VMan Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) Gotta say, I really miss all the Intamin Ag 1st generation Free Fall rides which have all but been extinct. I understand coasters got much bigger making these Free Falls look more puny over time, and the creation of the Newer Free Falls (2nd and 3rd generation Free Falls, which are another 10 story's to 20 in some cases. I enjoy the very tall Free Fall rides, but must say, the drop you got in your stomach from the 1st generation Free Falls were so much cooler. These rides needed to be rebuilt or built higher than what their original height was which was 10 or 11 stories. In 1982, Six Flags Magic Mountain had the "Original" [b]Free Fall [/b](Note: Yellow Free Fall tower "L" shaped ride with Red Track) Awesome ride. I remember how damn Intimidating it looked from behind colossus and centered at the North End of the park. You had Both Great America Parks both Santa Clara Ca. and Gurnee IL. (note: Gurnee Park is a Six Flags Park) both Parks had 'the Edge'. (Santa Claras was Orange located at Country Fair and Gurnee's Edge was a Rust Red color located more near the front of the park in Orleans place. Never rode on the Gurnee IL, 'Edge' as it was well taken down from the accident in 1984 before I ever went to Six Flags Great America and quickly removed and scrapped during the late 1986 season despite better improvements and safety features. However, I did get to both Great America Parks and did ride 'the Edge' in Santa Clara in 92 on a vacation. Awesome ride. Six Flags over Texas also had Free Fall as did Six Flags over Georgia. Astro World (RIP) in Houston Texas, had the 'Sky Screamer', Six Flags Great Adventure (New Jersey) had "Mr. Hydes Nasty Fall", Cedar Point was the last Park to have "Demon Drop" and scrapped it in 2009 or so. Another Park and it's Location is Unknown to me, had a Free Fall ride called "WildCatter"which happend to be Imploded. Just Very Dissapointing, they had to tear all these 1st generation Free falls down, but I will always remember them and enjoyed my rides on them. I will say that even though the Newer Free Fall rides are much higher, I Loved the senastion of riding up the Elevator shaft track, and then being pushed out the Edge much better than having my feet dangling and basically not enjoying the full height of the drop. I feel that while these Newer Free Fall rides are higher, they also cheat you out a fun drop. Just still not the same.The Highest of these Free Fall rides is in Dream World Australia I believe. Love to try that one. There actually 2 rides on 1 tower. I Live in and around the Chicagoland area in IL and I have not been to Great America over the course of the last 5 and 7 years, but would Love to see a version of 'the Edge' be built again, only taller. I dont see why not. Most parks should try to get these types of 1st Generation Free Fall rides built back up again and with New improved features and break systems. Be finally nice to get to enjoy the thrill again of a Newly approved 1st generation Intamin Ag Free Fall Drop Tower again. Miss them, remember taking my mother on Free Fall at Magic Mountain, and who can forget, placing a coin on your lap and seing wheather you'd catch it? Please bring them Back. I know I cant be the only one who wants them back. Edited January 11, 2014 by larrygator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMan Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) Any Pictures on this thread of any of the Intamin Ag 1st generation Free Fall rides over the years, be much appreciated. I'd like to see especially more pics of Gurnee IL. Six Flags Great America 'Edge' if possible. Never rode it, but if anyone has pics of it's ride exsistance before they tore it down years ago, would really appreciate it. I've been to the Six Flags Great America Gurnee site and did see some old pics, but would like to see others and other of the same Free Fall rides if possible. Or even Aerial veiws of these FreeFall rides. Thanks and it's my pleasure if Ibrought any great memories to your ride experiences over the years. Bring these rides Back, Please! Edited September 3, 2011 by VMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fooz Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 You can still ride CP's Demon Drop at Dorney Park. I agree though, that is a fantastic ride. Edit: 200th post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMan Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) You can still ride CP's Demon Drop at Dorney Park. I agree though, that is a fantastic ride. Thanks Fooz! Where is Dorney Park? Love to go. (CORRECTION: Just found out Dorney Park is in Pennsylvania.) Thanks! Yes it is a Great Ride and any of those were all neat to ride on. What else sucks, is that they built all these Newer rides which Towered above or around the Free Fall Rides, to make them look un-noticable and not very important. That kind of Park planning, will make a ride less popular very fast. What I dont like is how at Six Flags Great America (Gurnee park) , they had to place the Giant Drop right next to Raging Bull. Both are same height at 200 + feet and make either ride look not as intimidating. Almost pretty much canceling one another out. One of the rides should have been on one side of the park, while the other was on another side of the park or well across from it. Edited September 3, 2011 by VMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 They took The Edge out of CGA just because of Drop Zone (now Drop Tower) Now what is on Edge's location: go-karts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMan Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 They took The Edge out of CGA just because of Drop Zone (now Drop Tower) Now what is on Edge's location: go-karts Thanks for the heads up XYZ, and I guess my question would be why?????, and also is Drop Zone still currently at CGA? I Love the fact these newer Free Falls make you drop from much higher, but am afarid your way more likely to get Killed or in an accident than the former Free Fall rides. Imagine the 'Edge' at both Great America Parks, being twice as high as their Original height? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 The rides were horribly painful and horribly expensive to maintain. Though I do admit Freefall will always have a special place in my heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeppelinfreak Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 It would be really cool if they could have a new ride designed to have the same ride experience, but with more comfort and with all the kinks of the original fixed. But that will probably never happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 They took The Edge out of CGA just because of Drop Zone (now Drop Tower) Now what is on Edge's location: go-karts Thanks for the heads up XYZ, and I guess my question would be why?????, and also is Drop Zone still currently at CGA? I Love the fact these newer Free Falls make you drop from much higher, but am afarid your way more likely to get Killed or in an accident than the former Free Fall rides. Imagine the 'Edge' at both Great America Parks, being twice as high as their Original height? Drop Tower is still at CGA and running great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyyyper Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 One of 1st Gen towers has been relocated to a park in Italy called Movieland Studios. It it located next to Gardaland at Lake Garda. I rode it a few months ago, and I liked it very much. The ride was extremely bumpy and harsh, but it has one of the best drops I can think off. The tower itself is a giant rip on the Disney Tower of Terror, much like the rest of the park and its riders are rips on Universal Studios and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMan Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 One of 1st Gen towers has been relocated to a park in Italy called Movieland Studios. It it located next to Gardaland at Lake Garda.I rode it a few months ago, and I liked it very much. The ride was extremely bumpy and harsh, but it has one of the best drops I can think off. The tower itself is a giant rip on the Disney Tower of Terror, much like the rest of the park and its riders are rips on Universal Studios and Disney's Hollywood Studios. WOW! Thank YOU hyyyper!!!!! Actually, I have seen pics of this ride, but did not know where it was located until now. I remember Free Fall and CGA "the Edge being somewhat bumpy, but the Drops were Awesome. I just Love these rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
805Andrew Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 I miss Freefall at SFMM. I remember in 1997 (before Riddler's Revenge was built) I rode it with one of my sisters and my parents and my youngest sister (who was 6 and barely 48") were on the next car (each car holds 4 people, we were 5 people so we went 2 on one car and 3 on the other) and they stopped at the top right before the drop for several minutes (between 5 and 10). When they finally dropped, the ride operators offered them to stay on and ride again. My mom said no but my dad said yes so they went again. My sister and I wished it would have happened to our car instead so we would have gotten a double ride. I thought it was cool that my 6 year old sister wasn't even scared, it was my mom who was scared. I remember after Riddler's Revenge was built around Freefall how puny it seemed and its popularity plummeted. It wasn't nearly as terrifying as before but it was still intense. I'm glad I got one last ride on it in 2007, and at least SFMM is getting another drop ride (an awesome one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilrider Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 The Edge at SFGAm, remember, met its demise soon after a computer malfunction caused a car to fall straight back down the lift shaft, injuring three teenagers. Doubt they have any interest in rebuilding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geauga Dog Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Six Flags Great Adventure (New Jersey) Actually Great Adventure's freefall was called Stuntman's Freefall. Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall was orignally SFGAm's Edge that was sold to Rocky Point in Rhode Island and then sold to Premier Parks at auction when that park closed and moved to Geauga Lake in 1997. It was demolished in January 2006. Mr. Hyde was problematic as it suffered a lot of downtime. What I'll always remember of the ride is that it sounded like it was breathing on life support. When operating, the roughest part was when the car came to a stop at the end of the runout and transferred to the lower track. BTW, Wildcatter was the name of the freefall at Six Flags Over Texas. Stuntman's Freefall SFGAdv taken in 2005 Geauga Lake circa 2005 and how Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall fit in at the front of the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Here's a couple of videos from the 1st Gen Giovanola Free Falls in Japan... Cental Park: Nagashima Spaland: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 ^What I most remember about the Freefall ride at Central Park is that there's no real pause (unlike the old Edge at Great America) before the drop. Just up to the top and over ya go! Ow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Johnson Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 ^ Oh boy, that would be scary! I have only ridden three of them. I have ridden both Freefalls at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Over Georgia. I also have ridden Demon Drop at Dorney Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP37 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Stuntman's freefall at SFGADV was so appropriately named for where it was placed within the park: Movietown! Nestled nicely right in between the batman's. and not too far from Movie Town's Water Effect. One of the cooler things about this first gen was that GADV did Physics Days for all of the area high schools. They would give a make shift "G Meter" and allow students to ride the coasters and tower with it in their hands. Really a nice visual to see that meter fly as you dropped! It was very sad to see it go as not only has the park not replaced it's empty space with something new.. but GADV no longer has a true drop tower of any kind now.. one thing that I've felt the park has missed for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Watching those videos reminds me of tiding the FreeFall at Rocky Point as a kid. I was absolutely terrified of it, but loved it at the same time. I still love the mechanics of these rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 My favorite thing about the these rides were the guaranteed downtimes everyday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiFan Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have only ridden Demon Drop at Dorney and am not really a fan of the ride. I don't like the cars, if you have broad shoulders there really isn't enough room between seats and if you sit at one of the end seats, there isn't a lot of room there either. The drop itself is great but it is really painful at the part where you are lowered from lying down to reversing. Not about the ride itself but I also wasn't happy to see the bumper cars removed for the ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UberBeavis Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 My favorite thing about the these rides were the guaranteed downtimes everyday! Probably spent about equal time standing at control panel and at the entrance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattnz Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 There is something about these rides that's...very intimidating. I love how you 'edge' out to the drop and then wham! down you go. I'm glad Dorney Park got Cedar Point's secondhand ride. A very fun ride! (If it's from the 80s, you kind of expect a bit of pain!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPDave Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I think these things are awesome! Definitely the most screwed up drop towers out there, I think intamin should still sell th alongside the OMFG 300-400 ft towers they do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I think these things are awesome! Definitely the most screwed up drop towers out there, I think intamin should still sell th alongside the OMFG 300-400 ft towers they do I agree, the 1st generation Free Falls are perfect for parks who can't afford the larger drop towers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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