Thrill-seeking continues to rise, and theme parks oblige with more shocking rides

Will there ever be a time when theme parks decide that enough is enough, thrill rides have gotten as exciting as they can be, and the limits of speed, thrust, torque and gravity have been reached? The First Law of Trends is that, once one gets going, its inertia will continue until a competing force slows it down. With regard to theme park thrill rides, this probably means that they will continue to get wilder and crazier until they have reached the limits of human endurance. The latest example is Zumanjaro Drop of Doom at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, the latest record-breaking "drop ride" featuring high speeds and stomach-tightening drops. It will be the tallest drop tower in the world, lifting riders up 415 feet (126 meters) in the air and rocketing back down at 90 miles per hour (145 kph). New technological advances make faster thrill rides possible, but customer preferences make them a reality. Expect a new generation of thrill rides for every new generation, as long as it's physically possible.