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Round Up is an amusement ride consisting of a circular horizontal platform with a vertical cage-like wall around the edge. The platform is attached to a motor on a hydraulic arm. The ride starts out by spinning until the centrifugal force is enough to push riders against the wall. Then the arm raises the horizontal platform to a vertical position in which riders, instead of spinning horizontally, are now spinning almost vertically.
The ride spins for a predetermined cycle until an automatic timer releases the hydraulic fluid from the arm, causing the platform to return to its horizontal position. The operator may be required to manually control the spin of the ride so that its exit aligns correctly with the exit gate. Most require the rider to be at least 42 inches tall.
In the United Kingdom, this ride is commonly known as the Meteor or Meteorite. The first such ride to arrive in that same country was with Rose Brothers in the 1950s and it came from Germany.
Although Hrubetz examples, exist in the United Kingdom other common makers, including Cadoxton and Sam Ward.
Zero Gravity
The new portable model, made by Dartron, is known as Zero Gravity. The lighting and appearance has changed and the ride has gone from tire rim drive to direct center gear drive, but its operation remains the same.
There are 70 Round Ups in the United States, 40 in the United Kingdom and 20 in Australia.