Skyfall in Orlando... To Not Be Tallest Drop Tower???

[TTD03]

So a surprising find came up today, after I just posted about the new 450 foot Skyfall drop tower for Skyplex... it might not actually be the tallest drop tower after all...

The Skyplex on I-Drive in Orlando has already been announced to include Skyscraper, the world's tallest roller coaster when it opens in 2017... but developers have already added another record to the structure - the world's tallest drop ride.

Named Skyfall, the attraction will be attached to the side of the tower and plunge riders down from 460 feet at over 90 miles per hour after holding them in suspense for 15 seconds. In order to not interfere with the Skyscraper roller coaster, Skyfall will be located behind its supports and track - meaning the two rides could pass by each other while in operation.

The current record for tallest drop ride is held by Zumanjaro at New Jersey's Six Flags Great Adventure - which stand 415 feet tall. Developers behind the Skyplex entertainment district and tower have not released new concept art for the project that includes Skyfall. They have added some high resolution images of the tower that includes the layout of Skyscraper, however, which are pretty fun to look over. One other promising note - Theme Park Review just recently confirmed that Intamin will be responsible for both the coaster and the free fall, which is great news for both rides.

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Interestingly, there's also a planned project in Miami named Skyrise that would be a 1,000 foot tall observation tower and entertainment complex - a planned major tourist draw.

The tower would contain the Skyrise Drop, a free fall tower that starts at around 650 feet above the ground. Yikes! I'd ride it, though.

The ride would be on the North side of the giant tower and utilize one 12 passenger car. Developers are quoting 95 miles per hour as the speed attained on the way down.

The Skyrise project has had a lot of drama surrounding it, and so it remains to be seen if we will be able to fall from 650 feet some day. Keep your fingers crossed!
credit newsplusnotes

A 650 foot tall drop tower? Wow. I would definitely do that, but man, that's a huge drop.

That would make me more anxious than going to a Calculus 3 exam with only mild study time beforehand and I forgot my writing utensil, and there was a wasp in the room. But I probably would still ride it if I ever traveled there.

[Dirk_Ermen]

650ft? Why not the full 1000ft?

[TTD03]

Dirk_Ermen wrote:

650ft? Why not the full 1000ft?

I wondered that as well.
But notice, Zumanjaro is 415 feet and falls 90 MPH.
The new proposed one at 450 feet was also supposed to fall at 90 MPH.
And then the 650 foot one was supposed to fall at 95 MPH.

Are these drop tower's reaching terminal velocity or something

[mkingy]

TTD03 wrote:

Dirk_Ermen wrote:

650ft? Why not the full 1000ft?

I wondered that as well.
But notice, Zumanjaro is 415 feet and falls 90 MPH.
The new proposed one at 450 feet was also supposed to fall at 90 MPH.
And then the 650 foot one was supposed to fall at 95 MPH.

Are these drop tower's reaching terminal velocity or something

Yes.

[TTD03]

Terminal Velocity is 90-95 mph now?
Always thought it was faster.
Guess that means we are reaching the end of fast drop towers

[mkingy]

It's completely dependent on the aerodynamics of the car and the friction of the wheels. Less drag - faster drop tower.

mkingy wrote:

It's completely dependent on the aerodynamics of the car and the friction of the wheels. Less drag - faster drop tower.

correct lol

^650 feet is batsh*t crazy. I would ride it though, and you wouldn't have to pay me. It felt like forever to get to the top of Zumanjaro, and if this is built, the climb up may be more terrifying than the drop down. Also, Im concerned about wind speed up there. Zumanjaro was swaying a bit in the wind up at 415 feet, and it was a calm day. But 650 feet? Who knows?

^
how fast does Zumanjaro climb? compared to Lex luther?
Lex luther gets there pretty fast.

as long as the records in florida

[TTD03]

Helo9797 wrote:

^
how fast does Zumanjaro climb? compared to Lex luther?
Lex luther gets there pretty fast.

Zumanjaro takes well over a minute. Maybe 90 seconds. The original goal was 30, but our motor is so sketchy with the weight that it goes up really slowly.
Lex Luthor has its bugs worked out and it goes up very quick.

[Dirk_Ermen]

TTD03 wrote:

Zumanjaro takes well over a minute. Maybe 90 seconds. The original goal was 30, but our motor is so sketchy with the weight that it goes up really slowly.

Sounds like Six Flags didn't felt for paying double as much for a quality motor.

[TTD03]

^ Quality, how about one that doesn't stop working every 3 cycles and has to be reset and tested.

TTD03 wrote:

^ Quality, how about one that doesn't stop working every 3 cycles and has to be reset and tested.

oh god it sounds like zuminjaro is a pain in the ass to work

[Paradox]

deere839 wrote:

TTD03 wrote:

^ Quality, how about one that doesn't stop working every 3 cycles and has to be reset and tested.

oh god it sounds like zuminjaro is a pain in the ass to work

Blame New Jersey

and Obama

[Dirk_Ermen]

Paradox wrote:

deere839 wrote:

TTD03 wrote:

^ Quality, how about one that doesn't stop working every 3 cycles and has to be reset and tested.

oh god it sounds like zuminjaro is a pain in the ass to work

Blame New Jersey

and Obama

I would more say blame Six Flags. They are cutting the costs on anything possible, instead of buying quality stuff from the manufacturers.

[TTD03]

^ I'm gonna have to side with Six Flags, the state is actually the issue for this one.
As for the mechanical stuff, that's part Intamin and Six Flags, but for running the rides together, that's all the state's issue.