Drop Towers

[silenthillXD]

Basically, yesterday I visited Thorpe and finally got around to attempting Detonator, despite putting it off for ages I really enjoyed it, but now I really want to ride more drop towers. So my questions are:
1. Which drop towers do people think are the best?
2. How does Apocalypse compare to Detonator considering it isn't launched down?
3. What are each of the sides like on Apocalypse?

And a mildly related question here:

Should I go to Oakwood for Megaphobia and Speed, or Drayton for Shockwave and Apocalypse?

 

[DelPiero]

1 - I've only been on Detonator and Apocalypse, both are excellent. I prefer Apocalypse though.
2 - The height is the main thing, it takes forever to get the the top (or feels like it anyway) and you have a great view of the area from the top. There is no countdown and is a total surprise. You are still plummeting down until you get to the main part of the building and that's the "oh ****!" moment for me.
3 - Floorless standup was my favourite side, good view and made me pull my legs up near the bottom. Sit down wasn't as intense for me but still very very good.

Shockwave was a let down for me, apart from Apoc, there's nothing at Drayton (coasterwise) that would take me back there. Yet to go to Oakwood so not qualified to comment.

 

[CookieCoasters]

1) Intamin ones like Apocalypse and Fabbri ones like Detanator are generally thought to be the best and usually offer intense drops. There is a company (which i forget the name of) that makes drop towers where as soon as you get to the top you drop, which people say are also very good, but they are only in the US from what i know.

Other common drop tower style rides are S&S space shots (launch up), Turbo drop (launch down, but not as intense as detonator) and combo towers (they do both). An example of a space shot would be Ice Blast at BPP. I personally, don't think these are as good but you may think differently. Tower of Terror at Disney Parks and Mystery Castle at Phantasialand are enclosed drop towers, that offer longer rides and different experiences.

2) I wouldn't say that Apocalypse's drop (sit-down mode) is quite as intense at Detonator's, but it is still very good, plus it is higher and the views are better.

3) The sit-down side is standard drop tower experience, but still very good. I would say that the standard up with floor gives the most accurate experience of what standing up is like on a drop tower, but the stand-up without floor i found the scariest, because you tilt forward. The stand-up ones are scarier, but the drops feel very different to when you are sitting down. Apocalypse is probably my favourite drop tower (not counting Tower of Terror), because it offers so many different experiences and it is fun to try each one. Also, the queues are usually very short and i got 20 rides in on my last visit.

Note: the floorless stand-up is a little uncomfortable when you hit the brakes


For your last question:

Oakwood: Not got much, but is a nice park to relax at.
Drayton Manor: The park is pretty yuck, but they got more rides (not many good ones)

Megaphobia: Quite rough, but plenty of airtime and overall a really good ride that you should get lots of rides on as the park is usually quiet
Speed: It is a vile piece of ****. Worse than Saw.

Apocalypse: As i said above it is awesome and one of only two really good rides at DM (the other being stormforce).
Shockwave: It was pretty horrible when i rode it earlier this year, so don't expect a fun ride.

I prefer Oakwood, but i will let you judge where you want to go.

 

[rtotheizzo17]

I prefer the drop towers opposed to the launch towers.

Acrophobia at SFoG is my favorite traditional drop tower.

Mach Tower @ BGW is great because of the views, very slow rotation to the top.

Dr. Doom is probably my favorite launched tower.

Tower of Terror at DHS is my favorite ride in the world, period. But that is in a league of its own when it comes to drop towers.

 

[BBH]

I've only been on Giant Drop at Great America, which is a standard Intamin second-gen model. But that airtime was just insane.

 

[Bottom_Feeder_13]

First gen Intamin's are the best along with ARM/Larson towers because the drop is completely unexpected with an almost violent release. Really frightening and they both feature pretty thin, loose OSTRs that make them so much better. It really is a massive shame there's so few first gens left (3 or 4) as they were brilliant rides.

 

[jolash]

Believe it or not I actually have a great fear of heights. Roller coasters don't phase me, but drop towers really get my nerves going so I usually try to stay away. Same for observation towers, large Ferris wheels, sky lift type rides, etc. I'll try anything once, but I about lost my sh$t on Windseeker.

 

[silenthillXD]

Believe it or not I actually have a great fear of heights. Roller coasters don't phase me, but drop towers really get my nerves going so I usually try to stay away. Same for observation towers, large Ferris wheels, sky lift type rides, etc. I'll try anything once, but I about lost my sh$t on Windseeker.

Have you tried any of the smaller ABC Drop Towers or the Zeirra/Intamin family drop coasters? That's how I managed to conquer my fear of drop towers. Just don't jump straight on the Fabbri Mega Drops, as much as I love Detonator, that thing is fierce! :shock:

Shame these ARM LARSON Drop Towers I keep hearing about aren't in the UK they sound absolutely amazing! Mind you I think the ones I am dying to go on are, Lex Luthor, Falcons Fury and of course all of the the amazing looking Tower of Terrors!

 

[FaceYourNemesis]

I've only done Huracan Condor and Apocalypse, so can't speak for the other drop towers.

I find sit down to be the most intense element on Apocalypse. You get some pretty incredible airtime. Stand up floored is the same, yet you also have the added factor of standing on a metal plate, which makes the whole experience pretty intimidating. Stand up floorless is the weakest option of the three. It's essentially the same as sitting down, but without the floaty sensation.

 

[Casio]

For me:
1. Lex Luthor
2. Huracan Condor
3. Big Shot (Stratosphere)
4. Detonator
5. Apocalypse
6. Power Tower (Travelling Maurer)

7. All the other rubbish S&Ss and Bounce at Oakwood

The top three only really rank up there for me because of their height/location, especially Big Shot. Condor and Luthor do have great drops, mainly because they're just so long, but I would still say Detonator is the most powerful drop. Apocalypse is just as good as Det really; it's so much higher than anything else in the park that it makes up for the drop not being quite so good.

I recently went to Oakwood for the first time and really enjoyed it, the park is grotty but the rides are good. Megafobia in the back row is my favourite UK ride, Hydro is very good and I actually thought Speed was pretty decent too. The coasters at Drayton are **** (although I haven't been since they put in the two family ones) but Apoc, Storm Force and Maelstrom are great. I'd say Drayton is probably worth more of a day out, it really depends on which is further for you; I drove 5 hours each way for Oakwood, which was not fun.

 

[FaceYourNemesis]

^I don't know why people rave about Huracan Condor so much. I found it to be so forceless.

 

[mistermister]

Ive been on a few, and Drop Zone (or whatever the name is now) at KD is my favorite. It feels like the brakes dont kick in until the last possible second, and coupling that with it being one of the taller ones out there it makes for a great ride. Mach Tower was pretty disappointing for me aside from the views, and Dr. Dooms fear fall is the only launched one ive ever been on, so I cant really give a comparative representation.

 

[Yeti]

I can only answer 3.

Sit down is exactly like any other tower: go up, go down.

Both the 'stand ups' tilt forwards as you are going up, which is pretty cool.

I prefer stand up with the floor, because it really feels like you a standing up. Floorless just feels like you are sitting, except with more freedom.

 

[CPSFMMCW]

Intamin drop towers are the best. The KD and KI drop towers, falcons fury, and lex Luthor and zumanjaro drop of doom. And for comparison, you have mäch Tower at BGW. If it was made by intamin, it could've been so much better.

 

[andrus]

1. Which drop towers do people think are the best?

Out of the ones I've been on:
1) Drop Tower (KD)
2) Scream (Heide Park)
3) Huracan Condor (PortAventura)

I like the gyro drops the best; it just feels like they're slightly more powerful than the regular Intamin towers. Plus you get a great view on the journey up the tower! Drop Tower is slightly taller and breaks further down which is why I place it above Scream.

2. How does Apocalypse compare to Detonator considering it isn't launched down?

I haven't been on Apocalypse but have been to other Intamin combo towers (Huracan among others). Detonator gives a slight moment of ejector at the top as you get "launched" and then (the acceleration) slows down to regular free fall. The Intamin towers on the other hand are all free fall and hence feel (at least imo) more and more thrilling as the car falls closer to the ground. Detonator gets a slight plus for the launch aspect, but really Apocalypse should in theory without having been on it be much better due to its heigt!

3. What are each of the sides like on Apocalypse?

The stand up option is more spacious than the other seats (which is a bit cramped imo). It's also a lot more thrilling as the seat is more open and it's feeling sort of like you're going to fall out of the car! The level of comfort is just about the same. I've heard a lot of people complaining of "ball crushing" on the stand up side, but I was perfectly fine.