Straight from the store and into the seats of the spinning coaster and on to the bright orange rails on to the fun: After a right-hand bend, the track climbs steeply 30° leaving behind the chic clothes, shoes or cell phones from a moment ago. Capturing your attention, a fantastic view now opens up over the park.
The Blockbuster Mall shopping centre in Kiev, Ukraine, combines shopping and entertainment. The main attraction in the amusement park is the indoor spinning coaster. Its name is “Американська Гірка,” which simply means “roller coaster.”
The structural conditions were a challenge. The coaster starts on a mezzanine level above the first floor of the mall. Underneath it is a go-kart track with some columns that are “in the way.” But Maurer Rides made a virtue of necessity and tailored the track into the architecture of the shopping centre. That is to say, the pillars were interpreted as a welcome occasion to curve around them and thus to induce the changes in direction that make spinning fun in the first place.
Immediately after the hilltop, an S-curve will confuse one’s orientation, then the passengers will fall into the first drop and spin dizzyingly over the go-kart track. Up, down, faster and faster, up again and … “flying.” The tingling sensations induced from the camelback, the favourite feeling of all roller coaster fans. And once again turn, turn, turn – the final burst with four turns is really something special before the gondola is gently braked back in the station area.
The shopping mall was opened in 2019. The integrated 25,000 m2 “Galaxy Park” followed on September 5, 2020. Despite coronavirus conditions, Maurer Rides managed to build and commission the ride with the extremely constructive cooperation help from the client. A special eye-catcher are the vehicles: they were artfully designed by an airbrusher as a bear, cheetah, parrot, and snakes.
More than one million people live in the area near the shopping and leisure centre. It is expressly intended to serve not only for shopping, but also as a social hub. Over 350,000 passers-by are expected daily.
