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80S ERA
02-21-2005, 10:56 AM
For those who don't know what "they penny" is, it is simply holding a penny in your palm during the drop. Many friends of mine would do this on Freefall in Magic Mountain. Many of them claim that it floats in the air. One of them even ended up with a penny impression on his forehead. :eek:

When someone asked him at school "what happens on Freefall when you hold a penny in your hand?" He simply replied, "What do you think?"

I thought about it last time I was in DCA but ended up chickening-out. Anyone care to share their experience if they've tried it?

Captain Josh
02-21-2005, 10:59 AM
For those who don't know what "they penny" is, it is simply holding a penny in your palm during the drop. Many friends of mine would do this on Freefall in Magic Mountain. Many of them claim that it floats in the air. One of them even ended up with a penny impression on his forehead. :eek:

When someone asked him at school "what happens on Freefall when you hold a penny in your hand?" He simply replied, "What do you think?"

I thought about it last time I was in DCA but ended up chickening-out. Anyone care to share their experience if they've tried it?

Oh, I've been doing it wrong.

...I tried it using a Quarter, on my thigh. For the most part I see it float, then I LOSE it, because my leg can't catch a coin. As I recall, the ride usually ends with the lights coming on and me grumbling that I lost a quarter. Your technique sounds much more sensible, and Spirit of Adventure labs will be sure to try it out next time.

Thriller
02-21-2005, 11:10 AM
Oh, I've been doing it wrong.

...I tried it using a Quarter, on my thigh. For the most part I see it float, then I LOSE it, because my leg can't catch a coin. As I recall, the ride usually ends with the lights coming on and me grumbling that I lost a quarter. Your technique sounds much more sensible, and Spirit of Adventure labs will be sure to try it out next time.

During freefalls, loose objects do indeed float. However, ToT is NOT a freefall. It is forced down faster than gravity. This means that loose objects won't appear to float, but will actually seem to go upward, since your falling faster than the object

Simple physics :)

TikiGeek
02-21-2005, 11:41 AM
One time when I was on ToT I got hit on the head with a quarter - Thanks Josh!!!

Seriously - I would not do the coin trick on ToT - it could hit someone or get stuck in the works. I don't like the thought of someone getting hurt because some moron wanted to see a coin float :rolleyes: (no offense to those of you who are morons)

80S ERA
02-21-2005, 12:22 PM
However, ToT is NOT a freefall. It is forced down faster than gravity.

It did swear that I was not feeling zero g's (freefall) -- the blood seemed to be rushing to my head and I did experience some mild "redout" from the negative g's.

Can anyone confirm that TOT pushes you down as opposed to simply dropping you? I would think the former.

No offense taken since I'm not a moron. :) I was asking if someone tried it and didn't recommend it.

got2travel
02-21-2005, 12:38 PM
Never done anything with coins, but if I forget to hold onto my pin lanyard, it flies up (floats, gets forced, whatever).

Thriller
02-21-2005, 12:47 PM
It did swear that I was not feeling zero g's (freefall) -- the blood seemed to be rushing to my head and I did experience some mild "redout" from the negative g's.


A red-out? Wow, the forces aren't all that strong, are they? Although in warmer climates, redouts do occur faster. But I've been on a lot of rides that have stronger forces ( hey, coaster enthusiast eh ;) ) without a problem. Only had some greyouts because of vertical downward acceleration on a couple of extreme coasters in Germany, but other than that, no problem.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
02-21-2005, 12:50 PM
I don't think it pushes you down, since you rise up out of your seat a bit.

BillsGirl
02-21-2005, 01:23 PM
Last time I went on I was hit in the head with a water bottle!! :eek: It starteld me a little bit! The lady and her daughter behind us appologized they had it on their lap. I guess they didn't listen to the CM when they say hang on to all loose articles such as hats, glasses, loved ones, ect. They must have been first time riders. Oh well I survivied!! :fez:

disneyguy247
02-21-2005, 01:29 PM
i either hold my mom's purse or an umbrella during the drop and watch them float......or I just look at someone's long hair. lol!

80S ERA
02-21-2005, 01:36 PM
A red-out? Wow, the forces aren't all that strong, are they? Although in warmer climates, redouts do occur faster. But I've been on a lot of rides that have stronger forces ( hey, coaster enthusiast eh ;) ) without a problem. Only had some greyouts because of vertical downward acceleration on a couple of extreme coasters in Germany, but other than that, no problem.
Even the most extreme rollercoasters follow simple design rules: Limit lateral and negative g forces. The body can take higher levels of positive g's (blood being pushed to lower extremities) compared to negative g's (blood toward the head). Fighter pilots experience an excess of 6g's during tinnerman and split s manuevers during ACM.

The brief redout I experienced is a rather silly story. My cousin who happens to be a pilot explained to me how they must pump blood in portions of the body with the aid of a g suit. During one run on TOT, we decided to pump blood to our heads as opposed to our legs. :fez:

Captain Josh
02-21-2005, 01:57 PM
I wouldn't say it pushes you down, per se. I recall however, hearing that in designing the ride, they made it so that the elevators "fall faster than normal gravity". So I guess it pushes you down, because real falling isn't that intense...or something like that.

yngjedi
02-21-2005, 02:27 PM
last time i rode it i had my camera bag around my neck and it floated up in front of my face. kept having to hold it down

figmentspark
02-21-2005, 02:43 PM
I have a bear backpack that I loop my seatbelt through when I ride, once I forgot to hold it during the drop and the bear went flying up in front of my face. Closest thing I've ever had to the penny trick. It was rather funny to see a flying bear, though... :p

disneyhound
02-21-2005, 02:45 PM
I don't like the thought of someone getting hurt because some moron wanted to see a coin float :rolleyes: (no offense to those of you who are morons)
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

DaddyB
02-21-2005, 03:06 PM
Yes, indeed, ToT pushes the elevator car down. (It does not push YOU down into your seat, it pushes the elevator car, so it still feels something like a freefall). But it is NOT a freefall. You can confirm this with any CM. It is a widely admitted fact.

A penny or quarter will not appear to float in front of you as in the 6 flags rides that were mentioned, it will rise up towards the roof only to drop onto someone's head as the car decelerates. Cameras and pin lanyards would continue to rise towards the roof of the car if it were not for the fact that they are anchored around your neck. Thus, the water bottle incident as described by an earlier poster.

DisneyDustin22
02-21-2005, 08:20 PM
the penny trick works on Maliboomer. I have successfully done it. However short lived, it still works. At the initial blast upward once you hit the peak of the ascent and come to a hault briefly, the penny will float for a moment. It is very similar to the effect on Superman at Magic Mountain, only not as long. But still cool looking.

WITron
02-21-2005, 09:00 PM
On the Travel Channel they have done a program, I believe on WDW, where they talk about TOT and you are not pushed down, you are pulled down.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
02-21-2005, 09:06 PM
I feel better knowing I am being pulled down and not just falling. LOL

ChipmunkStar
02-21-2005, 09:23 PM
Last time I went on ToT, we were seated i nthe back row. midway through the drops, I noticed a water bottle on the floor in front of me that kept flying up on every drop. It went up in the air a few feet, and just kept flying every time. If you must try the Floating trick, try it with something more weighted, that way it won't drop through a grate or fly quite as high or become nearly impossible to catch on the way down...

sdfilmcritic
02-21-2005, 11:10 PM
No. But I have tried the loogy test. J/K

SoCalSteven
02-21-2005, 11:32 PM
Yes, indeed, ToT pushes the elevator car down. (It does not push YOU down into your seat, it pushes the elevator car, so it still feels something like a freefall). But it is NOT a freefall. You can confirm this with any CM. It is a widely admitted fact.

A penny or quarter will not appear to float in front of you as in the 6 flags rides that were mentioned, it will rise up towards the roof only to drop onto someone's head as the car decelerates. Cameras and pin lanyards would continue to rise towards the roof of the car if it were not for the fact that they are anchored around your neck. Thus, the water bottle incident as described by an earlier poster.
Agreed. The car "falls" way too fast to be only gravity powered.

Earkid
02-22-2005, 07:04 AM
I feel better knowing I am being pulled down and not just falling. LOL

Too funny :D

Stupid_American
02-22-2005, 07:45 AM
My pendant worked its way out of my shirt and wound up about eye level.

80S ERA
02-22-2005, 07:58 AM
Next time, I'm going to try "the Churro" trick..... :fez:

Or maybe even the Burr-bank Icecream "Stawberry Station trick".....

Someone want to sit next to me?