The Giant Drop

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

This article is about an amusement ride at Dreamworld Australia. For general examples of the ride type, see Drop tower.
The Giant Drop
Giant Drop Logo.jpg
Giant Drop - Dreamworld.jpg
Dreamworld
Area Rocky Hollow
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Status Operating
Cost A$12,000,000
Soft opening date 20 December 1998 (1998-12-20)[1]
Opening date 26 December 1998 (1998-12-26)[2]
General statistics
Attraction type Giant Drop
Manufacturer Intamin
Height 119 m (390 ft)
Drop 115 m (377 ft)
Speed 135.0 km/h (83.9 mph)
G-force 3.5
Capacity 550 riders per hour
Vehicles 2
Riders per vehicle 8
Duration 100 seconds
Height restriction 120 cm (3 ft 11 in)

The Giant Drop is an Intamin drop tower ride located at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Australia. The ride was added in December 1998 to the existing Dreamworld Tower which housed the Tower of Terror. For fourteen years, The Giant Drop held the record for the tallest drop tower in the world.

History

Construction of the Dreamworld Tower began in 1996. On 23 January 1997, the Tower of Terror officially opened to the public.[3][4][5] Close to two years later, on 26 December 1998, The Giant Drop officially opened to the public as part of the Dreamworld Tower.[2][6][7] Additional theming was added around the base of the ride and the Vintage Car track was re-routed around the base of the tower.[8] The cost to build The Giant Drop, had the Dreamworld Tower not been already standing, was published at A$12 million.[9] Over 5 million people have been dropped to date.[7]

In mid-2007, concerns were raised over the safety of Intamin drop towers after an incident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom's Superman: Tower of Power ride where a teenage girl had her feet severed after a cable had snapped.[10][11] Despite the incident, Dreamworld continued to keep The Giant Drop operating stating their ride's cables had daily and monthly checks. An independent safety audit concluded that "Dreamworld's safety standards are world class and second to none".[12]

Ride

File:Giant Drop themeing.jpg
The Giant Drop is themed to an oil rig at the Giant Oil Company.

The Giant Drop consists of a pair of vertical tracks which attach to the flank of the Dreamworld Tower. Each track features one, eight-seat floorless gondola in which riders are harnessed in by over-the-shoulder restraints.[6] Catch cars lift the gondolas for a duration of approximately 90 seconds to a dynamic height of 115 metres (377 ft). Upon reaching the top of the tower, the gondolas are released into a free-fall, attaining a terminal velocity of 135 kilometres per hour (84 mph) before stopped by permanently mounted rare-earth magnets.[7] At this moment, the on-ride photo is taken.

Upon opening, the eastern side of The Giant Drop featured a momentary pause shortly after the release from the top. This was caused by a set of magnetic brakes, which have since been removed.[6]

Television

The Giant Drop has been featured on Australian Guinness World Records television show.[9] It was also featured on the 2009, American, Travel Channel documentary "Extreme Terror Rides".[13] In 2010 season of The Amazing Race Asia, teams were required to ride The Giant Drop and photograph Kenny Koala, the park's mascot, waving the race flag once they've reached the top.[14]

Records

At the time of opening, in December 1998, The Giant Drop gained the Guinness World Record title of the "World's Tallest Vertical Drop Ride".[9] The Giant Drop conceded the title on 7 July 2012, when Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain located in California.[15][16][17]

Preceded by World's Tallest Vertical Drop Fun Ride

with La Venganza Del Enigma
20 December 1998–7 July 2012[9]

 Succeeded by
Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=The_Giant_Drop&oldid=1652157"