Tower Rides Work (Video). Art of Engineering. June 21, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Thrill ride lawsuits". Courier-Journal. June 23, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Drop Zone death: no charges, no explanation". RideAccidents.com. November 5, 1999. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Girl who had feet severed by amusement park ride, in stable condition…". archive.ph. 2013-01-27. Archived from the original on 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ "Carowinds Thrill Ride Closed for Inspection". (Wire Report). The Herald Online. June 22, 2007. Archived from the original on 2016-02-08. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ "Adolescente More Após Acidente em Parque de Diversões no Interior de SP" [Teenager Dies after an Amusement Park Accident in the Interior of SP] (in Portuguese). 24 February 2012. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ Tupas, Emmanuel (Jan 5, 2018). "8 youths hurt in carnival ride glitch". The Philippine Star.
- ^ "Teens injured in QC Circle of Fun ride". TV5 Network. January 3, 2018.
- ^ Candelaria, Esteban (September 24, 2021). "Colorado Springs girl killed on mine drop ride was not strapped in, report says". The Gazette (Colorado Springs). Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ a b Amusement Rides and Devices Program. "ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPOR" (PDF). Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ Smith, Logan (6 September 2021). "Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Closes After Child Dies On Thrill Ride - CBSN Denver". denver.cbslocal.com. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
- ^ Morfitt, Karen (September 10, 2021). "'She Reminds Me Tomorrow Isn't Promised': Family Friend Remembers Wongel Estifanos, 6-Year-Old Who Died On Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Ride". Archived from the original on September 22, 2021.
- ^ Allen, Rich (September 7, 2021). "Glenwood Caverns' Haunted Mine Drop passed regulations inspection less than three months before death of 6-year-old". www.postindependent.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021.
- ^ Ray K. Erku (September 11, 2021). "In Colorado, waiver law limits legal options for amusement park riders". www.postindependent.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021.
- ^ Chlouber; Arnold; Entz; Johnson S.; Kester; McElhany; Taylor; White; Brophy; Crane; Garcia; Hefley; Miller; Rippy; Spence; Stengel; Weddig. "SENATE BILL 03-253" (PDF). Colorado General Assembly. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 15, 2004. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ Hanna, Melissa Alonso and Jason (2022-03-25). "A 14-year-old fell to his death from the new drop tower ride at Florida's ICON Park, authorities say". CTVNews. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
- ^ "Orlando Free Fall to be torn down following teen's death". 7 October 2022.
- ^ "Demolition of Orlando FreeFall ride begins this week". www.fox35orlando.com. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
- ^ "Carnival ride plummets 50 feet, terrifying moment caught on video". 5 September 2022.