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The Top Spin is a thrill ride developed by HUSS Park Attractions and Mondial, 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.
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]
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. Such rides are known by names like "Wind Shear", "Super Loop on Top", "Waikiki Wave Super Flip","Super Nova" and "Discovery".
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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.
Name | Park | Location | Manufacturer | Model | Opened | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apocalipsis | Salitre Mágico | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Operating |
Aqua Spin | Heide Park | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1992 | Removed |
Bat Spin | Funfair | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2003 | Operating |
Blast Formerly Excalibur | Walibi Holland | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2000 | Operating |
Buzzsaw Formerly Screamer | Walibi Belgium | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2001 | Operating |
Splash Spin | Romon U-Park | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2015 | Operating |
Cliffhanger | Lagoon | ![]() | Mondial | Splash Over | 2001 | Operating |
Demon | La Ronde | ![]() | Mondial | Roll Over | 2014 | Operating |
Der Twister | Six Flags Fiesta Texas | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1998 | Removed |
Desorbitados | Parque de la Costa | ![]() | Preston & Barbieri | Suspended Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Double Rock Spin | Everland | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2003 | Operating |
Ekatomb | Hopi Hari | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Estrugensen | Xetulul Theme Park | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2002 | Operating |
Firefall Formerly Texas Twister | California's Great America Geauga Lake | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2008 1993 to 2007 | Removed |
Flying Tornado | Jawa Timur Park 1 | ![]() | Unknown | Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Galactic Spin | Lihpao Land | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1998 | Operating |
Galaxy Twister | Galaxyland | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Loop On Top | 1995 | Removed |
Galeon | Land of Legends | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | 2016 | Operating |
Gantu Top Spin | Serengeti Park | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin 2 | 1995 | Operating |
GiraVolta Formerly Top Spin | Miragica Gardaland | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2015 1993 to 2015 | Closed |
Hang Time | Dorney Park | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1998 | Removed |
Hell's Gate | Playland | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2000 | Operating |
Huracan | Six Flags México | ![]() | Vekoma | Waikiki Wave Super Flip | 1993 | Removed |
Hurakan | Tibidabo | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1992 | Removed |
Hurricane | Dream World | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Kieputin | Linnanmäki | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1994 | Removed |
King Chaos | Six Flags Great America | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2004 | Removed |
King Kahuna | Kennywood | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2003 | Removed |
King Kong's Spin | Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
La Tornade | La Ronde | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1997 | Removed |
Lex Luthor's Invertatron | Parque Warner Madrid | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2002 | Operating |
Lex Luthor's Invertatron | Six Flags New Orleans | ![]() | Zamperla | Windshear | 2003 | Closed |
Luna Swing | Space World | ![]() | Vekoma | Waikiki Wave Super Flip | Unknown | Removed |
Miner's Revenge | Gold Reef City | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Monster Spin | Dragon Park Ha Long | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2017 | Operating |
Montezuma's Revenge | Avonturenpark Hellendoorn | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin 2 | 1998 | Removed |
NYC Transformer Formerly Riddler's Revenge | Movie Park Germany | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1999 | Operating |
Perfect Storm | Happy Valley Shenzhen | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2002 | Operating |
Perfect Storm | Happy Valley Wuhan | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2012 | Operating |
Quake | Kentucky Kingdom | ![]() | Vekoma | Waikiki Wave | 1992 | Removed |
Rameses Revenge | Chessington World of Adventures | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1995 | Removed |
Rampage | Adventure World | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Maverick | 2001 | Operating |
Ripsaw | Alton Towers | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1997 | Removed |
Revolution | Funfair | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1990 | Unknown |
Revolution | Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza | ![]() | Atracciones Lorente | Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Revolution | Funfair | ![]() | Atracciones Lorente | Top Spin | Unknown | Removed |
Riptide | Canada's Wonderland | ![]() | Mondial | Splash Over | 2000 | Operating |
RipTide | Knott's Berry Farm | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2004 | Removed |
RipTide | Valleyfair | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2005 | Removed |
Salto | Eram Park | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Shake, Rattle & Roll Formerly Avalanche | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1995 | Removed |
Splash Over | Adventureland | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Maverick | 2006 | Removed |
Storm | Morey's Piers | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Super Loop on Top | Removed | |
Talocan | Phantasialand | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2007 | Operating |
Terminator | Tir Prince Family Funfair | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Maverick | 1993 | Removed |
Terror Rack | Pleasure Island Family Theme Park | ![]() | Fabbri | Tsunami | 1998 | Removed |
The Crypt Formerly Tomb Raider: Firefall | Kings Dominion | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2005 | Removed |
The Crypt Formerly Tomb Raider: The Ride | Kings Island | ![]() | Huss | Giant Top Spin | 2002 | Removed |
Thor Thunder Spin Ride | IMG Worlds Of Adventure | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2016 | Operating |
Thunderhawk | Worlds of Fun | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2002 | Removed |
Tidal Wave | Flamingo Land | ![]() | Vekoma | Waikiki Wave | 1993 | Removed |
Tomb Raider Machine | Movieland Park | ![]() | Zamperla | Windshear | 2007 | Removed |
Trojan Horse | Happy Valley Beijing | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2006 | Operating |
TopSpin | Liseberg | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1993 | Removed |
Top Spin | Astroland | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin 2 | 2004 | Removed |
Top Spin | Fantasilandia | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2004 | Operating |
Top Spin | Vidámpark | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2004 | Removed |
Top Spin | EsselWorld | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2012 | Operating |
Top Spin | Parque de Atracciones de Madrid | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1993 | Operating |
Top Spin | Funfair | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1993 | Unknown |
Top Spin | Myrtle Beach Pavilion | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2006 | Removed |
Top Spin | Romon U-Park | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2014 | Operating |
Top Spin | Dreamland | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1999 | Removed |
Top Spin | Siam Park City | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Unknown |
Top Spin | Nagashima Spa Land | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1994 | Removed |
Top Spin | BenyLand | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin 2 | 1995 | Removed |
Top Spin | Dream Park | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Unknown |
Top Spin | E-World | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Operating |
Top Spin | Seoul Land | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1997 | Operating |
Top Spin | La Feria de Chapultepec | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Removed |
Top Spin | Luna Park Tel Aviv | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Operating |
Top Spin | Joyland | ![]() | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Top Spin FRESH | Funfair | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1993 | Operating |
Top Spin FRESH | Funfair | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1991 | Operating |
Top Spin Nº1 | Funfair | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1990 | Operating |
Tornado | Dunia Fantasi | ![]() | Zamperla | Windshear | 2007 | Operating |
Tornado F5 | Parque Diversiones | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2010 | Operating |
Tumbling Waves | Quancheng Euro Park | ![]() | Unknown | Top Spin | 2014 | Operating |
Twister | Six Flags Darien Lake | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 2000 | Removed |
Twister | Lake Winnepesaukah | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Maverick | 2016 | Operating |
Twister | Six Flags Great Adventure | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1999 | Operating |
Twister | Six Flags New England | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1997 | Removed |
Twister | Harborland Ningbo | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | Unknown | Removed |
Vortex | Sea World | ![]() | Huss | Suspended Top Spin | 2020 | Operating |
Vortigo | Etnaland | ![]() | Moser's Rides | Super Loop on Top | 2013 | Operating |
VooDoo | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1998 | Closed |
Waikiki Wave | Lotte World | ![]() | Vekoma | Waikiki Wave | 1991 | Removed |
Waterspin | Duinrell | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin | 1996 | Closed |
Wipeout | Dreamworld | ![]() | Vekoma | Waikiki Wave Super Flip | 1993 | Removed |
Yukan Raft | Fort Fun Abenteurland | ![]() | Huss | Top Spin 2 | 2013 | Removed |
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