1) Tower of Terror
Where? Disney’s Hollywood Studios Fear Factor: 5
No drop is the same on the Tower of Terror ride, which uses advanced technology to programme a random sequence of drops and lifts on this 139 foot tall attraction! Even better, to create a drop even more terrifying than that of free fall gravity, cables pull the ride cars and unsuspecting guests down at a speed faster than the natural pull of gravity, creating a truly stomach wrenching experience. Expect to rise from your seat, with little more than a seatbelt to hold you in as you plunge through 3 stories of the abandoned 1930’s hotel!
2) Jurassic Park Ride Adventure
Where? Universal's Islands of Adventure Fear factor: 4
The Jurassic Park ride starts of slowly, lulling you into a false sense of security and making you wonder if you’ve wandered on to the wrong ride! However, darkness envelops you as your ride car goes off course and crashes into the restricted Raptor Containment Area where you’re chased and taunted by dozens of enraged velociraptors. As a humongous T-Rex looms over you, ready to take the final deadly swipe, you’re saved only by an 85 foot death defying plunge into a lagoon below. While the fear factor may be 4, the splash factor is definitely 5, so bring your ponchos!
3) Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Where? Universal Studios Orlando Fear Factor: 4
You only have 45 seconds to board this high paced ride, which barely slows down to let you on! Sit down, choose your favourite song and immediately start climbing the 167 foot vertical lift which drags the riders to the top of this incredible ride. Enjoy spectacular views of the park before plunging back down to Earth and leaving your stomach behind at the top! All the music choices on the ride are synced to make sure the drop is as dramatic as possible, so there’s no respite there!
4) SheiKra
Where: Busch Gardens Fear Factor: 5
Standing at a staggering 200 feet tall, Sheikra features stunning drops galore. The most terrifying of all the drops on this 2 minute long ride is the first, which leaves riders teetering over a 90 degree gravity defying drop for four full seconds before plunging face first back to Earth at the ride’s maximum speed of 70 miles per hour! Definitely not for the faint hearted, the ride then continues into a loops followed by ANOTHER 138 foot drop at a near 90 degree angle. Phew.
5) Falcons Fury
Where: Busch Gardens Fear Factor: 5
Of course, we couldn’t make a top drops list without including Busch Garden’s Falcon’s Fury. After you board, the ride takes a minute to climb to its maximum height, allowing you to relax and enjoy great views over the park. Don’t relax too much though, the drop is still to come! The ride is 335 feet tall and gives riders the chance to experience 5 seconds of free fall as the ride dives back to earth. Better still, seats tilt forwards 90 degrees, meaning as the tower crashes down, you’re face first heading for the ground below!
6) Kraken
Where: SeaWorld Fear Factor: 4
Almost immediately after boarding the Kraken, named after the fictional wild sea creature, riders climb 149 feet into the air before dropping 144 feet back down to ground with a bump at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour! The lulls and drops of the coaster mimic the violent swelling of the waves and the power of the almighty Kraken as you speed along the floorless rollercoaster! Not for the sea sick among us.
7) Expedition Everest
Where: Disney's Animal Kingdom Fear Factor: 4
Now, this might not be an obvious one for a top drops list, but we love it not for the height of the drop nor even for the speed of the drop but simply for offering something new and different – a backwards drop! The ride might start of quietly enough, with a seemingly endless set of turns and lifts as you slowly climb the mountain side but soon enough, you’re teetering over the edge of the broken tracks peering into the oblivion below. 10 seconds and an ominous click later, you’re reeling in your seat as the car travels backwards at breakneck speeds back down the twists and drops you just climbed!
What's your ultimate Orlando drop? Have your say on our Facebook and Twitter pages! If you're a thrill junkie and love them all, our Orlando Freedom Ticket gives you access to all these great parks and more. Good luck adrenaline seekers!
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