Top Spin (ride)

Kieputin at the Linnanmäki in Helsinki, (An original Huss Top Spin)
Soriani & Moser Super Loop On Top (A Top Spin ride Variation)

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 introduced to the public in 1990 and proved an instant success with European fairgoers.

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. A world record was set with over 100 gondola flips during a cycle with a theme park model in Germany.[1]

Variations

  • The original Top Spin concept has two rows of seating for 40 riders 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 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 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 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. Examples include "Wind Shear", "Super Loop on Top", "Waikiki Wave Super Flip","Super Nova" and "Discovery".

Installations


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.

Transportable

Name Owner Country Manufacturer Model Premiere Status
Top Spin No.1 [Prototype] Peter Bausch Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1990 Operating
Colorado Rafting Bruch Schneider Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1990 Sold
Revolution Ronny Weber Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1990 Stored
Top Spin FRESH E.Fleur France France Huss Top Spin 1991 Operating
Top Spin Ludewigt Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1991 Stored
Revolution Naisse France France Huss Top Spin 1992 Stored
Revolution/Top Spin Dir.Paillet France France Huss Top Spin 1992 Stored
Top Spin 2 Plaenert Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 2 1993 Sold
Top Spin Buser Switzerland Switzerland Huss Top Spin 2 1993 Sold
Top Spin Strates Shows United States United States Huss Top Spin 1993 Stored
Top Spin FRESH Decker-Schaak Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1993 Operating
Bat Spin
Formerly: Top Spin		 Picci Italy Italy Huss Top Spin 1994 Stored
Top Spin Straub Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 2 1994 Stored
Top Spin 2 Meyer-Hadlok Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 2 1994 Sold
Top Spin Nº1 Karl-Heinz Scheele Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 2 1996 Sold
Top Spin Ludewigt Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1997 Sold
Top Spin Plaenert Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1997 Sold
Top Spin Nº2 Lucka Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 2 2001 Operating

Theme parks

Name Park Country Manufacturer Model Premiere Status
Miner's Revenge
Formerly: Colorado Rafting		 Funfair (1990)

Gold Reef City (1999)

South Africa South Africa Huss Top Spin 1990 Operating
Aqua Spin Heide Park Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1992 Removed
Top Spin Yokohama Dreamland Japan Japan Huss Top Spin 1992 Removed
Hurakan Tibidabo Spain Spain Huss Top Spin 1992 Removed
Top Spin
Formerly: Texas Twister		 California's Great America
Geauga Lake		 United States United States Huss Top Spin 1993 Removed
Yukan Raft
Formerly: Top Spin 2		 Funfair (1993)

Fort Fun Abenteurland (2013)

Germany Huss Top Spin 2 1993 Removed
Moon Chaser
Formerly: Top Spin		 Funfair (1993)

Adventureland Amusement Park (2024)

United States Huss Top Spin 2 1993 Operating
GiraVolta
Formerly: Top Spin		 Miragica
Gardaland		 Italy Italy Huss Top Spin 1993 Closed
Top Spin Liseberg Sweden Sweden Huss Top Spin 1993 Removed
Top Spin Parque de Atracciones de Madrid Spain Spain Huss Top Spin 1993 Operating
Kieputin Linnanmäki Finland Finland Huss Top Spin 1994 Removed
Top Spin Nagashima Spa Land Japan Japan Huss Top Spin 1994 Removed
Top Spin
Formerly: Rameses Revenge		 Chessington World of Adventures (1995)

Sindibad Parc (2024)

Morocco Morocco Huss Top Spin 1995 Operating
Shake, Rattle & Roll Elitch Gardens United States United States Huss Top Spin 1995 Removed
Top Spin La Feria de Chapultepec Mexico Mexico Huss Top Spin 1995 Removed
Top Spin BenyLand Japan Japan Huss Top Spin 2 1995 Removed
Gantu Top Spin Serengeti Park Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 2 1995 Removed
Waterspin Duinrell Netherlands Netherlands Huss Top Spin 1996 Operating
La Tornade La Ronde Canada Canada Huss Top Spin 1997 Removed
Top Spin Seoul Land South Korea South Korea Huss Top Spin 1997 Operating
Twister Six Flags New England United States United States Huss Top Spin 1997 Removed
La Tornade La Ronde Canada Canada Huss Top Spin 1997 Removed
Ripsaw Alton Towers United Kingdom United Kingdom Huss Top Spin 1997 Removed
Top Spin Toshimaen (1997)

Prater (2007) EsselWorld (2013)

India India Huss Top Spin 1997 Unknown
Top Spin Funfair (1997)

Fantasilandia (2004)

Chile Chile Huss Top Spin 1997 Operating
Top Spin Seoul Land South Korea South Korea Huss Top Spin 1997 Operating
VooDoo Six Flags Discovery Kingdom United States United States Huss Top Spin 1998 Removed
Der Twister Six Flags Fiesta Texas United States United States Huss Top Spin 1998 Removed
Galactic Spin Lihpao Land Taiwan Taiwan Huss Top Spin 1998 Operating
Top Spin Happy Valley Shenzhen China China Huss Top Spin 1998 Operating
Hang Time Dorney Park United States United States Huss Top Spin 1998 Removed
Montezuma's Revenge Avonturenpark Hellendoorn Netherlands Netherlands Huss Top Spin 2 1998 Removed
Ultimate Fun (勁爆樂翻天) Janfusun Fancyworld Taiwan Taiwan Huss Top Spin No data Removed
Top Spin Expoland Japan Japan Huss Top Spin No data Removed
NYC Transformer Movie Park Germany Germany Germany Huss Top Spin 1999 Operating
Top Spin E-World South Korea South Korea Huss Top Spin 1999 Removed
The Candy Luna Park Tel Aviv Israel Israel Huss Top Spin 1999 Closed
Ekatomb Hopi Hari Brazil Brazil Huss Top Spin 1999 Operating
Top Spin Dream Park Egypt Egypt Huss Top Spin 1999 Unknown
Top Spin Dreamland Nara Japan Japan Huss Top Spin 1999 Removed
Twister Six Flags Great Adventure United States United States Huss Top Spin 1999 Removed
Hell's Gate Playland Canada Canada Huss Top Spin 2000 Operating
Hurricane Dream World Thailand Thailand Huss Top Spin 2000 Operating
Twister Six Flags Darien Lake United States United States Huss Top Spin 2000 Removed
Blast
Formerly Excalibur		 Walibi Holland Netherlands Netherlands Huss Top Spin 2000 Operating
Buzzsaw
Formerly Screamer		 Walibi Belgium Belgium Belgium Huss Top Spin 2001 Operating
Estrugensen Xetulul Theme Park Guatemala Guatemala Huss Top Spin 2002 Operating
Lex Luthor's Invertatron Parque Warner Madrid Spain Spain Huss Top Spin 2002 Operating
Perfect Storm Happy Valley Shenzhen China China Huss Top Spin 2002 Operating
The Crypt
Formerly Tomb Raider: The Ride		 Kings Island United States United States Huss Giant Top Spin 2002 Removed
Thunderhawk Worlds of Fun United States United States Huss Top Spin 2002 Removed
King Kahuna Kennywood United States United States Huss Top Spin 2003 Removed
Double Rock Spin Everland South Korea South Korea Huss Suspended Top Spin 2003 Operating
RipTide Knott's Berry Farm United States United States Huss Suspended Top Spin 2004 Removed
Top Spin Astroland United States United States Huss Top Spin 2 2004 Removed
Top Spin Vidámpark Hungary Hungary Huss Top Spin 2004 Removed
King Chaos Indiana Beach
Six Flags Great America		 United States United States Huss Top Spin TBD
2004 - 2017		 In Storage
RipTide Valleyfair United States United States Huss Suspended Top Spin 2005 Removed
The Crypt
Formerly Tomb Raider: Firefall		 Kings Dominion United States United States Huss Suspended Top Spin 2005 Removed
Trojan Horse Happy Valley Beijing China China Huss Top Spin 2006 Operating
Top Spin Harborland Ningbo China China Huss Top Spin 2006 Removed
Talocan Phantasialand Germany Germany Huss Suspended Top Spin 2007 Operating
Tornado Parque Diversiones Costa Rica Costa Rica Huss Top Spin 2010 Operating
Top Spin Siam Park City Thailand Thailand Huss Top Spin 2010 Unknown
Top Spin Funtown United States United States Huss Top Spin 2 2012 Unknown
Perfect Storm Happy Valley Wuhan China China Huss Top Spin 2012 Operating
Splash Spin Romon U-Park China China Huss Suspended Top Spin 2014 Operating
Digging in the Mountain Hefei Wanda Theme Park China China Huss Suspended Top Spin 2016 Operating
Thor Thunder Spin Ride IMG Worlds Of Adventure United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates Huss Suspended Top Spin 2016 Operating
Monster Spin Dragon Park Ha Long Vietnam Vietnam Huss Suspended Top Spin 2017 Operating
Top Spin Magic Mountain India India Huss Suspended Top Spin 2019 Operating
Temple of Fire (Храм огня) Dream Island Russia Russia Huss Suspended Top Spin 2020 Operating
Vortex Sea World Australia Australia Huss Suspended Top Spin 2020 Operating
Unknown Chongqing Locajoy Theme Park China China Huss Suspended Top Spin 2020 Operating
Toxicator Alton Towers Resort United Kingdom United Kingdom Huss Suspended Top Spin 2025 Under Construction

Variations

Name Owner Country Manufacturer Model Premiere Status
Lex Luthor's Invertatron Six Flags New Orleans United States United States Soriani and Moser Super Loop On Top 2003 Closed
Splash Over Adventureland United States United States Moser's Rides Maverick 2006 Removed
La Cólera de Akiles Terra Mitica Spain Spain Mondial Super Nova 2006 Operating
Tomb Raider Machine Movieland Park Italy Italy Zamperla Windshear 2007 Removed
Tornado Dunia Fantasi Indonesia Indonesia Zamperla Windshear 2007 Operating
Splash Over Happy Valley Chengdu China China Mondial Splash Over 2009 Operating
Demon La Ronde Canada Canada Mondial Roll Over 2014 Operating
Vortigo Etnaland Italy Italy Moser's Rides Super Loop on Top 2013 Operating
Apocalypto Energylandia Poland Poland Fabbri Group Dragon Fly 2014 Operating
Twister Lake Winnepesaukah United States United States Moser's Rides Maverick 2016 Operating
Galeon Land of Legends Theme Park Turkey Turkey Moser's Rides Loop On Top 2018 Operating
Luna Swing Space World Japan Japan Vekoma Waikiki Wave Super Flip No data Removed
Desorbitados Parque de la Costa Argentina Argentina Preston & Barbieri Suspended Top Spin No data Operating
Storm Morey's Piers United States United States Moser's Rides Super Loop on Top No data Removed
Apocalipsis Salitre Mágico Colombia Colombia Moser's Rides Top Loop No data Operating
Flying Tornado Jawa Timur Park 1 Indonesia Indonesia Moser's Rides Maverick No data Operating
Salto Eram Park Iran Iran Unknown Unknown No data Operating
Waikiki Wave Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park China China Vekoma Waikiki Wave No data Operating
Top Gun VGP Universal Kingdom India India Moser's Rides Top Gun No data Operating
Top Spin Funfair Spain Spain Moser's Rides Top Loop No data Operating
Top Loop Funfair Spain Spain THC Loop on top No data Sold
Top Gun Funfair Spain Spain Fabbri Group Tsunami No data Operating
Thor's Anger Hangzhou Paradise China China Unknown Unknown No data Operating
Twisting in Waves Quancheng Euro Park China China Unknown Unknown No data Operating
Revolution Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza Spain Spain Atracciones Lorente Top Spin No data Operating
Revolution Funfair Spain Spain Atracciones Lorente Top Spin No data Unknown

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Top Spin (ride).

References

  1. ^ a b "107 Flips on Top Spin (onride.de)". YouTube. 2007-09-30. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2018-06-17.