Texas is building world's tallest ride, at 500 feet

November 9, 2011, 6:05 PM · Texas is not one to be ignored. It might not have the biggest coasters or the most (it's third behind California and Florida with 38 coasters). But it used to have four theme parks (if you ever counted Astroworld as much of anything), and construction has begun on another park, called Earthquest Adventures. If that puppy ever opens, it will be a complex larger than Universal Orlando. And on Galveston Island there is a plan to build a park on one of the old piers.

We have coaster gems here and there like The Boardwalks Bullet or the new Texas Giant - which is now my favorite steel/wood/hybrid however you want to categorize it.

Our state fair, (well the main state fair out of the three) is not one to be ignored in the ride world. There resides the Texas Star, the tallest Ferris wheel in the Americas, at 212 feet. From there you can see both the downtown of Dallas and Fort Worth (and, yes, they are two separate cities). There have been, over the years, several propositions to build a taller wheel in America, but nothing has come of it yet.

Ferris wheel

Celebrating 200 years of Texas Independence, and 150th Fair, over the years it has become known for its icons, such as Big Tex, the Cotton Bowl, the leader in unusual fried foods (starting with the corn dog, we’ve been the leader in dipping stuff in stuff and frying it) and the art deco fair grounds and one of the largest car shows in the world and largest midway in America.

Big Tex

To finally get to the point, The State Fair of Texas is building the world’s tallest ride called the Top of Texas Tower. It will be an observation tower carrying 100 guest at a time up to 500 ft. The cost of the tower is an estimated $11 million.

The tower will open next summer at a semi-permanent Midway. Already there is a permanent log flume and gondola ride as well as the Texas Star. Other permanent rides are being looked at as well, and we might be seeing a formation of a new, albeit strange, amusement park.

Replies (10)

November 10, 2011 at 12:38 AM · Texas is awesome, I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. This new observation-tower ride sounds great.
November 10, 2011 at 1:10 AM · So...... is this like a skytower ride? One of those rides that goes round and round a pole until it gets to the top? 500 feet is pretty high!
November 10, 2011 at 7:30 AM · I also live in the great state of Texas and it's going to be a cool addition to our State Fair. On a side note, I wish Six Flags would spend their money on bringing the park back to what it used to be when I frequented it in the 70's and 80's. I haven't been there in years because I'd much rather save my money and visit WDW or Disneyland. I'm making my 4th trip this year in December and can't wait!!!!
November 10, 2011 at 8:20 AM · Las Vegas will be opening one soon.

"550-foot-tall Ferris wheel"

It will be taller.

November 10, 2011 at 10:20 AM · If you are calling this observation tower a ride. Then you have to include the Gateway Arch in St.Louis, as it has a cable tram to take you to the top. And at 630 feet, this would be the World's tallest ride.
November 10, 2011 at 11:16 AM · To be technical, the HIGHEST (as opposed to TALLEST) ides in the world would be the ones on the Stratosphere Tower in Vegas. But they don't count........right? :)
November 10, 2011 at 11:50 AM · True that the Saint Louis Arch is a modified elevator, but it's just that. This new tower will spin on the way and down. True that that too is somewhat of a modified elevator, but the difference is that in the Arch, the highlight is the views from the top, not the elevator ride, which is dark and feels like an elevator. The spinning motion and the movement up and down is what makes it a ride for the Texas tower.
November 10, 2011 at 11:55 AM · True that the Saint Louis Arch is a modified elevator, but it's just that. This new tower will spin on the way and down. True that that too is somewhat of a modified elevator, but the difference is that in the Arch, the highlight is the views from the top, not the elevator ride, which is dark and feels like an elevator. The spinning motion and the movement up and down is what makes it a ride for the Texas tower.
November 10, 2011 at 12:25 PM · I don't care for tallest or biggest or fastest, but this fits the mantra of Texas!
November 12, 2011 at 8:35 AM · Apparently, the Russians are thinking BIGGER!!!

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20111109/168535299.html

$300 million?

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