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 typically 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; maximum is 80 inches due to the seat and restraint design. The ride was debuted in 1990 with it proving an instant success with European fairgoers.

Kieputin at the Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki, Finland.
Tornado at Dunia Fantasi Jakarta (Zamperla Backflash - Suspended Windshear)

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 loops, flips, and face-down gondola "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 un-escapable water jets. Cycles can be customized to include more intense repetitive flips and also be under manual operator control. Cycles may tend to be longer at carnivals. A world record was set with over 100 gondola flips during a cycle with a theme park model in Germany.[1]

Variations
  • The original Topspin concept has two rows of seating with self lowering lap bars and rider spotlights.
  • The Giant Top Spin is a larger version of the Top Spin, seating 77 passengers in three rows on the platform. Only one park in the United States featured a Giant Top Spin, The Crypt at Kings Island in Ohio. However, its third row was removed in 2008, reducing the capacity. The ride structure was still larger than any other. It closed after the 2011 season.
  • The Suspended Top Spin is a floorless version of the ride that can hold 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 almost endless loops. This version tends to have telescoping drum supports to hold the main control arms.[1]

There are also numerous other Top Spin rides that were later developed by other companies as rivals to the Huss versions.

In addition to this, various manufacturers such as Mondial, Moser, Vekoma, and Zamperla make an improved version of the Top Spin where each individual arm is controlled separately; this results in diagonal gondola inversions. Such rides are known by names like "Wind Shear", "Super Loop on Top", "Waikiki Wave Super Flip","Super Nova" and "Discovery".

Installations
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.


The Top Spin was once a common ride at travelling funfairs, particularly in Germany. Over time, many of the travelling versions of the ride have been sold to amusement parks. Huss also makes several models of Top Spin specifically for static locations.

Worlds of Fun's Thunderhawk about to launch.
NameParkLocationManufacturerModelOpenedStatus
WipeoutDreamworld AustraliaVekomaWaikiki Wave Super Flip1993Removed
RampageAdventure World AustraliaMoser's RidesMaverick2001Operating
Buzzsaw
Formerly Screamer		Walibi Belgium BelgiumHussTop Spin2001Operating
Galaxy TwisterGalaxyland CanadaMoser's RidesLoop On Top1995Removed
Hell's GatePlayland CanadaHussTop Spin2000Operating
DemonLa Ronde CanadaMondialRoll Over2014Operating
La TornadeLa Ronde CanadaHussTop Spin1997Removed
RiptideCanada's Wonderland CanadaMondialSplash Over2000Operating
Top SpinFantasilandia ChileHussTop Spin2004Operating
Perfect StormHappy Valley Shenzhen ChinaHussTop Spin2002Operating
Perfect StormHappy Valley Wuhan ChinaHussTop Spin2012Operating
Trojan HorseHappy Valley Beijing ChinaHussTop Spin2006Operating
KieputinLinnanmäki FinlandHussTop Spin1994Operating
NYC Transformer
Formerly Riddler's Revenge		Movie Park Germany GermanyHussTop Spin1999Operating
TalocanPhantasialand GermanyHussSuspended Top Spin2007Operating
Gantu Top SpinSerengeti Park GermanyHussTop Spin 21995Operating
Aqua SpinHeide Park GermanyHussTop Spin1992Removed
Yukan RaftFort Fun Abenteurland GermanyHussTop Spin 22013Removed
EstrugensenXetulul Theme Park GuatemalaHussTop Spin2002Operating
Top SpinVidámpark HungaryHussTop Spin2004Removed
UnknownEsselWorld IndiaHussTop Spin2012Operating
GiraVolta
Formerly Top Spin		Miragica
Gardaland		 ItalyHussTop Spin2015
1993 to 2015		Operating
Tomb Raider MachineMovieland Park ItalyZamperlaWindshear2007Operating
Double Rock SpinEverland South KoreaHussSuspended Top Spin2003Operating
Blast
Formerly Excalibur		Walibi Holland NetherlandsHussTop Spin2000Operating
Montezuma's RevengeAvonturenpark Hellendoorn NetherlandsHussTop Spin 21998Operating
WaterspinDuinrell NetherlandsHussTop Spin1996Operating
HurakanTibidabo SpainHussTop Spin1992Removed
Lex Luthor's InvertatronParque Warner Madrid SpainHussTop Spin2002Operating
Top SpinParque de Atracciones de Madrid SpainHussTop Spin1993Operating
TopSpinLiseberg SwedenHussTop Spin1993Removed
Rameses RevengeChessington World of Adventures United KingdomHussTop Spin1995Removed
RipsawAlton Towers United KingdomHussTop Spin1997Removed
Terror RackPleasure Island Family Theme Park United KingdomFabbriTsunami1998Removed
Tidal WaveFlamingo Land United KingdomVekomaWaikiki Wave1993Removed
Top SpinAstroland United StatesHussTop Spin 22004Removed
CliffhangerLagoon United StatesMondialSplash Over2001Operating
The Crypt
Formerly Tomb Raider: Firefall		Kings Dominion United StatesHussSuspended Top Spin2005Removed
The Crypt
Formerly Tomb Raider: The Ride		Kings Island United StatesHussGiant Top Spin2002Removed
Der TwisterSix Flags Fiesta Texas United StatesHussTop Spin1998Removed
Firefall
Formerly Texas Twister		California's Great America
Geauga Lake		 United StatesHussTop Spin2008
1993 to 2007		Removed
King ChaosSix Flags Great America United StatesHussTop Spin2004Removed
King KahunaKennywood United StatesHussTop Spin2003Removed
Hang TimeDorney Park United StatesHussTop Spin1998Removed
Lex Luthor's InvertatronSix Flags New Orleans United StatesZamperlaWindshear2003Closed
QuakeKentucky Kingdom United StatesVekomaWaikiki Wave1992Removed
RipTideKnott's Berry Farm United StatesHussSuspended Top Spin2004Removed
RipTideValleyfair United StatesHussSuspended Top Spin2005Removed
Top SpinMyrtle Beach Pavilion United StatesHussTop Spin2006Removed
Shake, Rattle & Roll
Formerly Avalanche		Elitch Gardens United StatesHussTop Spin1995Removed
Splash OverAdventureland United StatesMoser's RidesMaverick2006Operating
ThunderhawkWorlds of Fun United StatesHussTop Spin2002Removed
TwisterDarien Lake United StatesHussTop Spin2000Removed
TwisterLake Winnepesaukah United StatesMoser's RidesMaverick2016Operating
TwisterSix Flags Great Adventure United StatesHussTop Spin1999Operating
VooDooSix Flags Discovery Kingdom United StatesHussTop Spin1998Removed
TwisterSix Flags New England United StatesHussTop Spin1997Removed
Monster SpinDragon Park Ha Long VietnamHussTop Spin 22017Operating
Thor Thunder Spin RideIMG Worlds Of Adventure United Arab EmiratesHussSuspended Top Spin2016Operating
Top SpinRomon U-Park ChinaHussSuspended Top Spin2014Operating
Top SpinDreamland JapanHussTop Spin1999Removed
Top SpinWiener Prater AustriaUnknownUnknownUnknownRemoved
VortigoEtnaland ItalyMoser's RidesSuper Loop on Top2013Operating
Top Spin FreshLe Fleury FranceUnknownUnknownUnknownRemoved
Top Spin RévolutionEuropark FranceUnknownUnknownUnknownRemoved
RevolutionParque de Atracciones de Zaragoza SpainHussTop SpinUnknownOperating
RevolutionAtracciones Lorente SpainHussTop SpinUnknownUnknown
GaleonLand of Legends TurkeyHussSuspended Top Spin2016Operating
TerminatorTir Prince Family Funfair United KingdomMoser's RidesMaverick1993Removed
Miner's RevengeGold Reef City South AfricaHussTop SpinUnknownOperating
Dokkaebi WindSeoul Land South KoreaHussTop SpinUnknownOperating
Top SpinE-World South KoreaUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
Waikiki WaveLotte World South KoreaVekomaWaikiki WaveUnknownRemoved
DesorbitadosParque de la Costa ArgentinaPreston & BarbieriSuspended Top SpinUnknownOperating
EkatombHopi Hari BrazilHussTop SpinUnknownOperating
King Kong's SpinBeijing Shijingshan Amusement Park ChinaUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
ApocalipsisSalitre Mágico ColombiaUnknownUnknownUnknownOperating
Tornado F5Parque Diversiones Costa RicaHussTop SpinUnknownOperating
TornadoDunia Fantasi IndonesiaZamperlaWindshear2007Operating
Luna SwingSpace World JapanVekomaWaikiki Wave Super FlipUnknownRemoved
HuracanSix Flags México MexicoVekomaWaikiki Wave Super Flip1993Removed
Top SpinLa Feria de Chapultepec MexicoUnknownUnknownUnknownClosed
Top SpinBenyLand JapanHussTop Spin 2UnknownOperating
Top SpinDream Park EgyptUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
Top SpinLuna Park Tel Aviv IsraelUnknownUnknownTemplate:HussOperating
SaltoEram Park IranUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
Top SpinJoyland PakistanUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown

See also

References
  1. "107 Flips on Top Spin (onride.de)". YouTube. 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
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