Mäch Tower

Manufacturer

Moser's Rides

Model

Gravity Tower

Hamlet

Oktoberfest (Germany)

Opening Date

August 18th, 2011

Closing Date

January 8th, 2023

Attraction Height

240ft

Duration

About 90 Seconds

Riders Per Cycle

30

Height Requirement

48in

Mäch Tower was a Moser's Rides Gravity Tower located in the Oktoberfest section of Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Originally planned to debut in the spring alongside Beste Brezeln und Bier and numerous other alterations to the Oktoberfest hamlet, Mäch Tower faced months of delays throughout the first half of 2011. Ultimately, the attraction did not open to the public until August 18th, 2011.

Mach Tower was typically converted into an observation tower named Nächt Tower for the park's annual holiday event, Christmas Town.

On December 16, 2022 it was announced by the park that Mäch Tower would close on January 8th, 2023. The ride did not operate in it's typical Nächt Tower mode in 2022, in order to have final sendoffs in the normal drop tower mode.

When it debuted, Mäch Tower featured an onboard audio system which would play music throughout the ride's ascent and a seat vibration effect that would trigger immediately before the drop. A POV featuring the on-ride audio can be found below.

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Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

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Sources:

1. Mäch Tower Announcement Press Release
2. Official Statement Regarding Opening Delays
3. "Waiting for the Mach Tower to Drop" via The Virginian-Pilot
4. "Busch Gardens opens towering drop ride after 3-month delay" via The Virginian-Pilot
5. First Ride Video & Opening Day Photos via BGWFans
6. Early Mäch Tower Ride Impressions via Theme Park Insider

 

[FoozMuz]

To put it delicately, most Americans have a different size that does not fit well in the seats.

I'm a thin 6'1 guy and it's terrible for my frame. I'm reasonably sure there are plenty of italians who are my height and weight.

 

[ControlsEE]

I'm a thin 6'1 guy and it's terrible for my frame. I'm reasonably sure there are plenty of italians who are my height and weight.

Eh, from what I'm aware of, most Europeans are generally shorter than we are. I'm 6'0 and can't get the harness down very well either.

 

[Nicole]

Americans and Europeans are about the same height:

 

[Zachary]

And height really isn't the problem anyway. Unless most Italians have had their arms amputated, Moser wasn't designing its drop tower to accommodate Italians. Mach Tower literally doesn't accommodate arms.

 

[Crunchewy]

Ok, this sounds terrible. lol.

 

[Le Moose]

Ok, this sounds terrible. lol.

It is

 

[Nibbins]

Someone on Facebook reports that Mach Tower is testing right now.

Can anyone confirm?

 

[vacoasterfanatic]

Praying that it isnt testing, its garbage

 

[WDWRLD]

Today……

 

[Le Moose]

Today……View attachment 23797

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[horsesboy]

Honestly for the first time in it's life I am actually excited that it might open. I really want the view of Pantheon from that angle.

 

[Thomas]

Mach Tower's only use is looking at ride construction.

 

[horsesboy]

Mach Tower's only use is looking at ride construction.

I mean it's also good for spotting lost treasures in the boneyard

 

[Thomas]

It’s open.

 

[ControlsEE]

It’s open.

 

[K8theGr8]

Oh I laughed so hard. Thank you for that.

Am I the only one likes MT? I mean.. I don't prefer it to anything else in the park. But it's decent fun.

Given MT's spotty operational history and too-frequent issues, it's especially uncomfortable to have to put that much more faith in the restraint system.

Do any of those too-frequent issues have to do with the ride restraints? My anxiety needs to know.

 

[ControlsEE]

Oh I laughed so hard. Thank you for that.

Am I the only one likes MT? I mean.. I don't prefer it to anything else in the park. But it's decent fun.


Do any of those too-frequent issues have to do with the ride restraints? My anxiety needs to know.

So I've never like riding it due to the awkward seat size and restraints. I was also lead team member for one season at MT and it really wasn't that bad (besides quite a few sub-par team members). I did make it common knowledge that if the ride ever caught fire, I would get everyone out of the area, then clock out and watch it burn. Anyways, most of the issues we had during that season were communications issues with the control system, which would result in an automatic e-stop. I only remember having issues with harnesses only once, where they wouldn't open. We used the manual release tools to get everyone off in short order while maintenance fixed the issue. Should be noted that Mach Tower (like all amusement rides) have dual redundant harness locks to keep the harnesses closed, even if one fails.

 

[AlpenChrist97]

Happy 10th Birthday MÄCH TOWER!!!!

 

[RollyCoaster]

A bulldozer would make a lovely gift

 

[Cam]

Remove mäch tower and put falcons fury there but 500 feet tall and re build rampage and wild thang them my life will be happy