Theme parks around the world are building thrill rides to attract people from all walks
of life.
From roller coasters to dark rides, water rides, interactive 3D rides, and rides with
animatronics, to pendulums, ziplines, swing rides, drop towers, and even journeys to a
galaxy far, far away.
I’m Eric and today we are taking you on a wild thrill ride experience that is sure
to get your adrenaline pumping.
Number Fifteen
Opened on the 4th of July, 2014, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom is the tallest drop tower in
the world.
This thrill ride shares the structure of Kingda Ka, at Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari
in Jackson, New Jersey.
After you zoom up to the top in 30 seconds, you are then paused for a breathtaking view
of the park, before the 8-person gondola drops you 415 feet, at an incredible 90 miles per
hour.
Number Fourteen
Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth just opened in June of 2019 at Six Flags Great Adventure
and Safari, in New Jersey.
The world’s tallest pendulum ride at 17 stories high, it rotates counterclockwise
while swinging back and forth.
It can hold 40 riders and will reach speeds up to 70 miles per hour.
Number Thirteen
If your ever in Las Vegas and need a thrill, checkout the SlotZilla Zip Lines at Freemont
Street Experience.
With two options of excitement, the Zipline and the Zoomline, you can try the one that
is right for you.
The Zipline starts seven stories up and takes you in a sitting position halfway down the
Freemont Experience in just 30 seconds.
The Zoomline starts at a whopping eleven stories high and zooms you down the whole Freemont
Experience riding superman style in just one minute.
Number Twelve
After your done on the ziplines, you can head over to the roof of the Stratosphere Hotel
and Casino and try out these great thrills.
XScream propels you 27 feet over the edge of the hotel and dangles you above the Las
Vegas Strip, then pulls you back, just to do it again.
Big Shot shoots you up 160-feet in the air from the top of the Stratosphere at 45 miles
per hour, giving another excellent view of the Vegas Strip.
Insanity is a giant mechanical arm that extends you 64 feet out over the edge of the hotel
at 866 feet above the city.
You are then spun out at a 70-degree angle looking down on the strip at a dizzying height.
Number Eleven
The Iron Man Experience at Disneyland Hong Kong is a 3D motion simulator attraction in
Tomorrowland.
This opened in January of 2017 and was the first Marvel property to become a Disney attraction.
Here you are recruited by Tony Stark, at the fictional Stark Expo, to fend off the forces
of Hydra who are attacking Hong Kong.
Number Ten
If swinging is your thing, you can head on over to the other Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth
Ride in Maryland at Six Flags America.
Yes, the same name as the one earlier, but with different themes.
Here you spin atop a 24-story tower, swinging in a 98-foot circle, at speeds of 40 miles
per hour.
Number Nine
Harley Quinn has her own pendulum ride at Six Flags New England.
Harley could only manage 15 stories high, but it still reaches speeds of 70 miles per
hour, and you still get the same thrilling ride experience.
Number Eight
Staying at the Liseberg Amusement Park, we have Mechanica, Loke, and AtmosFear.
On Mechanica, Gondola’s rotate 360 degrees backward and forward, while the star rotates
360 around the bracket, and the pendulum itself rotates 360 degrees.
Loke is a Gyro Swing, with occupants facing outwards on a rotating gondola suspended in
a pendulum.
The pendulum swings up, achieving a maximum speed of 62 miles per hour.
AtmosFear is now the second tallest drop tower in Europe at 300 feet and gives you amazing
views of Liseberg and the surrounding Gothenburg landscape.
Number Seven
The Giant Canyon Swing, in Glenwood Springs, at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, is built
on the side of a cliff.
Going nearly vertical on each swing, this goes out some 1,300 feet above the Colorado
River.
At almost 50 miles per hour, this will give you that thrilling hanging in the air feeling
in your gut, just like your first date.
I'm Allie, and it's Minds Eye Trivia time.
By looking at just these images, do you know what this is and where it's from?
Leave the correct answer or your best guess in the comment section below.
Number Six
If you’re in Canada and need to find some thrills, you can check out these rides at
Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario.
Shockwave shocks its riders with its exciting twists and turns.
Prepare to be thrilled as you're lifted high in the air, spun and rotated, and turned in
every direction, at every angle.
Number Five
Skull Island Reign of Kong is a trackless dark ride that opened on July 13th, 2016 at
Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Orlando.
The large expedition vehicles are the most massive trackless vehicles in a theme park.
Each one of the track vehicles employs one of five audio-animatronic drivers, each with
their own unique characteristics.
The biggest animatronic of them all, Kong himself, shows up at the end of the ride,
so beware!
Number Four
Replacing the Jurrasic Park ride, which ended last September after a 22-year run, Jurassic
World opened in July 2019.
The most significant difference between the two rides is the addition of an area featuring
a large display, after which you enter a virtual aquarium with a Mosasaurus eating a giant
shark.
They did away with the raptors in the shadows and brought in the big guns with the Indominus
Rex.
Jurassic World brings you better effects and more scary moments until the final old school
plunge at the end.
Number Three
Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom opened in July of 2012 and was the tallest drop tower in the
world at the time.
The drop tower is integrated into the Superman: Escape from Krypton tower at Six Flags Magic
Mountain, in California.
Now, this comes in second place behind Zumanjaro with a 400-foot drop at 85 miles per hour.
This is still a very formidable drop so if you can’t get to the tallest, second will
surely do.
Number Two
Universal Orlando calls Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure the most themed,
family-friendly, state-of-the-art roller coaster it has ever done.
Opened in June of 2019 and located at Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, this
replaces the Dragon Challenge Coaster.
After joining Professor Rubeus Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class, you are taken
deep into the Forbidden Forest where you are introduced to rare fantastic beasts, including
the never seen before Blast Ended Skrewt.
Number One
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is now open at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, and
Disneyland in California.
It takes you to Black Spire Outpost, where there are two new thrill rides, Millennium
Falcon: Smugglers Run, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Smugglers Run puts you in the cockpit of the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy battling
Imperial TIE Fighters while on a secret mission to save the galaxy.
Rise of the Resistance puts you in a battle between the Resistance and the First Order.