The Gravitron was first manufactured by Wisdom in 1983 and is now their number one seller. Several units were also made under license by ARM (UK) and Ferrari (Australia) The ride can be found in countries all over the world. Wisdom brands their newer models “Starship 3000″
The ride movement can be summed up two words: centrifugal force - all 4 G’s of it pushing the standards of safe amusement ride physics. This was not the first ride to use centrifugal laws to pin its standing occupants - other prior examples include the Rotor and Roundup
When the automated door closes the fun really begins. Riders barely realise they’re moving (everything they can see is moving with them). The ride quickly starts to rotate reaching its top speed of 24 rpm in less than 20 seconds. (fast given its wide diameter). At this speed (turned with a 33kW 3-phase motor), the 45 panels that riders stand against rise upwards leaving people stuck to the wall with their feet off the ground. Regular riders will always move into position as the ride gains speed, sometimes turning sideways or upside down.
Similar forces are achieved from NASA astronaut experiments simulating rocket take off and space travel G-Forces.
The recommended ride time is no longer than 80 seconds.
Since the amount of G’s felt by a rider corresponds with body weight, most adult riders will the G’s exerted on the chest and face a little too uncomfortable to be ‘FUN’ (they always breathe a sigh of relief when the brakes come on) but ask any kid or teenager what they think of it and they’ll rave on for hours about how many times they’ve ridden it and how totally fantastic it was. The sight of a person lying on a wall sideways or upside-down is always a memorable one!
The interior of the ride consists of a central, circular control / supervisor booth with a futuristic swivelling chair over the centre axis of the ship. This small section is designed for the operator who rotates with the ride, although safe from any G-force. (being in the very centre) This section is usually surrounded by flashing lights, with a few disco lights on top - creating a really good ride atmosphere. Surrounding the sides of the flying-saucer ship are 45 multi-coloured vertical panels, each the height and width of an average human body. These panels are very slightly angled outward, making them nearly vertical. Each panel is on a set of rollers, and with the laws of centrifugal force, is naturally raised upward when the optimum speed is reached. Since the ride is completely enclosed, some units have surveillance cameras installed, with monitor screens on the outside - thus giving spectators an insight into what’s actually happening on ride.
Gravitron’s huge capacity of 45 people, and the ease at which it can be loaded / unloaded (simply by walking in) gives it a great theoretical capacity of 1000 people / hour.
The whole ride can be racked on one 50ft trailer, making it one of the most well designed amusement ride ever produced as far as portability / rider capacity is concerned.
The ride can be set up in 6 hours, and torn down in 3 with an experienced crew.
There are upwards of 40 units in North America, at least 3 in Europe and approximately 7 Gravitrons in Australia.
Butler Amusements has that ride and it’s calls The Thriller.
Adam - April 25th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Hello there,
I would like price and further information on the Gravitron unit. I am also interested in the pricing of a used unit if possible. Thanks.
rob - May 21st, 2009 at 1:07 pm
hi i am interested in buying a gravitron are you able to help
jason white - May 23rd, 2009 at 3:10 am
was scared to death the first time but love it now
jenn - June 3rd, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Hi, I need to contact you for some parts I have 1991 gravitron in puerto rico.
George Rios - June 4th, 2009 at 8:49 am
I was on one of these in Seattle, and this one kid tried to peel himself off the wall at the height of the G-forces. He jacknifed himself at the waist and spent the remainder of the ride doubled-up, since he wasn’t strong enough to straighten up again. He was purplish at the end.
KnoxWarner - June 10th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Honestly, the BEST ride out there at small-town fairs. Too bad they haven’t had it at the Father Hennipen Festival for like two years now and I am really disappointed.
Chris - June 15th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Oh no no no no no,I would NEVER go on that ride,I would chunk for sure!
ba-boss-bomb - July 2nd, 2009 at 7:47 am
I tried it for the first time the other day, and I loved it. The kid next to me was humming the spiderman theme song as he turned sideways, and it was fun to go upsidedown and see other people doing the same. Long hair looked funny there too, and the only person on the ride who didn’t seem to be enjoying it was this one girl who spent the whole time texting.
BEST FAIR RIDE EVER!
J - July 12th, 2009 at 3:35 am
I would definitely not recommend eating before riding. I’m a 225 lb guy and it felt like more than 4Gs to me. I barely made it through the ride without yaking. I had the sweats just trying to keep my meal down. My son had a blast….not for big people!
OC NJ Adult Rider - July 21st, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I roccomend this ride for people seeking to have fun but not recommended for truoble making children,people with truopble breathing,elderly, or people with cluastrophobia.It is a wicked fun ride.
Melissa - August 10th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I ALWAYS have several Gravitrons for sale at any given time as trade ins. E mail if interested
Mark Blumhagen - August 17th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
it seemed to me that it turned vertical during the ride; i watched it run and know it doesnt; what caused that feeling? fluid in inner ear?
Tom - August 30th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Love it until people barf; then it hovers and it’s like Russian roulette when the ride stops ;D
Erin - September 5th, 2009 at 10:26 am
I went on this ride 2 times today at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, Washington and loved it!
Alex - September 8th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
HI just come back from Dreamworld in the goldcoast Aussie they had a ride called the vortex same as the gravoton but i see its gone any body got any idea what happened to it cheers Bruce
Bruce - September 16th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Gravitron is by far rated number 1 ride at Buckwheat Festival here in West Virginia. I’ve ridden it over and over again for the past 4 days. It is an amazing ride. I love it a lot. My best friend operates this ride. I even get to help run this ride as well. It is so fun. I can ride it as many times as possible and no pukingis done. We are soon to be making huge updates to our Gravitron here. It is going to take hard work and it’s going to be awesome. New music equipments not only that new boards and everything.GRAVITRON ROCKS!!!!!
Heather - September 28th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Does anyone know how much a brand new Gravitron cost from Wisdom? I know it cost a lot!
Prince06 - October 12th, 2009 at 11:43 am
OC NJ, Indeed, the more more you weight the more force your body will experience. Your body may have very well seen more than 4g’s. I would have hurled. The physics: Force=mromega^2 <-it’s a function of mass.
Phrog - October 17th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
got one here at thomas Amusements, called the star ship 2000
Ride enthuist - October 21st, 2009 at 4:43 am
Gravitrons and all starship themed rides are dangarous and need to be delt with withgreat care! Ive ran two different gravitrons one for Wade and ill tell you ith experience keep you ears focused on wall pin breakings thAts what cuased old blue to through a wall pannel! I left wade after that and havnt steped foot in a grav since then! My oppinion wisdom should elimenate the pin/wedge combo and have the car be bolted i stead
Chris - January 20th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I visited your web site earlier today and firstly wanted to congratulate you on the appearance, excellent content and accessibility I discovered there. It is not often I come across a web site that offers such a positive user experience and great information too.
Karishma Patel - February 1st, 2010 at 11:14 pm
a new gravitron runs about 400.000 from wisdom, chris is very right the wedge system IS VERY DANGEROUS, but thats what wisdom builds “disposable rides” they are safe for the first few years till the metal fatigue and rust from the inside of the tubing sets in, they simply are not built strong enough. wisdom didnt invent the gravitron they stole the idea from someone else. the original gravitron was covered in canvas and had aliens painted on it and was in san antonio texas fair in the ealy 80s. wisdom also stole the single trailer himalaya idea as did majestic mfg. from david brewer in 88.
Dave - February 9th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Hey, just saying that I liked this site. Very informative, and it helped a lot with a project I’m doing. I remember the gravitron from when I was a kid-you don’t see them often anymore-and I remember having a blast with them.
Brittany - February 16th, 2010 at 7:35 am
I run Skerbeck brothers J-Unit Gravitron! I love the ride…wouldnt run anything else. and to be honest with you… it is up to the ride operator to make sure the ride is safe… replace floor bolts… wall wedges bottom middle and top pins and top wedges often and they wouldnt break! Keep your stuff tight and right and check that every day and you wouldn’t have the issue of walls flying off!!!!!!!!!!
Wesley - March 14th, 2010 at 3:10 am