Top Spin programs

For years at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, their Top Spin (Voodoo) has been in operation. It has always had the same crappy program. I would even go so far to say that the Voodoo's program ruins the ride.

So what does the program do? Takes you towards the top, locks the brakes, tilts and releases brakes giving 2-3 flips. The fun part is next. For the rest of the entire cycle, the ride cycles round and round, forward and backward, but no flips - no brakes. And for the finale, the carriage puts on the brakes while at the top, and lowers riders head first towards the non-existent water fountains. But the brakes release fairly early, so there is not much hang time.

link to entire ride cycle - http://youtube.com/watch?v=pXAJaaXBM28

Here comes the point of this post.

Yesterday I took a trip out the California's Great America. I haven't been there since they added Firefall (original Top Spin, same as Voodoo).

When I approach the ride, the first thing I notice is how great the ride looks. Nice bright orange color, big water area in front of ride, wooden walking platforms, and the giant volcanoes behind ride. The volcanoes both shoot a good amount of fire towards the beginning of every cycle. There are even more fire effects in front of the ride on the water. Plenty of hidden speakers playing jungle-type music. The park really went all out.

What I feared was about to come true...
The ride program is almost identical to Voodoo's! There are water fountains, but none get riders wet.

So after the operators let in 40 riders, make sure everyone takes their flip-flops off, all loose articles put away or put in zippered bags below seats, lower restraints, move stepping stools away from both sides of ride, swivel fences away from both sides of ride, then finally start the ride, it only lasts over a minute long!

Anyone know the reason for these poor ride programs? I can understand not wanting to make riders too sick/dizzy, but I think most people can handle more than 2-3 flips. *** Edited 6/3/2008 9:00:56 PM UTC by Scottt***

I can't tell you the reason, but I will definately back up your story about Discovery Kingdom's Voodoo. The program sucks.

I'm not a big flatride fan, but I discovered that I love TopSpis while at the Orange County Fair. The rides were owned by RCS, and their TopSpin program rocks. It just made me laugh uncontrobally it was so fun. Tried Voodoo when I was there, what a yawnfest.

when firefall was at GL as Texas Twister you were able to choose which ride cycle...but it was eventually limited to two cycles

I suspect the reason the water was not on at Great America during your recent trip is that it's too early in the season and the weather isn't conducive to soaking riders. I was at Knotts over the weekend and Riptide's water effects (as well as the waterfalls on their rapids ride) were turned off for the same reason.

From watching the video that looks like about the same program King Chaos runs at SFGAm. I believe it might give you one or two more flips in the first sequence but otherwise it looks the same.

Flips are dependent upon weight. The two are the same program, and a lame program at that. This actually seems to be the most popular program for huss top spins that ive seen from my journeys. I am not sure why parks use this program. It seems to be more of the ride swinging back and forth to prepare for whats next then actually doing any thrilling.

King Chaos SFGAm
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ILCU782gms8
Funny to note that the person recording speaks of how lame the program is, although she believes the one before that was better, which they were the same.

King Kahuna Kennywood(same prgoram)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kiwFAN_21Kc

Thunder Hawk Worlds of Fun(Slightly different program)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sj6fGLdxZNA

Twister SFNE (Same Program)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AMMJcD3c96c

Twister SFGAd (Different program)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ustuIPTn_00

Twister Darien Lake (Similar Program)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3RtbqikuIjQ

Der Twister SFFT (same program)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hwH4OprWyE4

Hang Time Dorney (Same as SFGAd)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aXHP59n_izo

Top Spin Astroland (different program)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KdW7rUpwznU

Thats it for all the same top spins in the US Astrolands looks to be the most fun to me...

As far as I know, Astroland's runs manually so the op can control the flips and give a ridiculous ride. It's the best one I've ever experienced, at least until I make it to Oktoberfest!

That is correct.

I rather talk about my favorite Top Spin Programs first than be dragged down in depression of the bad ones. The ones overseas are generally more intense. Double Rock Spin at Everland is my all time favorite with the multiple mind blurring spins. The one at Seouland closely follows it.

In the US the Strates Shows and Astroland portable manual models are the best I've been on. At Astroland they had to disrupt the ride to unload the girl for basically all the back and forth mild, hesitant swinging that's generally lame and commonplace on all the other park models. I think Hangtime at Dorney had a better program at one time. The only advantage I see left with is I see cute girls on the ride. Now it has generally the same lame program Twister @ SFGADV, Texas Twister @ GL, Voodoo @ SFDK, the model @ SFNE. I ranked Voodoo the worst because with a name like that I expected a lot more. The two Tomb Raiders I did were middle of the pack fun for me.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hfZZntNTaOw&feature=related
I would at least want a run like this. *** Edited 6/4/2008 2:30:04 AM UTC by CHILLERLC1*** *** Edited 6/4/2008 2:46:17 AM UTC by CHILLERLC1***

How does The Crypt's (KI) new program compare to Voodoo's?

I once rode a TopSpin/HangTime/Voodoo type ride at the Bloomsburg Fair that would flip you six times in a row, tilt the entire platform, and then flip you backwards seven or eight times in a row. They'd also hang you upside down for an entire rotation or two. It was the best. When Dorney got HangTime, I thought it would be the same thing, especially when I heard the program would be random. However, as is the case with many Dorney rides, they dumbed it down and hence, the same program as everywhere else. If you ever want to experience a crazy TopSpin program, hit Bloomsburg Fair, a ride called Flippin' Out.

Darien lakes program has been the same for years. When it first opened they used different programs. Six flags had it set to one program a few years ago but now they need to change it.

I find that generally GP walk off poor program Top Spins feeling the same the way we do: the program really ruined the ride.

To the person who asked above, IMO, The Crypt's program is a lot better/intense than the Tomb Raider one's (more than double the flips!), but NOT as good or as intense as the Dorney/GAdv programs.

Did anyone go to coastercon the year it was at Cedar Point and Geauga Lake? The ride on "Texas Twister" as it was known then was awesome during ERT.

As far as Top Spins, the best one I have been on is Kings Dominion's Firefall/Crypt. The cycle is fun, but not too intense. The fire and water effects are great, and the soundtrack just makes it complete. It also helps that Volcano:The Blast Coaster is just steps away!

Unfortunately if you hit the Bloomsburg fair these days you will not find "Flippin' Out"... unless you see my reaction of the midway. Reitoffers used to bring their one-of-a-kind "european" fair rides. The big dissapointment was a couple years ago when they stopped bringing the Chance "Gentle Giant" wheen in favor of the Century Wheel. The giant wheel was a fair icon, and was the signal for the midway to begin and end operations for the day. Now there are more "family" rides, nothing like the days of Flippin Out, See Sturm Bahn, and Tango.

Kennywood's is the worst. It only spins once or twice, then when the water is on you get soaked and all the water from the floor rushes up your nose. Its the worst ride ever.

By far the best is at Astroland and I got soaked on the one at Knotts.

Best Top Spin Ive been on is the WoF one. The water effects were working, great and the thing did a decent amount of flips. However, I have never ridden on a Top Spin on "manual mode" so Im a novice.

Last year at a carnival in Hollister, CA operated by http://www.midwayoffun.com they had a Top Spin (knock-off) called Wind Shear:

http://www.midwayoffun.com/ride7.htm

The ride was manually controlled and for our cycle, the operator flipped us exactly 100 times in a row (no kidding, I counted). It was even a bit much for me.