Jump and Smile

The Jump & Smile is a type of fairground ride which consists of gondolas arranged on a number of radial arms around a central axis. As the central axis rotates, the arms are lifted into the air using compressed air cylinders at pseudo-random intervals, providing an erratic jumping motion. Most versions of the ride have preloaded patterns which the arms can move in, leading to an eye-catching display. Notable Jump & Smile manufactures include Sartori, Safeco, PWS, SBF Visa and Fabbri.

Jumpin Frog, a Jump & Smile made by Safeco

Jumpin Frog car detail.

Variants

Standard

A standard Jump & Smile has 12 arms each holding one three-person gondola. Riders are secured by a simple lap bar. These rides have become extremely popular in Europe, particularly the models offered by Safeco, Sartori and PWS.

Floorless

A floorless Jump & Smile has 12 arms each holding one two-person floorless gondola. Unlike the regular Jump & Smile, the arms are at a higher angle so that the gondolas have enough room to not crash into the floor. The gondolas on these rides can also usually rotate freely. Riders are secured by over-the-shoulder restraints. Examples of these rides are the Fabbri Smashing Jump,^[1] the Sartori Roto Techno^[2] and the Safeco Hang-Jump.