Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The world's highest swing ride goes up a whopping 400 ft in the air and has just opened in Texas
UK Mail ^ | 5/25/13 | DAVID MCCORMACK

Posted on 05/25/2013 8:45:46 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom

The world’s tallest tower swing ride, which sends those foolhardy enough to get on-board a whopping 400 feet up in the air, was officially opened on Saturday at the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington.

The Texas SkyScreamer allows up to twenty-four riders to sit in open-air swings while spinning in a 124-foot circle at speeds up to 35 mph.

At its 40 story peak - and if the riders still have their eyes open - they can see not only Arlington, but also Dallas and Fort Worth.

‘We are thrilled to add the tallest swing ride in the world to our premier line up of rides and attractions,’ said Steve Martindale, park president of Six Flags Over Texas.

‘It offers the most unique ride experience for an attraction of this kind, and also lives up to the Texas mantra that everything is bigger in the Lone Star state!’

There are seven SkyScreamer rides located at theme parks throughout the U.S. but this latest one dwarfs the competition, the next tallest is in Georgia and is a mere 242 feet tall.

Due to the far greater height though, riders are spun at a reduced speed of 35mph compared to the usual 43 mph.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: amusement; ride; swing
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 next last
To: RegulatorCountry

That part of Texas isn’t noted for anything I’d term a hill...”

Kind of hard to have hills when you are at sea level but we have managed to haul in enough dirt to put a few small ones on some of the golf courses. LOL

Lot of the trees in the city took a hard hit from the drought last summer. Maybe we will have enough moisture so that all the new plantings will survive this year.


41 posted on 05/25/2013 11:29:16 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

I am screaming from just looking at the pictures!


42 posted on 05/25/2013 11:32:23 PM PDT by Bravada (Wherever I Stand, I Stand With Israel!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grams A
Kind of hard to have hills when you are at sea level

Well, that kind of depends where you are in North America, I think...

Sea to Sky Highway, Squamish, BC


43 posted on 05/25/2013 11:39:44 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: RegulatorCountry
"The forth photo isn’t Texas, it’s Georgia if I’m not mistaken. Tree cover is too dense, too hilly for that part of Texas.

Sorry Charlie...you've obviously not been to Arlington. Both pretty darn green from lots of trees and plenty of hills in North Arlington.

44 posted on 05/26/2013 3:59:34 AM PDT by harpu ( "...it's better to be hated for who you are than loved for someone you're not!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: All

However, the equipment, not the surroundings give away that it’s not Arlington’s Six Flags Park.


45 posted on 05/26/2013 4:03:42 AM PDT by harpu ( "...it's better to be hated for who you are than loved for someone you're not!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

I’d love it!


46 posted on 05/26/2013 4:04:11 AM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

I went parasailing ONCE. Never again.


47 posted on 05/26/2013 4:12:30 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GrandJediMasterYoda

People PAY money to do this.


48 posted on 05/26/2013 4:13:38 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Arkansas Toothpick

My biggest fear is that thing getting stuck at the top. I can’t see how the hell the rescue is going to work. “Please remain calm we are experiencing technical difficulties, we will get you down momentarily”....”


49 posted on 05/26/2013 4:17:51 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: RegulatorCountry

West of Austin is very hilly. My property has an 80 foot cliff on it.


50 posted on 05/26/2013 4:19:51 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Bravada
World's scariest job.

Caution, not for the feint hearted.

51 posted on 05/26/2013 4:23:22 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Yawn. Looks almost as exciting as riding the coaster on top of the Rio in Vegas.

First time I rode it my 1st words when I got off was June”That Sucked”.

It was worth it however, as a friend I went Hilcopter snowboarding with, somtimes at 15,000 feet, immediately upon disembarking blew his cookies .

Eating HeeLarryUs!

He was afraid of heights and I never knew. LOL!!!.

Still a lame ride.


52 posted on 05/26/2013 6:05:01 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kickass Conservative

800 foot drop!!!??? Where is it?

I’d freakin do it!!


53 posted on 05/26/2013 6:10:22 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Lurkina.n.Learnin
No thanks. I don’t get on nothing higher than a barstool.

And when it starts spinning, it's time for a booth.

54 posted on 05/26/2013 6:12:06 AM PDT by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Wow..I’m getting vertigo just looking at the pictures...


55 posted on 05/26/2013 6:15:44 AM PDT by Popman (Godlessness is always the first step to the concentration camp.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Youtube video of the Texas Skyscreamer ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NKnUURQzyuE


56 posted on 05/26/2013 6:36:25 AM PDT by TomGuy (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GrandJediMasterYoda
Whaaat could go wrong?

Whatever goes wrong; it will wind up on YouTube.

Judging from the background; it appears that Superman is in the area, so all will be well.

57 posted on 05/26/2013 6:50:00 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: FoxInSocks

If you are slung out at the top I guess you will splat a half mile away from the tower.


58 posted on 05/26/2013 6:52:00 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 .....Obama Denies Role in Government)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

I got on this ride’s baby brother in Orlando,FL. I’ve been on roller coasters all over the country, and I love them all,but let me tell you, this swing ride is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been on. First of all, they use chains, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the “weakest link” idiom coming true. The chains in Orlando were only slightly larger than the type used by bikers to attach their wallets to their pants. And to make matters worse, the ride is the perfect combination of dizzying heights and nausea-inducing spinning.

In short, it was not fun, but absolutely and completely horrifying.


59 posted on 05/26/2013 7:08:11 AM PDT by Carlucci
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: harpu

I’ve been to Texas many times, including Arlington. You’ve clearly never been to the south Atlantic states such as Georgia. The area of Arlington has natural trees, unlike some points further west in Texas, when you can tell you’re coming up on a town because there are trees and you know somebody had to have planted them, there aren’t any wild ones.

But, in comparison to Georgia or even east Texas the trees are getting more sparse and thinning out. As far as hills, Arlington might be hilly by Florida standards but it’s not by mine. Slight inclines don’t qualify to me. Those aren’t slight inclines in that fourth photo, and those wild trees are quite dense. That’s because the photo is of Six Flags Ovet Georgia, not Six Flags Over Texas.


60 posted on 05/26/2013 7:14:18 AM PDT by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson