Following the removal of Hurakan (Top Spin), the emblematic amusement park of Barcelona has recently announced the addition of a new thrill ride for 2024. The park is also developing a new plan for specific attractions in order to maintain and renew its socio-tourist appeal providing new sensations and experiences to its guests, while maintaining the essence of historic attractions.
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Through its more than 120 years of history, Tibidabo has constantly evolved, updating the offered experiences, while maintaining some of the oldest relic attractions that provide the park with its iconic and timeless atmosphere. The park is also well-known for its geographical location (with breathtaking views over Barcelona) and the modernist reminiscences that link it to the architectural tradition of the city.
This year, Hurakan has been removed from the park. The Top Spin attraction was one of the most popular rides in Tibidabo, especially among teenagers. Hurakan was a perfect ride for the park, since it was a thrilling experience while also being a family attraction. With its loss, Tibidabo needed a similar experience to maintain the offer profile of attractions. It is for this reason that they decided to build a new free-fall drop tower for 2024, as they have announced in their official Twitter account.
Translated from Catalan: Tibidabo amusement park will have a free-fall drop tower in 2024. The ride will be 50 meters tall, will have a capacity of 24 people, guests taller than 125cm will be able to ride it.
Technical specifications
| Manufacturer | Funtime Handels GmbH |
| Height | 50 meters |
| Braking system | Magnetic brakes |
| Ride vehicle | Circular gondolas |
| Capacity | 24 people |
| Height restriction | 125 cm |
| Cost | 2,016,800 € |
| Other | 360º turn feature |
The attraction will have all the certifications in accordance with the EN-13814: 2019 standard in terms of design, manufacture and installation.
Other considered manufacturers
Apart from Funtime Handels GmbH, other companies like Zamperla and Intamin were considered for the project. The decision about the manufacturer was made taking the following considerations into account:
Zamperla: The proposed ride uses a cable system (like an elevator that moves very quickly) and therefore does not allow experiencing the force of gravity and the real sensation of a free fall.
Intamin: Proposed a 50-meter tall free fall attraction with two gondolas for 8 people each. The ride does not allow the rotation around the tower and the height restriction is 140 cm.
Funtime Handels GmbH: They proposed a 50-meter tall free fall attraction with a magnetic brakes system and a gondola with a capacity for 24 people distributed circularly around the tower. The gondola can also make a 360º turn, allowing the observation of the emblematic landscape over the city of Barcelona. The height restriction is 125 cm.
Zamperla’s proposal was rejected because it was not a pure free fall. Funtime’s proposal has been chosen over Intamin’s one because of higher capacity, the 360º turn feature (two experiences in one, free fall and great views of the surrounding landscape), and because it needs less electricity to work, which involves a lower economic and environmental cost.
The purchase contract of the new drop tower includes the design, manufacturing, transport, installation, and commissioning of the ride, for an amount of 2,016,800 € and a term of execution of 12 months.
