A World's Tallest Headed to the American Dream?

© The American Dream

With construction now started on both the inside and the outside of the decade-plus delayed American Dream mall in New Jersey, formerly called Xanadu, we're getting occasional new bits of information about its offerings.

This news story shows how secretive the developers, who also run the Mall of America, are being - apparently it is rumored that as retailers are signing on board they have to give the mall sole rights to announce their tenancy.

The project is of interest to amusement park fans because it will include a 300,000 square foot indoor theme park along with a 225,000 square foot indoor water park.  The amusement park will have rides and attractions themed around the DreamWorks characters - there will also be indoor skiing, an observation wheel, mini-golf and more.

As for that new bit of information, well, the news story above also lists one of the American Dream's attractions as "the world's tallest drop ride."  Now that's got my attention!

As we know the world's tallest drop ride is currently also in New Jersey, Zumanjaro at Six Flags Great Adventure.  That ride features a 415 foot plunge, so if this news is true then the American Dream ride would be taller.

But sadly, I have to question if there isn't a catch in here somewhere.  Previous stories said the drop ride would be twenty stories, or roughly 200 feet tall, but still the "world's tallest."  That doesn't make sense, obviously, but if you look close at the concept art it appears as though the towers are indoor.  Perhaps this will be the world's tallest indoor drop ride?  That gives it much less competition, with a few rides like Mystery Castle at Phantasialand (213 feet or so) coming to mind.

Whatever the end result is, I'm happy the project continues to move along.  The hope is for an opening in 2016, though it is unclear if that is the entire complex or just a first phase.