Madhouse (ride)

Last updated
Madhouse
StatusIn Production
First manufactured1996
No. of installations16
Manufacturer Vekoma
Capacity685/1335 riders per hour
Seat capacity40/78
Gondola rotation15/30 degrees
Drum rotation360 degrees
Mystery Swing
StatusIn Production
First manufactured2000
No. of installations4
Manufacturer Mack Rides
Seat capacity52

A Madhouse is a flat ride usually manufactured by Vekoma. [1] [2] A similar attraction under the name Mystery Swing is created by Mack Rides. [3] 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.

Contents

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

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 7.5/15 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. [2] [4] [5]

List of Madhouses

Interior of Villa Volta, the first modern madhouse. Villa Volta Efteling 2018.jpg
Interior of Villa Volta, the first modern madhouse.
NameParkCountryOpenedManufacturer
Haunted Swing- AnywhereAnywhere1893-1922?
Hexenschaukel(witches swing)- (Mobile Mad House)Flag of Germany.svg Germany1894U. Keller
Hex’n Wippn(Witch's Wip)(Mobile Mad House)Flag of Germany.svg Germany1968Lielie
Spukhaus (haunted house) Taunus Wunderland Flag of Germany.svg Germany1973Schwingel GmbH
Herzogschaukel(Duke swing) Märchengarten Blühendes Barock Ludwigsburg Flag of Germany.svg Germany1972?
Le Défi de CésarParc AstérixFrance2008Mack rides
Verhextes Schloss (Chained lock) Freizeitpark Traumland Flag of Germany.svg Germany?Dietz Fahrzeugbau GmbH
Draaiend Huis Bobbejaanland Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium1982-1998Schwingel GmBH
Merlin's Mystical Mansion Clark's Trading Post, Lincoln New HampshireFlag of the United States.svg United States1990In house
Villa Volta Efteling Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands1996 Vekoma
The Haunting Drayton Manor Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain1996 Vekoma
Jack the Ripper Wiener Prater Flag of Austria.svg Austria1997?
Crazy Space Lab Genting Theme Park Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia1998–2013 Vekoma
Valhalla Borgen(Valhalla Castle) Tivoli Kopenhagen Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark1998–2007 Vekoma
Houdini's Great Escape (Houdini – The Great Escape) Six Flags New England Flag of the United States.svg United States1999 Vekoma
Houdini's Great Escape Six Flags Great Adventure Flag of the United States.svg United States1999–2009, 2011 Vekoma
Houdini (Formally: Magic house of Houdini) Bellewaerde Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium1999 Vekoma
Fluch der Kassandra (Curse of Cassandra/Cassandra's Curse) Europa-Park Flag of Germany.svg Germany2000 Mack Rides
Hex – The Legend of the Towers Alton Towers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain2000 Vekoma
Merlin’s Magic Castle Walibi Holland Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands2000 Vekoma
Le Palais du génie (The Palace of genie) Walibi Belgium Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium2001 Vekoma
Impossible Blackpool Pleasure Beach Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain1955-2001 (as The Haunted Swing) 2002In house
Feng Ju Palace(Hurricane Palace) Phantasialand Flag of Germany.svg Germany2002 Vekoma
Hotel Embrujado (Haunted Hotel) Parque Warner Madrid Flag of Spain.svg Spain2002 Vekoma
Magic House (Formally: Mad House) Gardaland Flag of Italy.svg Italy2002 Vekoma
Noah’s Incredible Adventure/Curse of the Crypt Noah’s Ark Water Park Flag of the United States.svg United States2003–2008, 2009-2012 Mack Rides
Verlies des Grauens (Dungeon of Horrors) Belantis Flag of Germany.svg Germany2003 Vekoma
Lenny's Magic School (No rotating part) Everland Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea2007-2019 (as Rotating House) 2019 Mack Rides
Le Défi de César (Caesar's Challenge/The challenge of Cesar) Parc Astérix Flag of France.svg France2008 Mack Rides
Alpenhotel Rasch (parts of)- (Mobile Mad House)Flag of Germany.svg Germany2011Dietz Fahrzeugbau GmbH
Maison Houdini (House Houdini) Rainbow MagicLand Flag of Italy.svg Italy2011 Vekoma
Haunted House Monster Party Legoland Windsor Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain2019 Vekoma

Cancelled installations

Name or Area name's MadhouseParkCountryReasonManufacturer
Z-Force Six Flags Dubai Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab EmiratesCancelled Vekoma
Poseidon Fury Island of Adventure Flag of the United States.svg United StatesProject Change ?
El Templo de Muerte (The Temple of Dead) Bobbejaanland Flag of Belgium (civil).svg BelgiumUnknown Vekoma
Manhattan Midway's Madhouse Tokyo Disney Sea Flag of Japan.svg JapanOver Budget Vekoma

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References

  1. "Vekoma". coasterforce.com. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
  2. 1 2 "Mad House | Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV". vekoma.com. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  3. "Mystery Swing by Mack Rides". mack-rides.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  4. "Revolving House by Mack Rides". mack-rides.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-17. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  5. "Video of the mechanism". youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-11-17.