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Intamin 1st Gen Free Falls

alexr

alexr

Hyper Poster
I have been quite intrested in these rides as their is not many left. Does Anyone know what the ride experience was like, They look like intersting rides, A cross between a coaster and a drop tower.

Anyone Know what the ride experience was like?
 
Here's a video of Demon Drop, previously at Cedar Point, now at Dorney Park. It also uses the parts of the former Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall, another 1st gen drop tower, that was at Geauga Lake.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUCKe9qPIAc[/youtube]

Frankly, these are some of my favorite drop towers. Simple ride, 3 second drop timer, and a good pop of airtime. A bit shaky because of its ride nature, but it still is a very fun ride.
 
How many of these are there left in the world and where are they?
I know there's one in the Movieland park in Italy.
 
Is Demon Drop not a Dorney Park now I think. Also I think it was a few years ago but did Loudon Castle not submit planning Permission for a first gen Free Fall (Pre owned.)
 
There are four that I know of in Japan (two that I have ridden).
Himeji Central Park
Nagashima Spaland
Rusutsu Resort
Tokyo Summerland

They give a more interesting ride than the more clinical one that the newer Intamin towers do.
Giovanola that worked on these rides together with Intamin, have on their own been trying to sell a version with a loop.
 
alexr said:
Is Demon Drop not a Dorney Park now I think. Also I think it was a few years ago but did Loudon Castle not submit planning Permission for a first gen Free Fall (Pre owned.)
Click to expand...
Yeah. It sucked.

The cars are too enclosed and uncomfortable, the track is so rough and the tiliting mechanisms are vile. The only redeeming feature is that it does have a nice bit of airtime.

I've ridden the one at Dorney, and to be honest, I wouldn't go rushing back for another ride.
 
Sooooo much scarier than the newer versions, solely because they look like someone stole a leg off the eiffel tower and run about as smoothly as a 18th century wool mill

I only did the one at Magic Mountain, but it was amazing.

I know that Imagineering used to find them equally fascinating- if you look at any of the early concepts for Tower of Terror, they all proposed to use the same system. Small cars, moving forwards at the top, curved run off track

In fact, the early Discovery Mountain concepts for Disneyland Paris (prior to being reduced to being just a space mountain, they wanted to build an entire indoor ride and restaurant facility in the mountain too) had one coming out of a volcano in paintings


Can't someone just make a version using modern magnetic brakes and a more refined lift system? =)
 
I rode the one in SFOT, it was interesting, but I elected to move on. I feel like they have moved it by now? That was back in '05, so I;m not sure.
 
I've never really understood why people rate these so highly; the modern drop towers are so much better.
 
I also agree with Gavin on this one. I don't mind them as much as others seem to, but I never understood the huge love that Demon Drop got from Snoo, Hyde or Error.
Don't get me wrong, I used to really like Free Fall Stunt Tower at SFGAdv but that was years ago before the new generation of drop towers. The only reason I ride them today is more for nostalgia & I'm glad they're still around.
 
They definitely look interesting. Not sure whether they'd be more or less fun than a standard drop tower. It's something I wouldn't mind a go on though. Pity there aren't many left.
 
Well, similar to Schwarzkopf, if I may reference that, they were the pioneers of their respective thrills. They were new, and they were awesome back in the day. But now, with the course that technology has taken, they are outdated. They still deserve a ride though, as you don;t appreciate what you got until you see what you had ;)

EDIT: Just thought I would throw this in there:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8XJVKOe44w[/youtube]
 
alexr said:
So they are overated?

Btw would they in anyway qualify to be a coaster?
Click to expand...
The TOGO Ultra twisters are coaster and they are pretty similar in an overall sense... :)

Comparing Intamin 1:st gen and newer drop towers then:
The Newer models takes the fear of heights and falling to a clinical ride experience, where as the 1:st gen you more or less expect it to fall to pieces at any time (due to the sound) and it makes you happy to survive the ride.

You can't really compare the two since they offer such a different experience over all.
 
I do have a huge love for these.. as Jerry pointed out. Demon Drop was one of my favorite drop towers. It really was a 'how was I feeling' kinda thing.. because I can ride it one time and it will burn my brain or I can ride it 10x and feel fantastic. Same goes for some coasters of course.

The thing I do love is that feeling of airtime.. which you can't get on many drop rides.. definitely not S&S and only kinda on the next few generations of the Intamin's.
 
I've always liked the look of these thigns and wanted to try one. No idea why, they just seem to look more interesting than the newer generations.
 
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