Drop towers have exploded onto the market recently and every amusement park wants to get one. Cedar Point has Power Tower and the Paramount Park have their Drop Zone Rides, which are all famous for their heights. In 2000 Drayton Manor in England made the jump and bought their own drop tower from Intamin AG, who is responsible for most of the free fall rides. The ride was dubbed Apocalypse and stood at a mere 180-feet tall. That may seem high to normal standards, but it’s small compared to 300-feet. With this in mind, Drayton Manor pulled their trick card from their sleeve. They left two seats in the normal position and modified the other two to allowed riders to stand on the ride, making the first stand-up free fall ride. This little trick catapulted Apocalypse into the spotlight and gave Drayton Manor something very unique to call their own.

Daring thrill riders enter the queue and then have to make the decision of whether they want to sit or stand on the ride. Once they have made up their mind and proceeded down the correct path, they finally get their chance to ride. They proceed up a flight of stair and enter the station area, where they take their seats. The safety restraints are secured, which consist of a standard over-the-shoulder restraint for both seating positions and the apocalypse is at hand. The car begins to rise into the air and the seats tilt forward a little bit. The car finally clears the station and riders are sent into the open air. The speed picks up as they leave the hold of the brakes and they rise higher and higher without a sign off stopping. Riders are preoccupied by the beautiful view of the park when the track locks to the top of the tower. Riders can feel their heartbeats as they wait for the plummet back to earth. Seconds feel like hours as they wait and then without warning the seat drops and plummets back to the earth. Riders experience 5 seconds of weightlessness, which is an amazing sensation while standing up. The car falls 180-feet and is caught by the magnetic brakes. The brakes slow the car and riders are brought slowly back to earth. The restraints are released and riders are released back into the park.

The Apocalypse is at hand at Drayton Manor. The only question is, can you survive it?