PKI Jizzman Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hey TPR, I was on Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 the other day (like a typical nerd) and a new ride came up. "Spinning Rings." I remember going to a small festival and seeing on of them going around, but I was always too small. I can't, for the life of me remember where it was at...but I wanted to do it so bad! Where have all of these gyroscope rides/spinning rings gone? Were they any good? -JZ Apparently you can sit down, if you're grumpy. Take your anger out on kids, spin them around for ages! Hot chicks approve! You usually controlled them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidcoaster 2 Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I think some are still around but just not in parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBru Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I saw one last fall at a Go-Kart place in Branson. There used to be one at Union Station in St. Louis, but I believe they removed it when they took out the rest of the rides/simulators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFreak Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 You could buy your own for only $10,000.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanic Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Remember the movie "Contact" with Jodie Foster? Well, apparently after that movie came out, a bunch of people that went on the spinning rings attractions claimed to have traveled to distant galaxies where they encountered shadowy alien beings. They were then subject to grueling interrogations about the claimed events and were eventually determined to be mentally unstable. Most ended up locked away in federal institutions. So they quit letting people ride them after that. At least that's what I heard. I'm not really sure though, so don't go spreading that story around too much. People might look at you funny if you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurricane Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 There is one travelling in Australia called "Space Ball" Very Nauseating Experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NINCUB Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Honestly I have not seen one of these in probably 10 years. I remember riding one on Gatlinburg, TN when I was still a teenager! LOL. I don't recall it being a thrilling experience or anything. Just a little dizzing and peeps just staring at you while you flipped around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emiroo Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 You can still find them at a few mini-golf/go-kart places in Florida. They are more fun to watch than do. It had some cool hangtime, but if you are a smaller person (like me) you really have to work to get the thing spinning and flipping. It really was a heck of a workout. If should have been marketed as high-end exercise equipment. I have seen a few of them where "ride operators" physically push the rings making you go faster and faster. That would probably make me barf. You're not missing out on much though. Definitely looks cooler than it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teacups Make Me Sick Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 ^Definitely more fun to watch then to do. I rode the one where you sat down at a carnival...as my title suggests, I don't do well with spin and puke rides, I was very unhappy after riding it. I've seen these thing rusting away in peoples backyards. People must have gotten wise to this ride and weigh out the importance of food staying in there stomaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCoasterny Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Why bother with these when KMG Move-It's are so much better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCoaster Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I was very disappointed when I tried out one of the manual ones when they were popular because I had a chance to ride a powered one used at the NASA Space Camps at the Boy Scout National Jamboree in 1993. The powered one was amazing and provided a constant and very random spinning and flipping the entire time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I remembered when I was like 5 and there was one at a childrens festival or something. I wanted to ride it because it looked so cool but sadly I wasn't tall enough and went home crying. Fast foreward 8 years and I was at this mini golf place called Giggle Ridge up in Cultus Lake. They had one and me not feeling well that day decied to just stand behind the lines and watch it. That's probably the last time I have seen a human gyroscope in person and I think they still have it. I think some of the local "party rental" companies may own them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterville Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Funny you should mention them as an exercise machine, when I first saw one, that's exactly what it was being marketed as. I was at some "Toys for Adults" type expo at the Cincinnati Convention Center and they had a booth marketing these as the 21st century workout. Best part about the booth - free demos, and the line wasn't too awful bad, so I tried it out. It's a weird but fun feeling, the thing actually does give you quite a workout trying to get it spinning well. They claim the way you lean, is the way you spin, but with the three rings, you invariably send the rings off on some unexpected direction. LeSourdsville Lake had one for a short while as a pay extra concession, and they had an operator who had just as much fun giving the rings a hard push while you were captive inside. If you are light enough, I think there is a powered one left in the Dells,but most of the manual ones are in the hands of private owners and party equipment rental shops. They just didn't seem to make it at fairs and parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Both of the ones I've see in person are standup ones. Are the sitdown ones even rarer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDG Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 ABC Rides showing how it's done... Coming soon to French funfairs as "Starlight", operated by Vatonne. ABC will have it in their catalogue under the name "Tourbillon". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midgetman82 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 ^That looks like it's straight out of a cartoon or Something! Looks amazing! I saw one last fall at a Go-Kart place in Branson. I can confirm the Go-Kart place having one. I also saw one at Thunder Over Louisville many years ago as a kid, but wasn't allowed to ride it. I haven't seen that one since. I'm also pretty sure NASA, either at Kennedy Space Center or Huntsville Space Center, keeps up with theirs for training and camps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerstlaueringvar Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 There are like a million of these knock-offs in China. So technically no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 ABC Rides showing how it's done... Coming soon to French funfairs as "Starlight", operated by Vatonne. ABC will have it in their catalogue under the name "Tourbillon". I'll be happy to hold on to the bags of other people as they ride this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoinItForTheFame Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 ABC Rides showing how it's done... The way that the ride works looks amazing. However, I would vomit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRCT3 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Tourbillon is now open to the public in the Great Europen Carnival at Hong Kong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAi_OlXlUHo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianparkfan Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Tourbillon is now open to the public in the Great Europen Carnival at Hong Kong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAi_OlXlUHo That ride looks amazing! Hoping some North American carnivals/parks pick these up. Been on a smaller version located at a space museum. Loved the experience. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mzc1Mz56vrs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midgetman82 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 That thing looks massive and futuristic, and I'm glad one actually found a home! I'm sure the experience is quite disorienting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianparkfan Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 ^Looks very disorienting, but not too intense or forceful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 If I can still handle most flat rides at this age, I'd be willing to give this one a try. But please, not the usual "European style" of cycle times. i.e. 5 min+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingRCT3 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Been on a smaller version located at a space museum. Loved the experience.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mzc1Mz56vrs I see why people compare those two things, and sure they look the same. But actually, the whole concept of the smaller version is to keep your "heartline" as we would say, in place. While the Tourbillon is just like "Screw this, I'll move you all around". So in the end, those are very different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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