If the weight is too much, the 'claw' will gently lower the ring back to the ground. The ring of seats also rotate and make two complete revolutions before reaching the top. Thanks goes to Patrick Syck for the weighing info. Once the ring reached the 264 foot mark, the ring of seats stop rotating and the anticipation of the drop starts. The view from directly below the tower is amazing as well.
Future riders can only think what is going on in the minds of the riders at the top of the tower.
The lifting 'claw' is entirely independant of the ring of seats. Once the 'claw' lets go of the ring, the only thing stopping the ring is some well placed, fail safe, magnetic brakes. The brakes start at the top of the purple section of the tower but the ring does not stop until it reaches the black section. Once the ring is stopped, a huge blast of wind, generated by the falling ring, welcomes future riders On May 20th, PKI invited some enthusiasts to be among the first to try out Drop Zone. That is what I call 'taking the ultimate plunge' on the 'ultimate plunge'.