Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

What is the weirdest flat ride you've seen/ridden?

Mack said:
SFNE and I think a few other SF parks have this ride they call Houdini and basically you go in and sit on this long bench and the floor begins rocking but then the room begins to rotate in a way to complete the motion giving the illusion that you are going vertical/upside down. It was the strangest experience.
Click to expand...
A Vekoma Madhouse?
 
I'm not sure if it was just me, but when I did Spinning Vibe at Walibi Holland, the spinning felt really weird. It was like the centre of spinning was off-centre, meaning it felt like you were going round in ovals rather than circles. Felt unlike any other ride like that I've done and made me feel really queasy.
 
Hixee said:
A Vekoma Madhouse?
Click to expand...
Sounds more like the old Blackpool Haunted Swing thing. Same idea, but, unlike the Vekoma madhouses, the seats/bench don't move.

But yeah, strange to see these listed in this topic when they're literally everywhere in Europe. I'd never really noticed that the US doesn't have them.
 
Only two of the Six Flags parks have Vekoma Madhouses and I can't remember seeing any others at the major US parks. I always make a point of riding them as they are my favourite non-coaster ride. As Gavin says, they are quite popular in Europe so, yeah, it's odd to see someone so unfamiliar with them.

Interestingly, the Houdini one is cloned at SFNE, SFGAadv and at Bellewaerde in Europe (which used to be owned by Six Flags through the Walibi chain).

I think we see more of them in Europe because we have a much larger focus on ride narrative. We love a good story. Outside of Disney and Universal, there are very few rides in the US that tell a story (maybe a couple at BG Williamsburg and just look at the mess they got into with DarKastle).

Wiki actually has a good list of them but doesn't include the Haunted Swings from which they evolved.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhouse_(ride)
 
Last edited:
There's one called Houdini at Bellewaerde. I think Walibi Holland had one as well, but can't remember now. No idea if they're the same thing.
 
The Walibi Holland one is Merlin themed, and completely different. Probably the second worst I've done; Phantasialand's awful attempt wins that prize..
 
Sorry @gavin, I just edited my original post to explain the Bellewaerde connection.

Both Walibi Holland and Belgium have good madhouses (one has a fountain in the middle and one is a Merlin-themed with a talking owl).

I feel inspired to do a favourite madhouse topic now. I think I like them mostly because they have epic music.

@JoshC. Phantasia's is a bit lame to be fair (which makes me sad because everything else there is amazing). I think the preshow is just too long.
 
In a different park, the Phantasialand one would be decent enough, but like a lot of the older rides there now just feels piss poor.
 
Zek_Teh_Kek said:
Can somebody explain the mad house for me? It doesn't really make sense.
Click to expand...
Basically, the room rotates around you, while the carriage you're sitting in moves slightly back and forth. You don't move much, but the combination of the slight movement with the room rotation creates the illusion that you're moving a lot more/swinging upside down. The timing has to be perfect for the effect to work properly, and that doesn't always happen.
 
Clark's Trading Post in New Hampshire has an old school Haunt Swing, but since the park is coaster less, it's overlooked. Been there since the late 80s at minimum, Merlin's Mystical Mansion.
SFNE and SFGAdv both got their Vekoma ones in 1999, Houdini. Dutch Wonderland also has an old style one.... From where outside of the ride you can actually watch the entire building flipping around. Also, Noah's Ark water park in the Dells have one...themed to Noah's voyage. So there are at least 5 versions in some way or another in the US

Edit: after checking the parks website, it seems the ride is now SBNO at Noah's and from Wiki
  • Noah's Incredible Adventure (2003) – A high-capacity, dry amusement ride which involved a large "Mystery Swing" and special visual effects to recreate a journey on Noah's famous ark. It was replaced by Curse of the Crypt in the same building in 2009.
  • Curse of the Crypt (2009) Closed in 2012. Still standing but does not appear on park maps. (Visitors at the park may recall a sign located near the ride stating 'Closed For Renovations')
So I guess that means 4 in the US, and all in the North East.
 
Not one for the intense category, and I think these used to be common many decades ago, but maybe some of you have never seen this sort of thing. It’s a caterpillar ride. The first half of the ride is a conventional spinning ride, but then halfway through the riders are suddenly cocooned, and this is the main thrill of the ride.

 
I've never seen anything like that before! How bizarre!
 
Oh dear, old git zone again.
Southport Pleasureland back in the seventies, and Blackburn Easter Fair sixties and seventies.
Many many times, very good in the rain!
Quite sickly, but courting couples seemed to like them.
6d a ride. Or two and a half of your new pennies.
 
rob666 said:
Oh dear, old git zone again.
Southport Pleasureland back in the seventies, and Blackburn Easter Fair sixties and seventies.
Many many times, very good in the rain!
Quite sickly, but courting couples seemed to like them.
6d a ride. Or two and a half of your new pennies.
Click to expand...
And why so many Kiddylands and the like at parks anyway? We need some Old Git Zones. :mad:
 
Last edited:
MestnyiGeroi said:
Not one for the intense category, and I think these used to be common many decades ago, but maybe some of you have never seen this sort of thing. It’s a caterpillar ride. The first half of the ride is a conventional spinning ride, but then halfway through the riders are suddenly cocooned, and this is the main thrill of the ride.

Click to expand...
Looks like that new ride coming to Planet coaster. Cool, weird, and very interesting!
 
Mysterious Sue said:
There's one still at Great Yarmouth but it's a bit motheaten.
Click to expand...
Papilio+canadensis+Head-on+crop.JPG

I see what you did there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top