Top Spin (ride)


The Top Spin is a thrill ride developed by HUSS Park Attractions, and is the generic name for a series of rides from other manufacturers that follow the same principle. The ride consists of a passenger platform suspended between two counterweighted arms. The arms are turned by motors, while the platform usually only has brakes that are engaged and disengaged at various points of the ride cycle. A typical Top Spin program runs the main arm motors while engaging and disengaging the platform brakes so that it will rotate in exciting ways. The minimum rider height requirement is 54 inches, and the maximum is 80 inches, due to the seat and restraint design. The ride was first introduced to the public in 1990 on European fair circuits.

Ride experience

HUSS has designed the ride so that park and carnival operators may choose one of eight preset ride "programs". Most last no more than two minutes and consist of several moderate-speed flips and face-down "hangtime", before unlocking the gondola hydraulics and swinging the riders back and forth. Some Top Spin rides have the added feature of water fountains, which are mainly used at the end of the ride sequence, soaking the riders as they are slowly lowered face-first into the jets. Cycles can be customized to include more intense repetitive flips, and also can be put under manual operator control. A world record was set with over 100 gondola flips during a cycle on a Top Spin in Germany.

Variations

  • The original Top Spin has two rows of 20 seats each, for a 40-passenger total, with self-lowering lap bars and rider spotlights.
  • The Giant Top Spin is a larger version of the Top Spin, seating up to 84 passengers in three rows on the platform. Only one Giant Top Spin was ever built, The Crypt at Kings Island. However, its third row was removed in 2008, reducing its capacity. It closed after the 2011 season.
  • The Suspended Top Spin is a floorless version of the ride that can hold up to 38 passengers in two rows back-to-back.
  • The Top Spin 2 is a smaller version of the original, designed for showmen who require a ride that fits onto a single trailer. This version enables the platform to perform more flips. It also features telescoping drum supports to hold the main control arms.
There are numerous other Top Spin-inspired ride models that were later developed by other manufacturers. Some of these variations of allow each individual arm to be controlled separately, creating diagonal gondola inversions. Various examples of Top Spin-inspired ride models include "Windshear" by Zamperla, "Super Loop" by Moser's Rides, "Waikiki Wave" by Vekoma, "Super Nova" by Mondial, and "Discovery" by KMG.

Installations

The Top Spin was once a common ride at travelling carnivals, particularly in Germany. Over time, many of the travelling versions of the ride have been sold to amusement parks or put in storage indefinitely.
Below are lists of all known Top Spin rides.