Dreamworld's new high-tech thrill ride The Giant Drop (to open in
December this year), will be the tallest free fall ride in the world
Mr Fred Maybury announced today.
Unveiling details for the first time, Mr Maybury said he is very
excited about the Park's new ride which will create three world
"firsts".
"The Giant Drop" will share the physical tower that supports the
fastest, tallest roller coaster in the world - the Tower of Terror,
creating structural design and construction history for rides of this
type.
"And, much to the delight of thrill-seekers, The Giant Drop will be
the tallest free fall ride in the world, enabling visitors to put
Einstein's theory of relativity - 'what goes up must come down' - to
the test in safe and exhilarating environs," Mr Maybury said.
Peaking at 119 metres high, passengers will experience the excitement
and exhilaration of falling from 39 storeys at the speed of gravity
(up to 135 kilometres per hour) aboard one of two 8-seater horizontal
gondolas. Their legs will hang freely.
Mr Maybury said: "the dual 8-seater gondolas will be used for the
first time on a ride of this height and design and will operate from
the eastern and western convex curves of the existing tower".
The Giant Drop will be themed as a dilapidated oil rig site, The
Giant Oil Company, spanning over 500 square metres. As passengers
enter the ride they will experience a sense of instability and
inpending doom surrounded by a 16 metre replica oil rig, trails of
wooden and metal ramping, fossilised mammoth and oil pumping "Nodding
Donkeys".
The Giant Drop will be an all weather ride, capable of handling 600
to 800 passengers per hour, that in the construction phase will cause
minimal disruption to the operation of the Tower of Terror.
Construction is underway on The Giant Drop which is being
manufactured by Ride Trade Corp, sister company of the Tower of
Terror designs, Intamin AG of Switzerland.
Twin cables on each gondola will draw the carriage to the tower top
secured by specially designed precision ground guide rails developed
by British Steel.
Up to 30 local tradespeople will assemble the ride components being
delivered from Europe. Installation of The Giant Drop is being
overseen by Dreamworld's ride construction team who were responsible
for the Tower of Terror.
