Drop Tower: Scream Zone
Drop Tower: Scream Zone, formerly known as Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, is the name of five drop tower thrill rides of varying sizes featured at five different Cedar Fair amusement parks in the United States and Canada.
History
Prior to their acquisition by Cedar Fair, the five parks owned by Paramount Parks featured a drop tower ride named Drop Zone: Stunt Tower, in reference to the Paramount film of the same name. All the rides were built by Swiss ride manufacturer Intamin and are either the Gyro Drop or Giant Drop model. With the exception of Kings Dominion's tower, they are located in their park's various backlot themed areas, with each originally featuring an action scene depicting a group of stunt performers filming a falling scene in an action movie. Although all the rides were manufactured by Intamin, the installation at California's Great America was constructed by Martin & Vleminckx.[1]
In 2006, the Paramount Parks were sold to Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and the ride names previously licensed by Paramount were removed. All five attractions were renamed Drop Tower: Scream Zone, and the swirl logos associated with each were removed from the rides' signage for 2008 season. Following a serious incident that occurred on a giant drop ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in which a rider's feet were severed by cable, all five Intamin-designed drop tower rides at Cedar Fair parks were temporarily closed for several weeks and inspected as a precaution in June 2007.[2]
Ride experience
Giant Drop
The three original drop towers, opening in 1996 and 1997 at Carowinds, California's Great America, and Canada's Wonderland are Giant Drop models. They feature either four, five or six cars fitting four people on each one. Wonderland and Great America's models fall at a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h) and are 227 feet (69 m) tall, while Carowinds' model falls at 56 mph (90 km/h) and is 160 ft (49 m) tall. All three are painted in rainbow colors with the race track decals and were themed that the riders were "stunt actors" about to film the final stunt scene of a movie.
Gyro Drop
The two latest drop towers, installed in 1999 at Kings Island and 2003 at Kings Dominion, are Gyro Drop models with one large circular car, reaching speeds of 67 and 72 mph (116 km/h), respectively. Both the Kings Island and Kings Dominion ride claim to be the tallest Gyro Drop towers in the world. Kings Island's tower is measured as the tallest in the world, while Kings Dominion's tower utilizes brakes positioned closer to the ground, producing a longer drop than the tower at Kings Island.
Locations
| Park | Tower height | Drop height* | Speed | Model | Opened | Height requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada's Wonderland | 230 feet (70 m) | 200 feet (61 m) | 62 mph (100 km/h) | Giant Drop | 1997 | 54 in (137 cm) |
| Carowinds | 174 feet (53 m) | 100 feet (30 m) | 56 mph (90 km/h) | Giant Drop | March 1996 | 54 in (137 cm) |
| California's Great America | 224 feet | 207 feet | 62 mph | Giant Drop | March 1996 | 54 in (137 cm) |
| Kings Dominion | 305 feet | 272 feet | 72 mph | Gyro Drop | March 22, 2003 | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Kings Island | 315 feet | 264 feet | 67 mph | Gyro Drop | 1999 | 48 in (122 cm) |
- *Drop height is only the space between the top of the tower and the braking, what is considered the "freefall" section.
Records
California Great America's installation was the tallest vertical drop amusement park ride when it opened in 1996.
| Preceded by Space Probe |
World's Tallest Vertical Drop Ride 1996 |
Succeeded by Pitt Fall |
References
- ↑ "Intamin". Martin & Vleminckx. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
- ↑ "Kings Island closes ride after Kentucky accident". The Columbus Dispatch. 2007-06-23. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drop Tower: Scream Zone. |
- Official page at Canada's Wonderland
- Official page at Carowinds
- Official page at Kings Dominion
- Official page at Kings Island