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.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

---

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

 

[BGW Family]

Jinxed it. It was down quite a while Sunday.

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

^^^ I was there Sunday from 4-9 and it was up the whole time I was there, was it earlier in the day when it was down?

 

[b.mac]

It was down until I left around 2 pm with mechanics walking around on the lift carriage.

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

^^^ Well at least it was working for half/most of the day that's always an accomplishment too, For Mach Tower.

 

[chickenking]

Sounds like the lift carriage would make for a more stable and exciting ride.
Don't know about the capacity though.

 

[BGW Family]

CK, ToddF, or someone (I can't recall ) asked me about the difference between Drop Zone and Mäch Tower seats. Here are some phone of DZ to illustrate. Also, DZ is about 305 ft and MT is about 246 ft.

 

[chickenking]

And it's in glorious PINK!! Nice watermark.

 

[Nicole]

I find DZ worse than MT. I don't like sitting on the end of a long pole. It feels minutely safer being closer to the base for some reason. Maybe I shouldn't have visited Falling Water and seen what happens to a badly engineered cantilever.

 

[Nora]

Nic- when you visit the park, let me know. I have to meet another woman who would ever use a Frank Lloyd Wright comparison to a drop tower.

 

[Nicole]

Nora: Will do! Anyone who got my reference MUST be cool!

 

[chickenking]

I find DZ worse than MT. I don't like sitting on the end of a long pole. It feels minutely safer being closer to the base for some reason. Maybe I shouldn't have visited Falling Water and seen what happens to a badly engineered cantilever.

^
I can't stop laughing. :angel:

 

[chickenking]

I realize that it is not really news to hear the MT is down again, but man! No mention here whatsoever with what is going on with it. I heard something interesting about two weeks ago about why it is shut down. Curious if anybody else did. Maybe the person who shared info with me will come forward and tell the tale. Anyway, in case you didn't know, MT hasn't been working for the last two weekends that I've seen. But fear not!! It does have a mighty successful GLOW stand right in front of the exit.

 

[I305Evan]

Given up on trying to get it working again. Not worth the maintenance costs anymore.

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

It was actually down the Sunday of the first weekend of Howl-O-Scream the lift carriage was stuck 1/3 up. It hasn't been open since then.

They'll probably get it up and running by this weekend to get ready for peek Howl-O-Scream season.

 

[b.mac]

Mach Tower is doing a mean Intimidator impersonation, or was it the other way around?

 

[redsoxfan787]

Mach Tower was down tonight! Oops, sorry. Old news :dodgy:

 

[Zachary]

So that makes... five weeks? How long till we should start to be concerned?

 

[Hoopla]

How long till we should start to be concerned?

2 years ago. :dodgy:

 

[chickenking]

What's really amazing is that the "broken attractions" listed on the England lot informational sign has actually been correct for a WHOLE month now!!

 

[Kitty]

So...this is still in the "Operating Attractions" thread...just observing.