Australia needs another drop tower ride

[coasterdude44]

I can't be the only one that is wanting this after all these years. The Giant Drop is up there as my favourite 5 rides in the country behind Superman Escape, DC, Arkham, The Claw and Jet Rescue and still stands up today up to many rides overseas in the states and beyond being an Australian force in the theme park business more than 20 years later. But why is it still the only drop ride in the country after all this time?

Of course back in the late 90s, Intamin drop towers were still very new and cost over 10 million AUD to make. Hell! The Giant Drop was only really an afterthought that was constructed over a year after the original tower of terror was built with the tower itself only designed for the roller coaster in mind. Now with TOT2 closed, the tower only exists now for The Giant Drop. Six Flags Magic Mountain followed suit with this notion with Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, which is a carbon copy of the same ride design.

I would love to see another drop tower being installed somewhere else in Australia and it doesn't even need to be as big as TGD, I don't want any record breakers here, just more than one in the entire continent, how hard can it be.

I also know that TGD wasn't the first, Space Probe was (which was only 60m with three for seat gondolas) instead of the two 8 seaters that TGD has. I know the US has about 10 of them or more operating over there, with Falcon's Fury being a notable contender for what we could try out over here. A facefirst freefall. Like imagine a Giant Drop attraction but done face first. It's already been done there. Doesn't seem to far fetched to have a ride like that over here.

It doesn't even need to be that flash or intimidating for my taste. Just 60 metres or higher and I'm happy :)

[pin142]

8 minutes ago, coasterdude44 said:

But why is it still the only drop ride in the country after all this time?

It isn't the only drop ride in Australia. Luna Park Sydney has Hair Raiser.

[Gazza]

Basically because MW has Batwing, and LPS has Hair Raiser and Adventure World has Inferno, so that's basically all the major parks covered with a drop ride unless LPM gets one.

I think Aussie World has one in their masterplan too, but they wouldn't have the budget for an Intamin one.

[coasterdude44]

8 minutes ago, pin142 said:

It isn't the only drop ride in Australia. Luna Park Sydney has Hair Raiser.

I actually have ridden that a few years back. I thought they closed it

[Mc coaster]

The last major park that doesn’t have a drop tower style ride is SW. I think in the future it would be a great fit to add a falcons fury style drop tower. It would round out the Gold Coast lineup of towers great with a launched one being batwing a regular drop being GD and a tilted one being this one. I think Funtime makes a version of it as will. It would be a lot cheaper then intamin and make a lot of sense since it seems like they are working together for trident. 

[Gazza]

11 minutes ago, Mc coaster said:

The last major park that doesn’t have a drop tower style ride is SW. I think in the future it would be a great fit to add a falcons fury style drop tower. It would round out the Gold Coast lineup of towers great with a launched one being batwing a regular drop being GD and a tilted one being this one. I think Funtime makes a version of it as will. It would be a lot cheaper then intamin and make a lot of sense since it seems like they are working together for trident. 

VRTP worked with Intamin for Doomsday.

[Naazon]

10 minutes ago, Mc coaster said:

I think Funtime makes a version of it as will. It would be a lot cheaper then intamin and make a lot of sense since it seems like they are working together for trident. 

Do you mean this one? http://www.funtime.com.au/data/index9.htm

[Mc coaster]

5 minutes ago, Gazza said:

VRTP worked with Intamin for Doomsday.

I know that I mainly suggested Funtime since they would probably be way cheaper.

 

4 minutes ago, Naazon said:

Do you mean this one? http://www.funtime.com.au/data/index9.htm

No not that one. I may be wrong but I read that the one at gröna lund was built by Funtime.

 

[Gazza]

Grona Lund is Intamin

https://www.intaminworldwide.com/ikaros-groenalund/

[Mc coaster]

42 minutes ago, Gazza said:

Grona Lund is Intamin

https://www.intaminworldwide.com/ikaros-groenalund/

My mistake. Thanks for clarifying. 

[Jpw25111]

Aren't kids meant to be in school?

[Baconjack]

Aussie World should consider a Larson-style drop tower like the model LPS has installed.

I've always though it was the best ride at Luna Park in my opinion - that drop tower is tiny but it is a genuinely terrifying ride experience, even compared to GD which is over two times the height and other tall drop towers I've ridden overseas.

Perfect fit for the park in my opinion, as it isnt an oversized frog hopper like the Zamperla offerings, and it probably is within their budget compared to the Intamin and S&S offerings.

As for the face down gondola Falcon's Fury tech, a lot of people on these forums (myself included) have suggested Dreamworld look into whether or not the existing Dreamworld Tower can be converted to use the Falcon's Fury-style ride cars. In my opinion, I think this is how we will get such an experience in Australia.

[coasterdude44]

21 minutes ago, Baconjack said:

Aussie World should consider a Larson-style drop tower like the model LPS has installed.

I've always though it was the best ride at Luna Park in my opinion - that drop tower is tiny but it is a genuinely terrifying ride experience, even compared to GD which is over two times the height and other tall drop towers I've ridden overseas.

Perfect fit for the park in my opinion, as it isnt an oversized frog hopper like the Zamperla offerings, and it probably is within their budget compared to the Intamin and S&S offerings.

As for the face down gondola Falcon's Fury tech, a lot of people on these forums (myself included) have suggested Dreamworld look into whether or not the existing Dreamworld Tower can be converted to use the Falcon's Fury-style ride cars. In my opinion, I think this is how we will get such an experience in Australia.

Fingers crossed the give The Giant Drop a years long coming upgrade

[T-bone]

But would an upgrade to a falcons fury style of ride for GD be enough of an upgrade and worth the cost? I mean people like you and me would love it, but will it give enough bang for buck? Giant drop to some is terrifying as it is already.

[Jdude95]

2 hours ago, T-bone said:

But would an upgrade to a falcons fury style of ride for GD be enough of an upgrade and worth the cost? I mean people like you and me would love it, but will it give enough bang for buck? Giant drop to some is terrifying as it is already.

It would probably gain a record for tallest, face first, free fall tower too

[coasterdude44]

I always thought it wouldn't be too far fetched of an idea to have the Brisbane expo 88 skyneedle to be converted into an Intamin Drop tower.

I could always be wrong though.

[Naazon]

Isn't that surrounded by apartments now?

Edit: As in, the rainbow needle goes into the apartment lobby?

 

Also its 100% not built to take those forces.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Naazon

[T-bone]

Yeah the sky needle is having apartments built around it now. 

[Gazza]

13 hours ago, Jdude95 said:

It would probably gain a record for tallest, face first, free fall tower too

They could also use the tagline "Face Gravity - Face First"

Edited May 27, 2020 by Gazza

[pin142]

3 hours ago, coasterdude44 said:

I always thought it wouldn't be too far fetched of an idea to have the Brisbane expo 88 skyneedle to be converted into an Intamin Drop tower.

Nearby residents would love that!

[Baconjack]

17 hours ago, Jdude95 said:

It would probably gain a record for tallest, face first, free fall tower too

Adding onto this point this is where I consider such a conversion to be marketable. Records are eye catching to the public and also to an extent overseas as well with the advent of social media and clickbait videos (see the Stratosphere rides as an example). There's a reason why for nearly 20 years, theme parks around the world were constantly trying to build the biggest, longest and fastest rides, something DW themselves participated in.

DC Rivals was built up as the tallest, fastest and longest coaster in the Southern Hemisphere. While those stats mean jack shit for us who are well read on the industry, for the GP that don't know how many roller coasters are south of the equator, it makes it appear a lot bigger and impressive than it really is. 

So imagine Dreamworld having the world's tallest and fastest face first drop tower, as well as being the only ride of its type in Australia, the Southern Hemisphere, and just 1 of 3 in the entire world. If the conversion is found to be structurally and financially feasible, it honestly seems like a no-brainer to me, and along with a new thrill ride to replace Wipeout, makes Dreamworld's thrill ride collection almost comparable to what's on offer down the road. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

10 minutes ago, Baconjack said:

just 1 of 3 in the entire world.

I'm with you on every point bar this one.

Our parks aren't six flags or cedar fair. dropping 10s of millions on new attractions every year or so isn't viable long term - especially if the rides are unique or very limited run - like TOT.

Being one of only 3 in the world meant there was little demand to keep supporting the ride beyond the current lifetime, which is why Dreamworld closed theirs, and why SFMM raided Coomera for parts.

We don't need unique. We need something that will have a lot of support for years to come. The drop tower concept obviously has a lot of industry support, so likely that style of ride will continue - but if the specialised parts associated with a face first drop don't find wider usage elsewhere, Dreamworld may well find themselves in the same situation they are now - having to close several of their flagship attraction (Wipeout, TOT) without a replacement lined up.

I'm all for the record breakers, so long as its just a bigger version of a standard ride, so parts, support, maintenance and so on will be around long enough for them to get their return on investment.

[Jdude95]

You'd think after their history of having to retire rides that aren't supported anymore, they would make sure the manufacturer can support the ride for it's remaining lifespan

[coasterdude44]

Also one more thing that is on my mind, maybe someone here can give me a legitimate answer. That black shade that is attached to both gondolas on TGD that goes over the heads of the riders. Why was that added in the first place, because in all the pictures of the giant drop in its early years before about 2003-04. That black shade is nowhere to be found which must mean it was added later for some reason. Was there some incident in the ride's early years that lead to the addition of it. Also note in the picture there are no safety railings above the top part of the vehicle 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

The catchcar platform (the thing with the safety railings at the top of the lift unit) is found on many giant drop units - as seen here on Blue Fall. Some smaller towers didn't have them fitted permanently (Space probe had a separate maintenance basket that could be attached to any of the catchcars).

My guess (and I am only guessing) is that the railings on the catchcar platform are probably some OH&S thing as it is a platform at height and has been decreed to require fixed railings.

As for the mesh shown over the riders, I assume a 'loose item' protection should something fall from the tower or catchcar. There have been a number of cable snaps over the years on the Intamin drop models (including on Space Probe) and this may also be some form of protection for those sorts of incidents too...