Madhouse (ride)

A Madhouse is a flat ride manufactured by Vekoma.[1][2] The ride is designed to be an optical and physical illusion, consisting of several rows of seats attached to a swaying gondola within a rotating drum. The ride creates the impression that the rider is turning upside down, whereas it is actually the room that is moving around them.

The ride is a modern implementation of a haunted swing illusion.

Mack Rides also builds similar attractions, calling them "Revolving House".[3]

Ride experience

Madhouses are often extensively themed during the ride sequence, and usually in the queue line. Several Madhouses feature pre-shows explaining a story behind the ride. Once in the ride, lapbars are lowered onto the riders, before they gradually experience an odd sense of movement. This is achieved through two mechanisms - the separate floor can move in a controlled swing from side-to-side by up to 15 degrees in each direction, but the surroundings of the room can rotate through a full 360 degrees. The pivot mechanism for the floor is hidden by two large objects at the end of the room, which are themed to match the ride.

At this point, both the floor and the room are slowly moving in unison. As the ride continues, the floor starts a separate movement from the rotating drum which gradually gives the impression that the room is rotating backwards and forwards further each time. Vekoma offers theme parks the option of programming their own sequence of how the room and floor move. In many Madhouses, the lighting subtly changes from moment to moment to add to the disorientation. Eventually, the drum mechanism turns through a full rotation and, by careful synchronisation with the sensation of the swinging floor mechanism, the riders are fooled into feeling as if they themselves are being repeatedly turned upside down.[4][5][6]

List of Madhouses

Name Park Country Opened Manufacturer
Alpenhotel Rasch (parts of)- (Mobile Mad House)Germany2011?
Défi de César, leParc AstérixFrance2008Mack Rides
Feng Ju PalacePhantasialandGermany2002Vekoma
Fluch der KassandraEuropa-ParkGermany2000Mack Rides
Haunting, TheDrayton ManorGreat Britain1996Vekoma
HerzogschaukelMärchengarten Blühendes Barock LudwigsburgGermany1972?
Hex – The legend of the TowersAlton TowersGreat Britain2000Vekoma
Hex’n Wippn- (Mobile Mad House)Germany1968Lielie
Hexenschaukel- (Mobile Mad House)Germany1894U. Keller
Hotel EmbrujadoParque Warner MadridSpain2002Vekoma
Houdini – The Great EscapeSix Flags New EnglandUSA1999Vekoma
Houdini’s Great EscapeSix Flags Great AdventureUSA1999Vekoma
Jack the RipperWiener PraterAustria1997?
Maison d’Houdini, laBellewaerdeBelgium1999Vekoma
Magic HouseGardalandItaly2002Vekoma
Maison HoudiniRainbow MagicLandItaly2011Vekoma
Merlin’s Magic CastleWalibi WorldNetherlands2000Vekoma
Merlin's Mystical MansionClark's Trading Post, Lincoln New HampshireUSA?Vekoma
Noah’s incredible adventureNoah’s Ark Water ParkUSA2003–2009Mack Rides
Palais du génie, leWalibi BelgiumBelgium2001Vekoma
Rotating HouseEverlandSouth Korea2007Mack Rides
Space AdventureGenting Theme ParkMalaysia1998Vekoma
SpukhausTaunus WunderlandGermany1973Schwingel GmbH
Valhalla BorgenTivoli KopenhagenDenmark1998–2007Vekoma
Verlies des GrauensBelantisGermany2003Vekoma
Verhextes SchlossFreizeitpark TraumlandGermany? ?
Villa VoltaEftelingNetherlands1996Vekoma

References

  1. ↑ "Vekoma". coasterforce.com. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
  2. ↑ "Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV - madhouse". vekoma.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  3. ↑ "Revolving House by Mack Rides". mack-rides.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  4. ↑ "Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV - madhouse". vekoma.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  5. ↑ "Revolving House by Mack Rides". mack-rides.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  6. ↑ "Video of the mechanism". youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.

External links

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