A Madhouse is a flat ride usually manufactured by Vekoma. A similar attraction under the name Mystery Swing is created by Mack Rides. The ride is designed to be an optical and physical illusion, consisting of several rows of seats attached to a swaying gondola within a rotating drum. The ride creates the impression that the rider is turning upside down, whereas it is actually the room that is moving around them.
The ride is a modern implementation of a haunted swing illusion.
Ride experience Madhouses are often extensively themed during the ride sequence, and usually in the queue line. Several madhouses feature pre-shows explaining a story behind the ride. Once in the ride, lapbars are lowered onto the riders, before they gradually experience an odd sense of movement. This is achieved through two mechanisms: the separate floor can move in a controlled swing from side-to-side by up to 7.5/15 degrees in each direction, but the surroundings of the room can rotate through a full 360 degrees. The pivot mechanism for the floor is hidden by two large objects at the end of the room, which are themed to match the ride.
At this point, both the floor and the room are slowly moving in unison. As the ride continues, the floor starts a separate movement from the rotating drum which gradually gives the impression that the room is rotating backwards and forwards further each time. Vekoma offers theme parks the option of programming their own sequence of how the room and floor move. In many madhouses, the lighting subtly changes from moment to moment to add to the disorientation. Eventually, the drum mechanism turns through a full rotation and, by careful synchronisation with the sensation of the swinging floor mechanism, the riders are fooled into feeling as if they themselves are being repeatedly turned upside down.
List of Madhouses
Name Park Country Opened ManufacturerHaunted Swing Anywhere Anywhere1893-1922?Hexenschaukel (Witch's Swing) Mobile Mad House 1894U. KellerHex’n Wippn (Witches' See-Saw) (Mobile Mad House)1968LielieSpukhaus (Haunted House)Taunus Wunderland1973Schwingel GmbHHerzogschaukel (Duke Swing)Märchengarten Blühendes Barock Ludwigsburg1972?Verhextes Schloss (Chained Lock)Freizeitpark Traumland? Dietz Fahrzeugbau GmbH Draaiend Huis Bobbejaanland1982-1998Schwingel GmBHMerlin's Mystical MansionClark's Trading Post, Lincoln New Hampshire1990In houseVilla VoltaEfteling1996VekomaThe HauntingDrayton Manor1996VekomaJack the RipperWiener Prater1997?Crazy Space LabGenting Theme Park1998–2013VekomaValhalla Borgen (Valhalla Castle)Tivoli Gardens1998–2007VekomaHoudini's Great Escape (Houdini – The Great Escape)Six Flags New England1999VekomaHoudini's Great EscapeSix Flags Great Adventure1999–2009, 2011VekomaHoudini (Formally: Magic house of Houdini)Bellewaerde1999VekomaFluch der Kassandra (Curse of Cassandra/Cassandra's Curse)Europa-Park2000Mack RidesHex – The Legend of the TowersAlton Towers2000VekomaMerlin’s Magic CastleWalibi Holland2000VekomaLe Palais du génie (The Palace of genie) Walibi Belgium2001VekomaImpossible Blackpool Pleasure Beach1955-2001 (as The Haunted Swing) 2002 In houseFeng Ju PalacePhantasialand2002VekomaHotel Embrujado (Haunted Hotel)Parque Warner Madrid2002VekomaMagic House (Formally: Mad House)Gardaland2002VekomaNoah’s Incredible Adventure/Curse of the CryptNoah’s Ark Water Park2003–2008, 2009-2012Mack RidesVerlies des Grauens (Dungeon of Horrors)Belantis2003VekomaLenny's Magic School (No rotating part)Everland2007-2019 (as Rotating House) 2019Mack RidesLe Défi de César (Caesar's Challenge/The Challenge of Cesar)Parc Astérix2008Mack RidesAlpenhotel Rasch (parts of)- (Mobile Mad House)2011Dietz Fahrzeugbau GmbHMaison Houdini (House Houdini)Rainbow MagicLand2011VekomaHaunted House Monster PartyLegoland Windsor2019VekomaDizzy Lizzy's Four Quarters SaloonIdlewild and Soak Zone1999-2012In-house
Cancelled installations Name or Area name's Madhouse Park Country Reason ManufacturerZ-Force Six Flags DubaiCancelledVekomaPoseidon Fury Island of AdventureProject Change?El Templo de Muerte (The Temple of Dead) BobbejaanlandUnknownVekomaManhattan Midway's Madhouse Tokyo Disney SeaOver BudgetVekoma
References
External links A video showing how a Madhouse works Official trailer for Hex, a Vekoma Madhouse at Alton Towers Review of the Haunting Mad House at Drayton Manor