Huss Park Attractions, the German ride manufacturer, is celebrating the world premiere of Break Dance 5 at Vienna Prater in Austria.
As the first attraction in the new HUSS Signature Rides Collection, the Break Dance 5 builds on previous successes and achieves new milestones.
Reimagining the fan favourite
Since its introduction in 1985, the Break Dance has been a popular and distinctive feature at fairs and amusement parks. The ride’s spinning motion, speed, and vibrant design rapidly established it as an international success and revolutionised the roundabout ride market. With over 100 units delivered, the Break Dance is the most successful attraction created and built by Bremen-based Huss Park Attractions.
The Break Dance 5 is the most recent iteration of this fan favourite, and debuts at Vienna Prater‘s new Laser Dance entertainment complex which soft opened in August. The attraction features design and ride dynamics based on the distinctive “Break Dance formula”, created for the original attraction, which combines size, weight, angles, speed, and control to guarantee an amazing, unmatched ride experience.
Huss has enhanced the attraction’s power by 30% and raised the top speed by an additional 30% in comparison to earlier models. The ride is more powerful and dynamic than ever thanks to the increased speeds of the gondola crosses and the main turntable. The redesign prioritises longevity and safety, creating a maintenance-friendly solution.
The updated gondolas provide additional space and individual lap bars for comfort and safety, and the attraction is approved for riders over 1.2m tall. The gondolas also have the option for motion sound and onboard sound, for an even more engaging ride.
Break Dance 5’s new design provides more space for riders while allowing for a more compact footprint. The gondolas’ rotation is now tighter as they move closer to each other as well as the center and rear wall. This results in more dramatic effects.
By relocating the gondola cross-drives beneath the main turntable, Huss has created a cleaner platform. The ride is sloped to provide spectators with an unimpeded view of the attraction and allow them to follow the cycle without disruption.
Immersive experience
Break Dance 5 is the centrepiece of the multi-storey Laser Dance facility at Vienna Prater. The ride is situated on the ground level with an open floor, and extends up two floors. With this protection from the elements, the ride can run year-round.
This architectural integration enhances immersion and theming. In addition, the attraction’s futuristic design concept features sumptuous LED lighting which provides a dazzling and thematically linked light show.
The attraction includes two queues, ‘Adventure’ and ‘Thrill’, each offering a unique riding experience. The operator can optimise visitor flow by loading riders alternately from the top of the platform as the ride cycles run sequentially, resulting in fully loaded queues.
Break Dance 5 was successfully approved by TÜV and handed over to the client on 11 June. The operator is nearing completion of the entertainment complex, including the primary attraction’s staging and presentation. The soft opening phase has been underway since the beginning of August, and The Laser Dance complex is set to open soon with a major event.
See also: Huss Park Attractions: creating lasting memories
Lars L. Hartmann, sales and creative director at Huss, says: “The transition from a classic carousel to a signature attraction is based on the implementation of a show ride cycle that starts in the queue and reaches its climax with the actual ride.
“The ride is accompanied by a custom soundtrack and special effects to enhance the experience. Different show rides are available for different groups of guests, and the interaction of varied movement, sound and light guides the ride through the different phases, creating a fun adventure with each ride. These staged show rides are an exceptional addition to any theme park, appealing to families and thrill-seekers alike.”
HUSS Operator Center Stage
In addition to the redesigned gondola, the Break Dancer has a striking new centre. The HUSS Operator Center Stage makes the operator a part of both the ride and the entertainment, as they oversee the entire experience and use a show control system to engage with guests. In addition, the ride offers one-person operation from the centre during off-peak periods.
The HUSS Operator Center Stage also enables DJs to transform the attraction into a stage for live events, with a second external operator station available for safe ride control.
Furthermore, the Break Dance 5 will be available as a mobile attraction, with a flexible multi-functional podium concept that can be set up in two versions.
Hartmann says: “Yes, we are again offering Break Dance 5 as a transportable attraction. Both the park version and the travelling attraction have exclusive features. The mobile version can also be fully and individually themed and illuminated. It should be faster to set up and require significantly less staff.
“One of the two set-up options allows it to be placed on the exact footprint of the classic Break Dance 1. Die-hard fans can continue to look forward to a sonorous and powerful drive noise.”
In addition to traditional fairs, festivals with live DJs could open up a new market for the mobile attraction.
The fifth edition of this legendary flat ride, beloved among both fans and operators, offers a high capacity in a compact design. The attraction features five crosses with four gondolas each, with a capacity of 40 people per ride or up to 1,200 riders per hour. The primary turntable has a diameter of only 15.4 metres, compared to 17.5 metres for the six-arm Break Dance 2.
Earlier this year Huss Park Attractions launched the Sky Tower Multimedia. This blends the highly successful HUSS Sky Tower observation experience with the Explorer, the most recent HUSS film-based attraction. It is a world-first and provides a unique experience.
