Space Vertigo (Gardaland, Italy)
No. 5: Space Vertigo (Gardaland)
Built in 1998, this Intamin Drop Tower is only 40 meters high, still it’s widely recognized to deliver a uniquely intense experience.
The backstory is based around a moon base attacked by some kind of alien virus. Riders, after walking inside the space lab, featuring lights and video effects, shall prepare themselves to escape with a jump in the hyperspace, so they sit along 4 gondolas which are lifted to the top of the tower. After holding there for several seconds, they free fall towards the ground. As Space Vertigo is a not-very-tall tower, brakes activate very close to the floor and the slowdown is pretty harsh, to let the riders believe they’re going to hit the ground while experiencing an intense airtime feeling during the fall.
