Top 10 Flat Rides: A Guide to Choosing the Best for Your Park

What Are Flat Rides?

Unlike roller coasters that travel along straight and curved tracks, flat rides rotate, swing, or tilt in various directions. The thrill of these rides comes from the wide range of rotational angles. The seats often rotate independently while also revolving around a central point, sometimes even allowing for unlimited rotation angles, making them popular with all types of amusement park visitors.

Flat rides come in a wide variety of types and sizes, ranging from thrilling and exciting to gentle and comfortable. As an amusement park operator or investor, understanding the various types of flat rides is crucial for creating a diverse amusement park and enhancing its overall appeal.

Popular Types of Flat Rides

Flat rides are essential in creating a memorable experience at any amusement park. From gentle spins to thrilling swings, these rides appeal to a wide range of visitors, making them a must-have for any attraction. In this section, we’ll explore the most popular types of flat rides and what makes them so beloved by park-goers.

Flying Chair(Swinging Chairs)

Swinging chairs are a classic flat ride. Passengers sit in chairs that rise into the air and swing, creating a flying sensation. Some versions of flying chairs can also sway left and right, adding an extra thrill. These rides are loved by visitors of all ages in amusement parks.

Pendulum

This is the ride that might scare off the more timid visitors. The swinging pendulum is a hugely popular attraction in theme parks and amusement parks. Passengers are thrown high into the air like a pendulum, and the central platform also rotates. With a combination of speed, height, and centrifugal force, it provides a thrilling experience that leaves visitors feeling pumped with dopamine.

Carousel

Almost everyone agrees – no amusement park is complete without a carousel. This family-friendly ride is perfect for children and adults alike. With its charming horses, whimsical music, and smooth motion, the carousel offers a nostalgic and relaxing experience that visitors always enjoy. However, note that due to aesthetic differences in different regions, the colors and seat designs of carousels can vary significantly. It’s important to conduct market research before adding this equipment to your amusement park.

Flat Roller Coaster

Flat roller coasters, which move through wide curves and straight lines, are not strictly considered flat rides in the traditional sense. However, SUNHONG’s flat roller coasters offer an exciting coaster experience within a fixed area. For example, our Larva Fruitland mini roller coaster combines sharp turns and rapid rotations, and with the vibrant Larva IP, it’s sure to attract young and family visitors.

Pirate Ship

The flat pirate ship is one of the most popular rides in many theme parks. Its massive swinging motion simulates the feeling of sailing on the stormy sea. If the pirate ship can also rotate 360°, it doubles the thrill and excitement. The ride shown below not only swings but also rotates 360° for a truly exhilarating experience.

Ferris Wheel

Compared to other thrilling rides, the Ferris wheel is relatively gentle. However, for those sensitive to heights, reaching the highest point can still trigger an adrenaline rush and dopamine release, offering a different kind of thrill.

Time Jump

"Time Jump" is a ride that combines spinning and bouncing with dynamic music and dazzling lights. The experience feels like traveling through a time tunnel, completing a "time jump." This ride blends vertical bouncing and horizontal spinning motion, and without needing a base installation, it’s the perfect flat ride.

Tagada

"Tagada" is a wild, flat amusement park ride where visitors sit on a rotating platform that moves clockwise and counterclockwise. As it spins, the platform also moves up and down in various directions, accompanied by energetic music. It's also known as a "Disco" amusement ride.

Train Rides

Train rides are perfect for families with young children. In recent years, amusement parks have preferred trackless trains because they are more cost-effective, flexible, and can travel freely through the park. These electric trains not only take guests on a scenic journey but also play a role in marketing the park.

Tower

If an amusement park features a towering free-fall ride, it will surely grab attention on social media when it opens. Flat tower rides take passengers to the highest point before they drop freely, providing an unparalleled sensation of free-fall. It's a thrill that no other ride can match.

How to Select the Best Flat Rides

1. Choose Your Equipment Based on Diversity

When building the best flat amusement park, the first thing to consider is offering your guests a wide variety of experiences. Therefore, it's important not to have multiple rides of the same type in your park. For example, no amusement park would feature two Swinging Pendulum rides. After establishing the theme for your park, you can begin selecting the types of rides to complement each other. The following list can serve as a reference for building your themed park:

2. Adding Flat Rides to Boost Park Traffic

By understanding your competitors or reference parks, and having a clear grasp of the types of visitors likely to visit your park—such as children, teenagers, and adults—you can better plan your flat amusement park. For example:

For a Children's Flat Amusement Park or Indoor Amusement Park:
You can consider adding visually appealing rides like bungee trampolines and kiddie train rides, which attract younger visitors and are fun for families.

For Family Visitors (Parents with Children):
Opt for unique rides like Air Bus and Star Speed to cater to family visitors, offering something special that both parents and children can enjoy together.

For Thrill-Seeking Visitors:
If your park caters to thrill-seekers, you can include exciting thrill rides like Jurassic Adventure or Bumper Cars to provide an adrenaline-pumping experience for those looking for more excitement.

Conclusion

Choosing the right flat amusement rides is crucial in creating a diverse and exciting experience for your visitors. By offering a variety of rides that cater to different age groups and interests, you can ensure that your park remains attractive to all kinds of guests, from families with young children to thrill-seekers.

When building your park, focus on balancing excitement and diversity. Whether you are designing a children’s flat amusement park, a family-friendly park, or a thrill-seeking amusement park, understanding your target demographic is key.

At SUNHONG, we offer over 150 types of high-quality amusement rides. We also provide free park planning, design, and installation services to help you create the perfect park for your visitors. Don’t hesitate to contact us to start planning your next amusement park!