Psyclone, Pendulum ride in Vaughan, Canada

Psyclone is a pendulum ride at the amusement park that swings riders high into the air in a thrilling arc. Passengers sit on outward-facing seats mounted around a central pivot point, experiencing rapid movement as the ride swings back and forth.

Psyclone opened to the public at Canada's Wonderland on May 5, 2002. It is a Mondial pendulum ride, and its arrival added a large swinging ride to the park's lineup of mechanical attractions. The ride swings its 40 outward-facing seats through a maximum arc of 120 degrees.

Psyclone is a Mondial pendulum ride, a type of attraction whose name and design recall the cyclone. Its 40 outward-facing seats rotate around a central pendulum, so each rider faces a different angle and may feel air-time at the top of the 120-degree swing. The ride lasts 1 minute and 54 seconds.

Visitors must be at least 137 centimeters tall to ride this attraction. The ride moves through its cycle fairly quickly, which helps keep lines manageable during busy periods.

Psyclone is assembled from seven main parts: four supports around the ride hold the motor, the blue motor unit on top carries the pendulum, and the pendulum carries the 40 outward-facing seats. The floor beneath riders drops away before each cycle, almost as if sinking into the ground, so the swinging seats cannot strike the riders' legs.