Freefall

My favorite 'feeling' when it comes to thrill rides/coasters is freefall. I don't even go on that many coasters (Usually 2-3 times to SFDL and once to CP) but it seems as if I don't get that cool feeling in my stomach like I used to. On coasters, I've learned that if I looked out instead of down it makes me feel like I'm flying and its really fun.

This past summer and I went to carowinds and I had the most fun on a freefall ride in a LONG time. For once I was actually sorta scared going up (My first intamin gen.2) and the drop was AMAZING. I went on Power Tower Turbo, and the sudden jerk down was ok but going the rest of the way down didn't do anything for me..

I'm not going to jump out of seats or barely lower my lapbar, but do you have any riding tips to make it more fun?

For those of you who are priveldged enough to live near a park with a drop tower, if you ride it a lot do you lose the feeling?

I'm going to Florida over Presidents week, and we are going to Magic Kingdom and MGM. I am 100% sure that I am going to enjoy Rockin Rollercoaster because I thought TTD was insane, and I know its not as fast but launched coasters are great. I'm worried that tower of terror isn't going to be any fun. I haven't been on it in 6 years or so, and I'm wondering..with the 'new version', is it a decent freefall ride? How long are the lines? Is it fun? I honestly don't remember to much other than the inside of the hotel.

If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, etc. please post..thanks!

I've never said so before, but I didn't find ToT to be as intense as I thought it would. I'm not saying that it wasn't fun, because it was still one of the best just because of the anticipation and story.

I believe that you can lose that "cool feeling in your stomach" after rideing coasters and rides too often. Coasters didn't intrest me only because of the way it made me feel though. I can feel satisfied just by sitting and watching a coaster.

I sure think that the Intamin drop rides like Drop Zone and PKI give a much better falling experience than the S&S towers. I'll wait in a much longer line for an Intamin. If the line for an S&S is more than 10 minutes I pass.

The freefall sensation is definately lost after a while. Actually, the only coaster that I ever get that sensation on is the Cannonball at Lake Winnie. Something about that ride hits me in the stomach every time.

As for fun Falling sensations, the best ride for me is Drop Zone at PKI. But then again, the best drop rides are the 1st Gens.:)

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Sentimentilly silly!

You may laugh..but I last May I got a free falling sensation on the new kiddie drop tower at Seabreeze, talk about Ironic, S&S towers? Barely anything..anyone have reviews on tot?

I thought Tower of Terror was a lot of fun. I really liked when you were at the top and the doors opened, then you dropped. The first time I rode it, I held on but the second time I didn't and it gave that really cool stomach feeling.

The thing thats important is not the amount of air but the number of air instances, ie changes in gs for me. Thats why I like S&S, TOT, and any coaster that has a great home strech (example Magnum). Long bursts of air are cool but its all about the changes because lets face it the first nanosecond of airtime is always the best.

I do find that you do loose that feeling after a while but then thankfully the offseason comes and about April you feel air again on elevators. Then you know you are re sensitized and ready for the summer :).

i heard that the one at SFOG was a stand-up drop tower is this true?

Yes, o fearless Ben......t'is true.
Anyhow, I agree that the sensation is lost after a while. I remember my first ride on Dragon Coaster at Rye...... that first drop took my breath away. When I rode it last year I was mildly entertained. As far as drop rides, the only one that turns my pages these days are the Intamin first gens. It has that certain "I don't know what" that scares the mierda out of me. I was anticipointed by Supreme Scream and Power Tower. To me the fun part was going up!

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fearless ben said:
i heard that the one at SFOG was a stand-up drop tower is this true?

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Yes, it is indeed true, but hopefully there won't be any more like this one built. The torturous wait at the bottom does numbers to your shoulders, and the brakes at the end of the rather forceless drop finish your boring ride.

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Here's hoping the one at the other end of the park outlives it's pathetic offspring.

The only rides I get "that feeling" from everytime without fail are the 1st generation Intamin Freefalls and Skycoasters...

If you are used to riding coasters you prolly wont get "the feeling" on Tower of Terror. Its prolly due to the fact that you actually are "pulled" down faster than gravity instead of actually falling. On the other hand, you will be out of your seat guaranteed...even moreso now that all seats are seatbelt seats!

Brandon Im going to have to disagree with you, I think the change in momentum you get on TOT is more powerful then most coasters.

My reasoning behind this (based on a college entry level physics so feel free to blast away) is because on TOT you get quick transitions from positive gs to negative gs that roller coasters cant do them as fast because it would both kill the wheels and track and slow down the coaster too much (friction).

im not saying you dont get a sense of weightlessness...that you do

im just saying from my experience is that I have never gotten that loose your stomach feeling on there and no one that i have ridden with has

Ride of steel-

Thats weird you got a freefall feeling on the seabreeze ride. I went on it and couldn't feel anything.

My first freefall ride was on Giant Drop at SFGAm in 1997. The first few rides were amazing, but by my fourth ride of the day, I'd actually gotten used to the freefall sensation. Once your body gets used to the sensation, it's less unnerving.

I tend to prefer S&S launch towers over both Intamin and S&S drop towers simply because of the element of surprise. You have no visual cues as to how high you're going to go before you stop, and that definitely adds another dimension to the thrill.

That is weird got the feeling on Spring at seabreeze..The drop on it is very 'uncontrolled' and part of the reason is that it doesn't stop at the top so you go up and get a little pop and float for a few feet. It was a really fun ride. I love Power Tower Space Shot because you get shot into the air and the sudden launch is wicked fun, but turbo this past summer didn't do anything for me...the scariest part was sitting at the top. Going up MF, no biggie, but Power Tower, I always feel like those restraints are gonna pop up..

If anyone has any other reviews or anything about ToT please post. Hopefully It'll be fun in some way, like coaster drops are.

The reason 'coaster drops' don't give me that freefall sensation as much anymore is because I know exactly what to expect. I used to forget about the floating time on SROS till the bottom and 'How big that drop actually is" Now I put my arms straight out and look OUT not down and it is still pretty damn fun ;)

When I rode TOT I did get that feeling in my stomach during the first drop. The other drops didn't give me the feeling.

I do get that feeling each and everytime I ride the Lochness Monster in that last car, when I rode Acrophobia, and when I ride DZ @ PKD.

Ride of Steel TOT is in a class by itself as far as freefall rides, not only do you get tons of drops you get accelerated rises and quick transitions in the dark! Combine that with a great pre ride, the anticipation of the ride to floor 13 and Disney's theming and you have one amazing ride.

I totally agree that the Intamin drop rides are more enjoyable and definatley scarier than the S&S. Ive been on several intamins, and power tower at Cedar Point, and I totally enjoy the intamin's more, especially the one at Kennywood.