Velocity Valley’s Newest Adventure Rides
Keen for a new adrenaline rush? At Velocity Valley we’re excited to introduce our brand-new rides, the reverse bungee ride V-Force, as well as a thrilling upgrade to our outdoor-indoor skydiving ride Freefall Xtreme.
V-Force – new at Velocity Valley
Catapulting vertically up to 45 metres in the air, strapped to a cradle, the world a blur around you – our new ride, V-Force, will take your breath away!
This December at Velocity Valley we will be proud to introduce our brand-new reverse bungee ride, a new edition to our extensive suite of adventure activities. The V-Force is like a giant slingshot. It has two towers mounted on a platform, holding two heavy-duty bungee cords, that are stretched down to attach to a passenger sphere. Inside this sphere is where you will sit to have the ride of your life.
The launch speed once your sphere is released is approximately 80 kilometres per hour: the G-force you’ll feel in this moment equals that experienced by astronauts during lift-off (4.5 Gs)! After that first rush, the sphere doesn’t simply go up and down: you’ll have a hair-raising time of it as the sphere spins and bucks in a chaotic adrenalin rush.
On this outdoor ride you’ll be whizzing through the air high above Velocity Valley, with its beautiful rolling green surroundings and Lake Rotorua – a great view if it wasn’t such a blur.
Of course, safety is of the utmost importance at Velocity Valley and you are completely strapped in when riding the V-Force. We will clip you first into a 5-point harness, and then we put in place a solid, padded, over-the-shoulder restraint (like those on roller coasters). You will need to be over 10 years of age, maximum two people at a time, and the combined passenger weight can be up to 200kg (if your duo weighs more, you are each welcome to ride the V-Force alone). Just like the rest of the rides within the park, the V-Force operates in all weather conditions.
Let your flying dreams come true – Freefall Xtreme upgrade
Come live out your wildest dreams and fly like a bird, defying gravity: Velocity Valley’s Freefall Xtreme ride has just had an upgrade. It’s still an outdoor flying experience but it’s now enclosed in a giant transparent cylinder 4.8 metres tall.
Freefall Xtreme (or FFX) opened in 2003 and has flown more than 200,000 people over the 17 years since. The experience gives you 1.5 minutes of “freefall” over a wind tunnel: the sensation of skydiving without having to ever jump out of a plane or pull a parachute. The wind is powered by a Detroit V16 Twin Turbocharged engine for DC3 aircraft from the WW2 era. This motor produces wind of over 200 kilometres per hour.
With the new 3.3-metre-wide cylinder in place, even our lightest flyers can experience the exhilaration of unassisted freefall, flying with our trained flight masters. There is also a safety net at the top so there is no chance you’ll fly away!
The experience begins with a full briefing and suiting up into a flying suit. Your flight master will show you how to position your body, arms, and legs for a stable flying experience. Once you are in the wind tunnel, your flight master will make sure you’re stable – and if you’re deemed good to go, you get to fly unassisted at least 2 metres above the ground, sending your senses into overdrive! You could even try a few 360-degree spins if you have the skill.
This ride is open whatever the weather – we just ask you to remove any loose jewellery and please bring socks to wear with your flying suit. We look forward to having you on our outdoor ride which is now also a little bit indoor – the best of both worlds!
